Thomas Kretschmann Biography

Fast Facts

• Won the Best Young Actor Award at the Max Ophüls Festival for his role in "Der Mitwisser" in 1991
• Made his screen acting debut in the film "Westler" in 1985
• Started out as a member of the Schiller Theater, a prestigious company in Germany
• Quote: "You know what I like? I like not to talk actually in films․․․I'm not a big talker․․․For an actor, I think it's more interesting to express yourself without talking․ I personally like that․ Like regular scripts, where I have like normal dialogue, I try to cut out as much as I can․ Everything․ Basically what I can play, I don't like to say․ And if a director knows what he's doing, they get along with that․ They seem to like it․"
• Quote: "For me, the film is over after shooting․ As an actor, to survive mentally, I have to get used to seeing the shooting as the main event․ Being on set is for me the fun part, and the work is there․To have no wrong or disappointing expectations, just forget about it afterward․"
• Best known for his role as Captain Englehorn in 2005's "King Kong" and as Cross in "Wanted․"
• After appearing in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," he will reprise his role as Baron Wolfgang von Strucker in "Avengers: Age of Ultron," as well as several other films in the Marvel franchise
• Fled Communism on a month-long journey from East to West Germany, crossing four borders with only a passport and the equivalent of $100 and losing part of a finger to frostbite
• Also a stage performer, he made his debut in a production of "Macbeth," directed by fellow actor and director Katharina Thalbach
• Trained for the Olympic swim team before becoming an actor