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Udo Kier, Prolific German-Born Actor and Cult Icon, Dies at 81

His partner, artist Delbert McBride, announced the death on Sunday, and no cause has been disclosed.

Overview

  • The announcement was shared publicly by Delbert McBride, with reports noting Kier died Sunday morning.
  • Kier’s career spanned nearly six decades with more than 220 screen credits across arthouse, mainstream, and genre films.
  • He broke through internationally with Andy Warhol–associated titles such as Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula.
  • He later collaborated repeatedly with Lars von Trier and reached wider U.S. recognition with My Own Private Idaho.
  • Noted for memorable turns in films like Ace Ventura and Blade, he also worked in television and video games, with The Secret Agent cited as his final film.