Sandra Hüller

Sandra Hüller
Hüller in 2023
Born (1978-04-30) 30 April 1978 (age 46)[1][2]
Suhl, East Germany
Alma materErnst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts
OccupationActress
Years active1998–present
Children1
AwardsFull list

Sandra Hüller (German: [ˈzandʁa ˈhʏlɐ]; born 30 April 1978) is a German actress. She has appeared in German, Austrian, American, British, and French films. She has received various accolades, including two European Film Awards, a César Award and three German Film Awards, along with nominations for an Academy Award and two BAFTA Awards.

Hüller has played Anneliese Michel in Hans-Christian Schmid's 2006 drama Requiem, for which she won the Silver Bear for Best Actress, and a troubled daughter in Maren Ade's 2016 comedy Toni Erdmann, for which she won her first European Film Award for Best Actress. She portrayed Irma Sztáray in Frauke Finsterwalder's 2023 historical black comedy Sisi & I.

International recognition came in 2023 for her starring roles in Justine Triet's legal drama Anatomy of a Fall and Jonathan Glazer's Holocaust drama The Zone of Interest. Her performances in the former won her another European Film Award and a César Award, in addition to a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Early life and education

Hüller was born in Suhl, Thuringia,[3] East Germany,[1] and grew up in Oberhof and Friedrichroda, small villages in the heavily forested state of Thuringia.[4][5] She is the elder of two children,[6] with parents who were educators;[7] her father taught at a center for apprentices, her mother gave after-school tutoring.[5]

Hüller cut off her hair, dyed it red,[8] and joined a drama club as a teenager.[9] "I took part in the theatre workshop at school and really enjoyed it, but I never thought that it could be a profession for me. It was more of a hobby", Hüller said.[10] In high school,[7] Hüller had her stage debut with the 1996 production Wir Voodookinder directed by Robert Lehniger at the Theatertreffen der Jugend in Berlin.[11] From 1996, Hüller studied acting at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin,[12] graduating in 2003.[13][14]

After graduating, Hüller left Berlin and spent two years at a theatre southwest of Leipzig, then moved to Switzerland to join the Theater Basel.[7] Hüller speaks German, English, French and Spanish.[9]

Career

Hüller in 2023

Hüller appeared from 1998 to 2001 at the Theaterhaus[15] Jena, Thuringia and then for one year at the Schauspiel[16][17][18] Leipzig. It was Oliver Held,[19] a playwright from Jena, who recommended her to the Theater Basel in Switzerland, where she appeared until 2006.[12]

In 2006, Hüller appeared as Michaela Klingler in Hans-Christian Schmid's film Requiem, for which she won the 56th Berlin International Film Festival's Award for Best Actress and her first German Film Award.[20]

In 2009, Hüller appeared as Elizabeth I, in Virgin Queen at Prater Volksbühne theatre,[21] and in the music-theater-show For Love, directed by Tom Schneider, based on the works of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love.[22][23]

In 2012, at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival, Hüller was – alongside Emily Jacir and David OReilly – part of the jury that chose Justine Triet's Vilaine Fille Mauvais Garçon as the festival's best short film.[24]

From 2012 to 2015, Hüller was a member of the company[25] at the Munich Kammerspiele, where she worked with director Johan Simons on several plays,[26] notably Elfriede Jelinek's Die Straße. Die Stadt. Der Überfall. in 2013.[27]

In 2014, Hüller won the German Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Franziska Feldenhoven in Frauke Finsterwalder's film Finsterworld.[28]

In 2016, Hüller co-founded the FARN.collective theater group.[29] She accepted the invitation to become a member of Berlin's Academy of Arts in 2017.[30]

In 2018, Hüller became a member of the company at the Schauspiel Bochum, again working with Johan Simons.[7] In 2018, she played the lead role in Simons' adaptation of Penthesilea in Bochum and at the Salzburg Festival.[31]

In 2019, Hüller appeared in Johan Simons' award-winning, gender-switched version of Hamlet.[32][5] In 2019, Hüller was part of the 69th Berlin International Film Festival's jury, chaired by Juliette Binoche.[33] Later in 2019, she appeared in two French films, Justine Triet's Sibyl, where she played film director Mika,[34] and in Alice Winocour's Proxima as the psychologist Wendy.[35]

In 2023, Hüller portrayed Countess Irma Sztáray in Frauke Finsterwalder's historical black comedy film Sisi & I, a retelling of the later years of Empress Elisabeth of Austria from the point of view of her lady-in-waiting. The film had its world premiere at the 73rd Berlin Film Festival on 19 February 2023,[36] and was released in Germany on 30 March 2023.[37] Hüller was nominated for the German Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film.[38]

