Karel Roden facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Karel Roden
Roden at the 43rd KVIFF in July 2008
Born	(1962-05-18) 18 May 1962 (age 63) České Budějovice, Czechoslovakia
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1982–present
Partner(s)	Ivana Chýlková (1985–1994)

Karel Roden, born on May 18, 1962, is a famous actor from the Czech Republic. He is well-known for his roles in movies like Hellboy and The Bourne Supremacy. He also lent his voice to the video game Grand Theft Auto IV.

Karel Roden's Acting Journey

Karel Roden decided to become an actor, just like his father and grandfather. He first studied ceramics at an art school. After that, he was accepted into the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. This is a special school for actors and performers.

Early Roles in Czech Films

Karel Roden started his movie career in 1984. One of his first roles was Honza, a medical student. This was in a funny movie series called "How the poets are losing their illusions." He also appeared in the last movie of the series, "How poets are enjoying their lives."

He played other funny characters too. He was Captain Tuma in Who's That Soldier?, a humorous look at army life. He also played Dragan in the action movie Dead Fish. In the comedy-crime film Shut Up and Shoot Me, he played a husband hired for a strange mission.

Becoming an International Actor

In the 1990s, Karel Roden lived in London for some time. This helped him improve his English. It also helped him get roles in international movies.

His first big role in an American movie was in 2001. He played a criminal named Emil Slovak in the thriller 15 Minutes. He acted alongside famous actor Robert De Niro. In 2002, he played a lawyer named Karel Kounen in the movie Blade II.

After these roles, he often played villains in action movies. For example, he was Strucker, a powerful villain, in Bulletproof Monk. This was partly because of his strong accent and unique look. However, he has played many different kinds of characters throughout his career, especially in the Czech Republic.

Notable Movie Appearances

Karel Roden has been in many well-known films. These include 15 Minutes (2001), Blade II (2002), and Bulletproof Monk (2003). He also appeared in The Bourne Supremacy (2004). He played the famous character Grigori Rasputin in Hellboy (2004).

Other movies he has been in are Running Scared (2006) and Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007). In Mr. Bean's Holiday, he played a Russian movie critic. He also appeared in Largo Winch (2008) and RocknRolla (2008). In 2009, he was in the movie Orphan. He played Noble Thurzo in the 2008 film Bathory. More recently, he played a Czech mobster named Karel Benes in the TV series McMafia (2019).

Awards and Stage Work

Karel Roden has won important awards for his acting. He received the Czech Lion Award for Best Actor in Leading Role for his role in Guard No. 47. Eight years later, he won the same award again. This was for playing Jan Masaryk in the movie A Prominent Patient.

He also won the Alfréd Radok Award in 1998 for his performance in a play called Le Cocu Magnifique. He has played many famous characters on stage, including Don Juan. Karel Roden has also performed in plays with his brother, Marian. He was once a member of the famous Prague National Theatre. Today, you can find him performing at Theatre Studio DVA.

Voice Acting in Video Games

Besides movies and theater, Karel Roden has also done voice work for video games. He voiced two characters, Mikhail Faustin and Wade "The Fixer" Johnson, in the popular video game Grand Theft Auto IV.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Video Games

See also

In Spanish: Karel Roden para niños