Biography
This German-born leading man and character player has acted successfully in American and European productions, working with a number of important directors including his lifelong friend Rainer Werner Fassbinder. The blond, one-time boyishly handsome Kier made his US feature debut as a neo-Nazi spy in the forgettable "The Salzburg Connection" (1972) and then played title roles in "Andy Warhol's Frankenstein" (1973) and "Blood For Dracula" …
Career Milestones
| Met Paul Morrissey on an airplane | ||
| Met Rainer Werner Fassbinder in the Cologne gay scene and the two teenagers became fast friends and lovers | ||
1962 | Moved to Great Britain at age 18 (date approximate) | |
1966 | Made screen debut in small role in "The Road to St. Tropez" | |
1970 | Acted in the controversial "Mark of the Devil" | |
1972 | U.S. feature acting debut, "The Salzburg Connection" | |
1973 | Landed title roles Morrissey-directed "Flesh for Frankenstein" and "Blood for Dracula," ostensibly produced under the aegis of Andy Warhol | |
1975 | Performed in the controversial "The Story of O" | |
1976 | Cast by Dario Argento in supporting role, "Suspira"; because of technical difficulties voice was dubbed | |
1978 | First of five appearances in a Rainer Werner Fassbinder film, "Bolwieser/The Stationmaster's Wife"; originally made for television | |
1980 | Had role in Fassbinder's epic TV drama "Berlin Alexanderplatz" | |
1980 | Portrayed Jack the Ripper in Walerian Borowczyk's "Lulu" | |
1981 | Acted in Fassbinder's "Lola" | |
1981 | Offered interpretation of the title role of Dr. Jekyll in "Dr. Jekyll and His Women"; dubbed into English for U.S. release | |
1987 | First collaboration with Lars von Trier, the TV-movie "Medea"; played Jason | |
1991 | Acted in "My Own Private Idaho," directed by Gus Van Sant; first film with Keanu Reeves | |
1991 | Co-starred in von Trier's "Zentropa/Europa" | |
1991 | Settled in the U.S. | |
1992 | Was featured in photographs published in Madonna's book "Sex" | |
1993 | US TV debut, "Jack Reed: Badge of Honor" | |
1994 | Had featured role in von Trier's TV drama "The Kingdom" | |
1996 | Cast as a sadistic sailor in von Trier's breakthrough drama "Breaking the Waves" | |
1997 | Reprised role in von Trier's sequel "The Kingdom II" | |
2000 | Co-starred as producer and art director Albin Grau in "Shadow of the Vampire" | |
2000 | Made cameo appearance as a doctor in Lars von Trier's "Dancer in the Dark" | |
2004 | Had a small role in Lars von Trier's "Dogville" | |
2005 | Cast in "Modigliani," starring Andy Garcia as Amedeo Modigliani, who had a bitter rivalry with Pablo Picasso | |
2006 | Cast in "Manderlay," the second film in Trier's U.S.A. trilogy, starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Danny Glover, and Willem Dafoe | |
2006 | Cast in the big-screen version of the popular video game "BloodRayne" | |
2007 | Appeared in Rob Zombie's remake of horror classic "Halloween" | |
2007 | Appeared in the drama "Holly," about child trafficking in Cambodia | |
2009 | Landed a featured role in "My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done" opposite Michael Shannon | |
2011 | Reteamed with Von Trier in the apocalyptic drama "Melancholia" | |