In 2023, Hüller starred in two films that premiered in main competition at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival;[39] the French legal drama Anatomy of a Fall by Justine Triet, which won the Palme d'Or,[40] and the American-British-Polish Holocaust drama The Zone of Interest by Jonathan Glazer, which won the Grand Prix.[40] She won her second European Film Award for Best Actress for Anatomy of a Fall, while also being nominated for The Zone of Interest.[41] She also earned Academy Award[42] and Golden Globe[43] nominations for Anatomy of a Fall, as well as BAFTA Film Award nominations for both Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest.[44] She also won the César Award for Best Actress for Anatomy of a Fall.[45]

In June 2024, Hüller was invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[46]

Hüller is scheduled to direct Penthesile:a:s by Marie Dilasser at the Neues Theater Halle/Saale in 2025.[47]

Other activities

In 2024, Hüller appeared in the first-ever advertising campaign of Phoebe Philo's eponymous fashion brand.[48][49]

In July 2024, Hüller christened the ship Sea-Eye 5 for the Sea-Eye NGO in Ancona and criticized the European migration policy in an interview.[50]

Personal life

Hüller considers Thuringia as home.[8][51]

Hüller lives in Leipzig-Plagwitz, Germany, with her daughter, who was born in 2011.[52][53]

Hüller is a licensed forklift operator, certified for a role in Thomas Stuber’s In the Aisles.[13][54]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1999 Nicht auf den Mund Daisy Short film
Midsommar Stories Beatrice Segment "Sabotage"
2006 Requiem Michaela Klingler
Kühe lächeln mit den Augen Julia
Madonnas [de] Rita
2008 Where in This World Short film
A Woman in Berlin Steffi
The Architect [de] Reh Winter
2009 Roentgen Charlotte Short film
Fly Sarah Short film
Germany 09: 13 Short Films About the State of the Nation Ulrike Meinhof Segment "Die Unvollendete"
Miss Stinnes Motors Round the World [de] Clärenore Stinnes
Henri 4 Catherine
2010 Brownian Movement Charlotte
Aghet – Ein Völkermord Tacy Atkinson Documentary
2011 Über uns das All Martha Sabel
2012 Fluss Mother Short film
Strings Mother
2013 Finsterworld Franziska Feldenhoven
2014 Lose My Self [de] Frauke, Lena's friend
Amour Fou Marie
2016 Toni Erdmann Ines Conradi
2017 Don't Superhero Short film
Fack ju Göhte 3 Biggi Enzberger
2018 In the Aisles Marion Koch
25 km/h Tanja
2019 Sibyl Mika
Proxima Wendy
Exil Nora
2020 Sleep[55] Marlene
2021 I'm Your Man Employee
Munich – The Edge of War Helen Winter
2022 The Black Square[56] Martha
Talking About the Weather[57] Clara
2023 Sisi & I Irma Sztáray
Anatomy of a Fall Sandra Voyter
The Zone of Interest Hedwig Höss
2024 Two to One[58] Maren
2026 Project Hail Mary[59] Eva Stratt Post-production
TBA Judy TBA Filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Der Kriminalist Conny Lojewski 1 episode
2013 Pinocchio Fox Miniseries
2014 Polizeiruf 110 Karen Wagner 1 episode
2016 Crime Scene Cleaner (Der Tatortreiniger) Silke Hansen 1 episode
2024 Zeit Verbrechen Susanne Meierhof 1 episode

Radio plays

Audio books

  • 2013: Finn-Ole Heinrich: Die erstaunlichen Abenteuer der Maulina Schmitt – Mein kaputtes Königreich. (Hörcompany)
  • 2014: Finn-Ole Heinrich: Die erstaunlichen Abenteuer der Maulina Schmitt – Warten auf Wunder. (Hörcompany)
  • 2015: Finn-Ole Heinrich: Die erstaunlichen Abenteuer der Maulina Schmitt – Ende des Universums (Hörcompany)
  • 2015: Karen Köhler: Wir haben Raketen geangelt (tacheles!/Roof Music)
  • 2017: Mariana Leky: Was man von hier aus sehen kann (tacheles!/Roof Music)
  • 2018: Wolfgang Herrndorf: Bilder deiner großen Liebe: Ein großer Monolog mit Musik (tacheles!/Roof Music)[63]
  • 2019: Mariana Leky: Die Herrenausstatterin (tacheles!/Roof Music)[64]
  • 2019: Mariana Leky: Erste Hilfe (tacheles!/Roof Music)[64]

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Sandra Hüller

Besides Julia Jentsch and Paula Beer, Hüller is the only German actress to win both the European Film Award and the Silver Bear for Best Actress, top honors of the European Film Academy and Berlin Film Festival, in the 21st century.[65][66]

For Anatomy of a Fall (2023), Hüller became the third German actress to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, and the first German actress to be nominated since Luise Rainer in 1937.[67]

