Barbara Sukowa

Barbara Sukowa (; born 2 February 1950) is a German actress of screen and stage and singer. She has received three German Film Awards for Best Actress, three Bavarian Film Awards, Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress, Venice Film Festival Award, as well as nominations for European Film Awards, César Awards, and Grammy Awards.

In 1990s, Sukowa starred in a number of international films, most notable, Europa (1991) directed by Lars von Trier, Voyager (1991) by Volker Schlöndorff, M. Butterfly by David Cronenberg, and Johnny Mnemonic (1995) by Robert Longo. In later career, she played Hildegard of Bingen in 2009 drama film Vision, and Hannah Arendt in the biographical film Hannah Arendt (2012). She starred in the American television series 12 Monkeys (2015–2018), a remake of the 1995 film of the same name. In 2019, she starred in French drama film Two of Us, for which she received Lumière Award for Best Actress and César Award for Best Actress nomination.

Life and career Sukowa was born in Bremen, Germany, in 1950. She speaks German, English, and French. The following year, her performance of the title role in Fassbinder's drama film Lola earned her a German Film Award for Best Actress. In 1991, she starred opposite Sam Shepard in Voyager directed by Volker Schlöndorff, and Europa by Lars von Trier. Both films received positive reviews from critics. Sukowa was nominated for European Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for Voyager, and European Film Award for Best European Actress of the Year for Europa. In 1995, she appeared in Johnny Mnemonic directed by Robert Longo. In 1997, she returned in Germany for starring in , for which she received Bavarian Film Award for Best Actress In 1999, she appeared in Tim Robbins's Cradle Will Rock, and The Third Miracle directed by Agnieszka Holland. Sukowa also starred in a made-for-television films Lost Souls (1998) and The Lady in Question (1999).

Sukowa has developed a parallel career as a classical music narrator and speaker. She has performed the Speaker's role in Arnold Schoenberg's Pierrot lunaire, first with the Schoenberg Ensemble under Reinbert de Leeuw, and later with ensembles in Paris, London, Berlin, St. Petersburg, Madrid, Rome, Tokyo, Salzburg, Los Angeles, and New York City. She has performed the Speaker's role in Schoenberg's Gurrelieder with the Berlin Philharmonic under Claudio Abbado, and is featured on the recordings with Abbado and the Vienna Philharmonic, and Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonia. Sukowa has performed in Arthur Honegger's Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher and Kurt Weill's The Threepenny Opera. She performed speaking and singing roles in de Leeuw's Im wunderschönen Monat Mai in 2004. She performed the speaking role in the US premiere of Michael Jarrell's Cassandre in March 2006, and in the New York City premiere that month, with musicians from the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. At the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, she received Grammy Award nomination for Im wunderschönen Monat Mai. Sukowa is also the front singer of the Band the X-Patsys, which she founded with visual artists Jon Kessler and Robert Longo. In 2012, she was on the jury for the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival.

In 2009, Sukowa played the role of Hildegard of Bingen in 2009 drama film Vision directed by Margarethe von Trotta, receiving another Bavarian Film Award for Best Actress. In 2012, Sukowa starred as German-Jewish philosopher and political theorist Hannah Arendt in the German-Luxembourgish-French biographical film Hannah Arendt directed by Margarethe von Trotta. The film and her performance received positive reviews from critics. Sukowa received another Bavarian Film Award for Best Actress and German Film Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, and well as European Film Award for Best Actress nomination. She continued appearing on American television guest-starring on Hunters starring Al Pacino, and had a recurring role on the Apple TV+ series Servant. In 2022, she was cast in the thriller The Swarm based on the Frank Schätzing best-seller.

In 2019, Sukowa starred in French romance drama film Two of Us, for which she received Lumière Award for Best Actress and César Award for Best Actress nomination.

In 2022, Sukowa starred opposite Ben Kingsley in the biographical film Dalíland about Salvador Dalí, playing Gala Dalí. It premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

Personal life She was married to the artist and director Robert Longo, with whom she has performed as a singer. She has three sons, one from her earlier marriage to Hans-Michael Rehberg, one from her relationship with Daniel Olbrychski, and one with Longo. She and Longo separated in 2018.

Filmography

Film

Television General source for Awards and nomination - AllMovie