Thomas Kretschmann

Thomas Kretschmann is a German actor, born on 8 September 1962, who has appeared in many European and American films. He began acting at about twenty-five, starring in European films and series, and in 1991 received the Max Ophüls Prize for best young actor for Der Mitwisser. International recognition followed with Stalingrad (1993) and The Stendhal Syndrome, and Hollywood noticed him after Roman Polanski cast him as Hauptmann Wilm Hosenfeld in The Pianist (2002). He is best known for playing historical or fictional military officers, among them Hermann Fegelein in Downfall, Captain Englehorn in King Kong, and Major Otto Remer in Valkyrie. He also voiced Professor Z in Cars 2 and played Baron von Strucker in two Marvel Cinematic Universe films. He has been nominated twice for the Deutscher Fernsehpreis and shared the best actor award at the 2006 Sitges festival for Butterfly: A Grimm Love Story.