References

  1. ^ a b "Sandra Hüller". Filmstarts.de (in German). Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  2. ^ Shoard, Catherine (26 January 2017). "Toni Erdmann's Sandra Hüller: 'Everybody knows the German clichés. Maybe they're true'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  3. ^ "PRESS KIT" (PDF). German Films.
  4. ^ "'Toni Erdmann' star Sandra Huller talks nudity, comedy and Hollywood movies". Daily News. 5 January 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Roxborough, Scott (1 September 2023). "Sandra Hüller, Actress of the Year?". The Hollywood Reporter.
  6. ^ Tanja Brandes and Markus Decker (8 March 2019), Sandra Hüller: So sehr Ost wie West Berliner Zeitung.
  7. ^ a b c d Mead, Rebecca (27 November 2023). "How Sandra Hüller Approached Playing a Nazi". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  8. ^ a b Yupilami, Mars (5 July 2011). ""It's not about having sex"". Exberliner. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  9. ^ a b Canfield, David (15 November 2023). "Sandra Hüller Steps—Cautiously—Into the Spotlight". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  10. ^ Blaney, Martin (17 November 2006). "Sandra Hueller • Actress | A Star Is Born". Cineuropa.
  11. ^ "Hüller". www.adk.de (in German). Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  12. ^ a b Dobson, Patricia. "How 'Anatomy Of A Fall' and 'The Zone Of Interest' affirm Sandra Hüller's elevation to the A-list". Screen. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  13. ^ a b Roxborough, Scott (1 September 2023). "Sandra Hüller, Actress of the Year?". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  14. ^ "German star Sandra Hüller nominated for an Oscar – DW – 01/24/2024". dw.com. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  15. ^ "Jena from the bird's eye view: Building of the concert hall and theater playhouse Theaterhaus Jena gGmbH with open-air arena on the street Schillergaesschen in Jena in the state Thuringia, Germany". www.aerialphotosearch.com. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  16. ^ Leipzig, Schauspiel. "Startseite | Schauspiel Leipzig". www.schauspiel-leipzig.de.
  17. ^ "Schauspiel Leipzig | CCT Leipzig".
  18. ^ "Schauspiel Leipzig ♥ Leipzig Region". www.leipzig.travel.
  19. ^ "Oliver Held". emuseum.duesseldorf.de. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  20. ^ "Berlinale / Archive / Annual Archives / 2006 / Prize Winners". Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin. 2006. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  21. ^ "Oscarhoffnung Sandra Hüller: Ihr Karriereweg in Bildern". brigitte.de (in German). 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  22. ^ Höbel, Wolfgang (5 May 2013). "(S+) Schönheit langweilt". Der Spiegel – via www.spiegel.de.
  23. ^ "Sandra Hüller, Tom Schneider - For Love". DER STANDARD (in Austrian German). Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  24. ^ "Say Goodbye to the Story": Leitmotif of the Berlinale Shorts Berlin International Film Festival, press release of 19 January 2012.
  25. ^ "Sandra Hüller – Artists – Schauspielhaus Bochum". www.schauspielhausbochum.de. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  26. ^ Buchwald, Sabine; Löffler, Clara; Niesmann, Sonja; Scherf, Martina (7 August 2022). "Fünf für München: Film-Geflüster". Süddeutsche.de (in German). Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  27. ^ Tholl, Egbert (20 February 2014). "Münchner Kammerspiele: Jelinek-Stück über Maximlianstraße". Süddeutsche.de (in German). Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  28. ^ "German Film Awards 2014 – Movies from 2013". Filmaffinity. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  29. ^ Dössel, Christine (20 June 2021). "Sandra Hüller spricht in ihrer Theater-Performance mit Pflanzen". Süddeutsche.de (in German). Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  30. ^ "New members of the Akademie der Künste". www.adk.de. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  31. ^ Goldmann, A. J. (2 August 2018). "At Salzburg Festival, High Passion and Redemption Onstage". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  32. ^ Goldmann, A. J. (7 May 2020). "An Online Theater Festival Where the Future Is Female". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  33. ^ Roxborough, Scott (29 January 2019). "Berlin Film Festival Unveils Competition Jury". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  34. ^ Lemercier, Fabien (24 May 2019). "Review: Sibyl". Cineuropa. Archived from the original on 30 March 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  35. ^ Mintzer, Jordan (9 September 2019). "'Proxima': Film Review | TIFF 2019". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  36. ^ "Berlinale – Sisi & I". Berlinale.de. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  37. ^ "Sisi & I". DCM Stories. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  38. ^ Roxborough, Scott (24 March 2023). "Oscar Winner 'All Quiet on the Western Front' Leads German Film Awards Nominations With 12". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  39. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (13 April 2023). "Cannes Film Festival Lineup: Haynes, Anderson, Glazer, Kore-Eda, Wenders In Competition – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 19 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  40. ^ a b Debruge, Peter (27 May 2023). "Cannes Awards: 'Anatomy of a Fall' Takes Palme d'Or, 'The Zone of Interest' and 'The Pot au Feu' Among Winners". Variety.
