Peter Kurth (born 4 April 1957) is a German actor. He won the 2016 German Film Award for Best Actor for portraying a former boxer diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the drama film A Heavy Heart.
Peter Kurth | |
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![]() Kurth in 2018 | |
Born | (1957-04-04) 4 April 1957 (age 65) Güstrow, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, East Germany |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1981–present |
Kurth was born on 4 April 1957 in Güstrow, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, East Germany.[1] Growing up in Goldberg, he frequently visited the local movie theater, later citing it as an influence on his decision to become an actor.[2] He attended the state drama school in Rostock from 1978 to 1981.[1]
After graduating from drama school, Kurth performed at Theater für junge Leute in Magdeburg from 1981 to 1984 and at Theater der Altmark [de] in Stendal from 1984 to 1988. He then moved to Karl-Marx-Stadt (Chemnitz), where he performed at Städtisches Theater.[1] In 1997, Kurth joined the Schauspiel Leipzig [de] in Leipzig, where he also taught drama.[3] He moved to Hamburg in 2000 to perform at the Thalia Theater.[4] He joined the Maxim Gorki Theater in Berlin in 2006, and later transferred to the Stuttgart Drama Theater.[4][2]
Kurth was named Actor of the Year by the German theater magazine Theater heute in 2014.[2] He won the German Film Award for Best Actor, as well as the Deutscher Schauspielpreis [de] (German Actor Award), for the 2015 film A Heavy Heart in which he played Herbert, a boxer diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).[5][6] Kurth prepared extensively for the role, gaining 35 pounds (16 kg) in the months before filming to physically resemble a former boxer, before losing his newly-gained weight over the course of the 35-day shoot to portray Herbert's ALS progression.[7] Scott Roxborough of The Hollywood Reporter called Kurth's portrayal of Herbert an "acting master class".[7]
In 2018, Kurth was nominated for the Deutscher Fernsehpreis award for Best Actor, for his role as Detective Bruno Wolter in the German neo-noir television series Babylon Berlin.[8]
Kurth is married and has two children.[3]
Year | Title | Role | Ref |
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2003 | Good Bye, Lenin! | "X-TV" chef | [9] |
2003 | Wolfsburg | Oliver | [10] |
2005 | Ghosts | Foreman | [11] |
2006 | A Friend of Mine | Fernandez | [12] |
2008 | 1 May: All Belongs to You | Harry | [13] |
2009 | Whisky with Vodka [de] | Herbert | [14] |
2010 | In the Shadows | Richard Bauer | [15] |
2013 | Gold | Wilhelm Laser | [16] |
2014 | Schmitke [de] | Julius Schmitke | [17] |
2015 | A Heavy Heart | Herbert | [7] |
2018 | In the Aisles | Bruno | [18] |
2018 | Sew the Winter to My Skin | General Helmut Botha | [19] |
2020 | Christmas Crossfire | Rainer | [20] |
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
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2017 | Babylon Berlin | Bruno Wolter | [21] | |
2019 | Criminal: Germany | Jochen Müller | Episode: "Jochen" | [22] |
2020 | Altes Land [de] | Hinni Lührs | 2 episodes | [23] |
2021 | Sörensen hat Angst [de] | Jens Schäffler | Television film | [24] |
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