Sandra Hüller facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sandra Hüller
Hüller in 2023
Born	(1978-04-30) 30 April 1978 (age 47) Suhl, East Germany
Alma mater	Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1998–present
Children	1
Awards	Full list

Sandra Hüller (born 30 April 1978) is a talented German actress. She has acted in many films from Germany, Austria, Britain, France, and the United States. Sandra has won several important awards, including two European Film Awards, a César Award, and three German Film Awards. She was also nominated for an Academy Award and two BAFTA Awards.

She played Anneliese Michel in the 2006 drama Requiem. For this role, she won the Silver Bear for Best Actress award. In 2016, she starred in the comedy Toni Erdmann, winning her first European Film Award for Best Actress. Sandra also played Irma Sztáray in the 2023 film Sisi & I.

In 2023, Sandra Hüller became very well known around the world. This was for her main roles in the legal drama Anatomy of a Fall and the historical drama The Zone of Interest. Her acting in Anatomy of a Fall earned her another European Film Award and a César Award. She was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for this film.

Early Life and Training

Sandra Hüller was born in Suhl, Thuringia, which was then East Germany. She grew up in small villages called Oberhof and Friedrichroda. These villages are in a very forested area. Sandra is the older of two children. Her parents were both teachers. Her father taught apprentices, and her mother helped students after school.

As a teenager, Sandra cut her hair short, dyed it red, and joined a drama club. She said she enjoyed the school theatre workshop, but never thought it would become her job. It was more of a fun hobby for her. In high school, Sandra first performed on stage in 1996. This was in a play called Wir Voodookinder in Berlin. From 1996, she studied acting at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin. She finished her studies in 2003.

After graduating, Sandra left Berlin. She spent two years working at a theatre near Leipzig. Then, she moved to Switzerland to join the Theater Basel. Sandra can speak German, English, French, and Spanish.

Acting Career Highlights

Hüller in 2023

Early Roles (1998-2016)

From 1998 to 2001, Sandra Hüller performed at the Theaterhaus Jena. After that, she worked for one year at the Schauspiel Leipzig. A playwright named Oliver Held suggested her to the Theater Basel in Switzerland. She worked there until 2006.

In 2006, Sandra played Michaela Klingler in the film Requiem. For this role, she won the Best Actress award at the 56th Berlin International Film Festival. She also won her first German Film Award. In 2009, Sandra played Elizabeth I in a play called Virgin Queen. She also appeared in a music-theatre show called For Love.

In 2012, Sandra was part of the jury at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival. This jury chose the best short film at the festival. From 2012 to 2015, Sandra was a member of the Munich Kammerspiele theatre company. She worked with director Johan Simons on several plays there. In 2014, Sandra won the German Film Award for Best Supporting Actress. This was for her role in the film Finsterworld. In 2016, she helped start a theatre group called FARN.collective. She also became a member of Berlin's Academy of Arts in 2017.

Recent Successes (2018-Present)

In 2018, Sandra joined the company at the Schauspiel Bochum theatre. She worked again with director Johan Simons. She played the main role in Simons' play Penthesilea. In 2019, Sandra acted in Simons' award-winning version of Hamlet. Also in 2019, she was part of the jury at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival. Later that year, she appeared in two French films. These were Sibyl and Proxima.

In 2023, Sandra Hüller played Countess Irma Sztáray in the film Sisi & I. This movie tells the story of Empress Elisabeth of Austria from her lady-in-waiting's view. The film first showed at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival in February 2023. It was released in Germany in March 2023. Sandra was nominated for the German Film Award for Best Actress for her performance.

Also in 2023, Sandra starred in two films that premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. These were the French legal drama Anatomy of a Fall and the historical drama The Zone of Interest. Anatomy of a Fall won the top award, the Palme d'Or. The Zone of Interest won the Grand Prix. Sandra won her second European Film Award for Best Actress for Anatomy of a Fall. She also received nominations for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Anatomy of a Fall. She was nominated for BAFTA Film Awards for both films. She also won the César Award for Best Actress for Anatomy of a Fall.

In June 2024, Sandra Hüller was invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This is the group that gives out the Academy Awards. Sandra is also set to direct a play in 2025.

Other Activities

In 2024, Sandra Hüller was part of the first advertising campaign for fashion designer Phoebe Philo's brand.

In July 2024, Sandra named the ship Sea-Eye 5 for the Sea-Eye organization. This group helps people in need at sea. In an interview, she spoke about European migration policies.

Personal Life

Sandra Hüller feels that Thuringia is her home.

She lives in Leipzig-Plagwitz, Germany, with her daughter. Her daughter was born in 2011.

Sandra Hüller is also a certified forklift operator. She got this license for a role in the film In the Aisles.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

Sandra Hüller is one of only a few German actresses to win both the European Film Award and the Silver Bear for Best Actress. These are two very important awards in European cinema.

For her role in Anatomy of a Fall (2023), Sandra Hüller was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She was the third German actress ever to receive this nomination.

See also

In Spanish: Sandra Hüller para niños