Klaus Maria Brandauer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Klaus Maria Brandauer
Brandauer at the Vienna International Film Festival 2012
Born	Klaus Georg Steng (1943-06-22) 22 June 1943 (age 82) Bad Aussee, Styria, Nazi Germany
Occupation	Actor, director
Years active	1962–present
Spouse(s)	Karin Mueller ​ ​ (m. 1963; died 1992)​ (1 child) Natalie Krenn ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	1

Klaus Maria Brandauer (born Klaus Georg Steng on June 22, 1943) is a famous actor and director from Austria. He is also a professor, teaching acting at the Max Reinhardt Seminar.

Brandauer is known around the world for his roles in many movies. Some of his well-known films include Mephisto (1981), Never Say Never Again (1983), and White Fang (1991).

He was nominated for an Academy Award and won a Golden Globe Award. This was for his role as Bror von Blixen-Finecke in the movie Out of Africa (1985).

Klaus Maria Brandauer is very talented with languages. He has acted in at least five different languages. These include German, Italian, Hungarian, English, and French.

Early Life and Family

Klaus Georg Steng was born in Bad Aussee, Austria, on June 22, 1943. At that time, Austria was part of the German Reich. His mother's name was Maria Brandauer, and his father was Georg Steng.

He later decided to use his mother's last name as part of his professional name. This is why he is known as Klaus Maria Brandauer.

In 1963, he married Karin Katharina Müller. She was a film director and screenwriter from Austria. They had one son named Christian. Karin passed away in 1992. Brandauer married Natalie Krenn in 2007.

Acting and Directing Career

Brandauer started his acting career on stage in 1962. He worked in national theaters and on television. His first English-language film was The Salzburg Connection in 1972.

International Success

His starring role in the movie Mephisto (1981) helped him become famous worldwide. In this film, he played an actor who was very focused on himself. He later worked with the same director, István Szabó, in the 1985 film Oberst Redl.

Brandauer in 1982

After Mephisto, Brandauer played Maximillian Largo in Never Say Never Again (1983). This movie was a remake of the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball. Film critic Roger Ebert praised his performance. He said Brandauer made the villain character more human and charming.

In 1985, he starred in Out of Africa alongside famous actors Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. For this role, Brandauer was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe. In 1987, he was the head of the jury at the 37th Berlin International Film Festival.

Later Film Roles

Brandauer was first chosen to play Marko Ramius in The Hunt for Red October. However, that role eventually went to Sean Connery. Interestingly, Sean Connery had played James Bond against Brandauer's villain character in Never Say Never Again. Brandauer and Connery worked together again in The Russia House (1990).

He has appeared in many other films, including The Lightship (1986), Streets of Gold (1986), and White Fang (1991). In 1989, he played Georges Danton in the historical film La Révolution française. He also played King Nebuchadnezzar II in the 1998 TV film Jeremiah.

Directing Work

Klaus Maria Brandauer has also directed two films. The first was Seven Minutes [de] (1989). In this movie, he also starred as Georg Elser, who attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler. His second film as a director was Mario and the Magician (1994). This movie was based on a story by Thomas Mann, and Brandauer played Cipolla, a magician with special powers.

In 2006, Brandauer directed a play called The Threepenny Opera. This was a musical comedy by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. His production kept true to the original text and did not include modern political references.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

Klaus Maria Brandauer has received many awards and nominations for his acting:

• 1982: Nominated for a BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles for Mephisto.
• 1985: Won the Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor for Out of Africa.
• 1985: Won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor for Out of Africa.
• 1985: Won the NYFCC Award for Best Supporting Actor for Out of Africa.
• 1986: Won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture for Out of Africa.
• 1986: Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Out of Africa.
• 1987: Nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Out of Africa.
• 1988: Nominated for a European Film Award for Best Actor for Hanussen.
• 1988: Won the Golden Ciak for Best Actor for Hanussen.
• 1989: Won the Bavarian Film Awards for Best Actor for Burning Secret.
• 1995: Won the Andrei Tarkovsky Award for Mario and the Magician.
• 1995: Nominated for the Golden St. George for Mario and the Magician.
• 2000: Nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge.
• 2000: Nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge.

See also

In Spanish: Klaus Maria Brandauer para niños

• List of German-speaking Academy Award winners and nominees