Christian Friedel

Christian Friedel, born on 9 March 1979, is a renowned German actor and singer. Gaining international acclaim through his role in Netflix's television thriller series Babylon Berlin (2017–present), and as Rudolf Höss in the 2023 drama The Zone of Interest, Friedel has carved a remarkable place for himself in the realm of German language productions. His acting career, which began in 2009, boasts a number of notable performances including appearances in films and television series such as Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon, and Oliver Hirschbiegel's 13 Minutes, in which he portrayed the character Georg Elser. Friedel's flair for versatility is evident in his portrayal of characters, which morphed from playing a police photographer Gräf in the esteemed drama series, to a main character in the German mini-series Perfume. He has also courageously dabbled in challenging roles, portraying Rudolf Höss in Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest, after previously declining offers to play Nazi roles. Apart from films and series, Friedel has also made significant contributions to theatre. After he completed his studies in acting at the prestigious Otto Falckenberg School of the Performing Arts in Munich, Friedel graced the stages of theatre companies such as Bayerisches Staatsschauspiel, Munich Kammerspiele, and Schauspiel Hannover. Notably, from the 2009–2010 season, Friedel has been with Staatsschauspiel Dresden, where he has played title roles in popular plays, including Schiller's Don Carlos and Shakespeare's Hamlet. He further showcased his sheer acting skills while playing the role of Nathanael in a stage adaptation of E. T. A. Hoffmann's The Sandman. Friedel, moreover, is a gifted singer—in June 2011, he teamed up with four members of the German band Polarkreis 18 to create the band Woods of Birnam.