  41. ^ Oltermann, Philip (9 December 2023). "Justine Triet's Anatomy of a Fall wins best film at European Film Awards". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  42. ^ "96TH OSCARS® NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  43. ^ Hipes, Patrick; Andreeva, Nellie (11 December 2023). "Golden Globe Nominations: 'Barbie', 'Oppenheimer' Top Movie List; 'Succession' Leads Way In TV". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  44. ^ "Nominations Announced for the 2024 EE BAFTA Film Awards" (Press release). BAFTA. 18 January 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  45. ^ "César 2024 : le palmarès complet de la 49e cérémonie". Vogue France (in French). 24 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  46. ^ "The Academy Invites 487 New Members for 2024: See the Full List". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 25 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  47. ^ "Sandra Hüller: Regiedebüt 2025 in Halle/Saale". www.lvz.de (in German). 19 April 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  48. ^ Socha, Miles (7 March 2024). "Phoebe Philo Casts Sandra Hüller in New Campaign". WWD. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  49. ^ Friedman, Vanessa (17 March 2024). "Phoebe Philo Breaks Her Silence". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  50. ^ "Sandra Hüller im Interview: "Ich will nicht in der Öffentlichkeit stehen und dann zu Dingen schweigen, die nicht richtig sind" - Sea-Eye". sea-eye.org (in German). 22 August 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  51. ^ Sandra Hüller on Oscar Nomination for Anatomy of a Fall, Growing Up in Germany & American TV Shows, 15 February 2024, retrieved 23 February 2024
  52. ^ Dürr, Anke (12 November 2018). "Schauspielerin Sandra Hüller: "Man guckt jetzt schon, wer am Nebentisch sitzt"". Der Spiegel (in German). Archived from the original on 17 February 2023.
  53. ^ Mottram, James (31 January 2017). "Toni Erdmann's Maren Ade interview: 'I don't compare myself to Tarantino, but he always makes long films and people go'". The Independent. Hüller has a young daughter, Ruby.
  54. ^ "Oscarhoffnung Sandra Hüller: Ihr Karriereweg in Bildern". brigitte.de (in German). 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  55. ^ Martin Blaney (7 October 2019), Global Screen picks up Sandra Hüller drama ‘Sleep’ (exclusive) Screen Daily.
  56. ^ Leo Barraclough (23 February 2020), Picture Tree Intl. Picks Up Comedy ‘The Black Square,’ Starring ‘Toni Erdmann’s’ Sandra Hueller (EXCLUSIVE) Variety
  57. ^ Elsa Keslassy (16 December 2021), Films Boutique Nabs Berlinale-Bound Debut ‘Talking About The Weather’ (EXCLUSIVE) Variety
  58. ^ Dams, Tim; Macnab2024-02-15T06:00:00+00:00, Geoffrey. "The Playmaker boards Sandra Hüller starrer 'Two To One', releases first look image (exclusive)". Screen. Retrieved 31 August 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  59. ^ Kroll, Justin (29 May 2024). "'Anatomy Of A Fall' Star Sandra Hüller To Co-Star Opposite Ryan Gosling In 'Project Hail Mary' Adaptation For Amazon MGM Studios, Amy Pascal And Lord & Miller". Deadline.
  60. ^ Claude Pierre Salmony (14 December 2013), «Der Kauf» von Paul Plamper Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen.
  61. ^ Britta Bürger (2 September 2017), [Hörspiel von Paul Plamper: „Dienstbare Geister“ erweckt den Poltergeist des Kolonialismus] Deutschlandfunk.
  62. ^ Matthias Grass (7 October 2023), Klever Fotografin Kirsten Becken: „Sandra Hüller betört mich“ Rheinische Post.
  63. ^ Georg Gruber (27 March 2018), Sandra Hüller singt und spricht Wolfgang Herrndorf: Eine Road Novel als rauschartige Performance Deutschlandfunk.
  64. ^ a b Elena Witzeck (27 September 2019), Hüller liest Mariana Leky: Einfach mal die Welt reinlassen Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
  65. ^ "European Film Awards (EFA) – Best Actress: All winners". FilmAffinity. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  66. ^ "Berlin International Film Festival – Silver Bear – Best Actress: All winners". FilmAffinity. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  67. ^ Roxborough, Scott (23 January 2024). "Oscars: Sandra Hüller Breaks Through With Best Actress Nomination". The Hollywood Reporter.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sandra Hüller.