Martina Gedeck
Martina Gedeck (born 14 September 1961) is a German actress. She achieved international recognition due to her roles in films such as Mostly Martha (2001), The Lives of Others (2006), and The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008). She has won several awards, including two Deutscher Filmpreis, in 1997 for Supporting Actress in Life is All You Get, and in 2002 for Actress in Mostly Martha.
Martina Gedeck

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- Name
- Martina Gedeck
- Born
- 14 September 1961
- Birthplace
- Munich, Bavaria, West Germany
- Awards
- German Film Award (1997, 2002)
- Occupation
- Actress
- Nationality
- Germany · West Germany
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Martina Gedeck (born 14 September 1961) is a German actress. She achieved international recognition due to her roles in films such as Mostly Martha (2001), The Lives of Others (2006), and The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008). She has won several awards, including two Deutscher Filmpreis, in 1997 for Supporting Actress in Life is All You Get, and in 2002 for Actress in Mostly Martha.
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wikidata · Q65111 · wikipedia · Martina Gedeck
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Martina Gedeck • Born — 14 September 1961 • Birthplace — Munich, Bavaria, West Germany • Awards — German Film Award (1997, 2002) • Occupation — Actress • Years Active — 1981–present • Website — https: martina-gedeck.com
Biography
Biography
Gedeck was born 14 September 1961 in Munich, Bavaria, West Germany, and grew up in Bavaria, the oldest of three girls. In 1971, her family moved to West Berlin, where the 11-year-old Martina debuted as an actress in children's television shows. There seems to be some uncertainty regarding her year of birth 1961. After leaving school in 1981, she enrolled at the Free University of Berlin, majoring in German Literature and History. From 1982 to 1986, Martina attended acting classes at the Berlin University of the Arts. During that time, she made her stage debut at the Theater am Turm in Frankfurt. Gedeck performed regularly at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus in Hamburg, and appeared in plays in Basel, Berlin, Frankfurt, and Hamburg. In 1994, Gedeck gained the attention of film audiences with her performance in Sönke Wortmann's hit comedy Maybe... Maybe Not (Der bewegte Mann). In 1995, Gedeck received critical praise for her award-winning performance in the television drama Hölleisengretl. In 1997, she boosted her reputation with her performance as Lilo in Wolfgang Becker's Life is All You Get (Das Leben ist eine Baustelle). In 1997, she received the German Film Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as a shy waitress in Helmut Dietl's '. By the end of the 1990s, Gedeck had established herself as "one of the most prolific character actresses in Germany" with ambitious feature films such as Jew-Boy Levi (Viehjud Levi) and television dramas like Dominik Graf's Your Best Years (Deine besten Jahre). She garnered awards and nominations throughout this period of her career. • Illustration — Gedeck in 2007 Gedeck's international breakthrough came with her performance in Sandra Nettelbeck's Mostly Martha (Bella Martha). In the film, she plays a workaholic chef who is forced to adjust to major changes in her personal and professional life that are beyond her control. The film won the Créteil International Women's Film Festival Grand Prix Award, and the Goya Award for Best European Film in 2002. It also received a German Film Award Nomination for Outstanding Feature Film. For her performance, Gedeck received a European Film Award Nomination for Best Actress (2002), the German Film Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Actress (2002), and the German Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress (2003). • Illustration — Gedeck at the Austrian Film Awards 2011 In 2006, Gedeck appeared in five major films: The Elementary Particles (2006) as Christiane, The Lives of Others (2006) as Christa-Maria Sieland, The Perfect Friend (2006) as Marlène, Summer '04 (2006) as Miriam Franz, and Robert De Niro's The Good Shepherd (2006) as Hanna Schiller, starring opposite Matt Damon and John Turturro. The Lives of Others won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In 2008, Gedeck played the role of Ulrike Meinhof in The Baader Meinhof Complex. In 2010, she appeared in Jew Suss: Rise and Fall and Agnosía. In 2012, Gedeck appeared in The Wall and The Door, and in 2013, she appeared in The Nun and Night Train to Lisbon.
Personal life
Personal life
Gedeck resides in Berlin with her partner, Swiss director Markus Imboden.
Filmography
Filmography
• Television • Der Fahnder - TV series, 1 episode (1988), as Stephanie • Goldjunge (1988), as Brigitte Katzbach • Die Beute (1988), as Nelly • Schulz & Schulz – TV series, 5 episodes (1989–1993), as Britta • Hausmänner (1991), as Helen • Mutter und Söhne (1992), as Susanne Stoller • Leo und Charlotte (1993), as Sylvie • ' (1993), as Bronka • Das Schwein – Eine deutsche Karriere (1995), as Wanda • Hölleisengretl (1995), as Hölleisengretl • Der Schönste Tag im Leben (1996), as Waltraut • Lea Katz - Die Kriminalpsychologin: Einer von uns (1997), as Lea Katz • Lea Katz - Die Kriminalpsychologin: Das wilde Kind (1997), as Lea Katz • Der Neffe (1997), as Isabella • Bella Block – TV series, episode "Tod eines Mädchens" (1997), as Frau Meng • ' (1997), as Kati Treichl • ' (1998, TV miniseries), as Elvira • Die beste Party - Heimatabend 1999 (1999) • Ich habe nein gesagt (1999), as Doris Wengler • Your Best Years (1999), as Vera Kemp • Happy Hour oder Glück und Glas (2000), as Greta Steinwender / Ladiner • O Palmenbaum (2000), as Kati Treichl • Romeo (2001), as Lotte Zimmermann • Private Lies (Scheidung auf amerikanisch) (2001), as Sarah • Jenseits der Liebe (2001), as Helen Dubbs • Die Mutter (2002), as Vera Zardiss • Verlorenes Land (2002), as Maria • Andreas Hofer (2002 film) (2002), as Lebzelter-Mariandl • Geheime Geschichten (2003) • Unsre Mutter ist halt anders (2003), as Paula • Schattenlinie (2003), as Clara Lorenz • Das Blaue Wunder (2004), as Thea Eiselt • ' (2004), as Brigitte Reimann • Feuer in der Nacht (2004), as Paola Winkler • Der Stich des Skorpion (2004), as Anne Stein • Giacomo Casanova (2004), as Madame De Roll • Spiele der Macht – 11011 Berlin (2005), as Prof. Sara M. Kardow • Auf ewig und einen Tag (2006), as Paula Schmitt • Verlassen (2007), as Claudia • Sisi (2009), as Erzherzogin Sophie von Habsburg • Tatort (2010) as Jana Maitner • Halbe Hundert (2012) • ' (2013), as Judith Furmann • Tannbach (2015) as Hilde Vöckler • Seit du da bist (2016), as Clara • The Verdict (2016 film) (2016), as Staatsanwältin Frau Nelson • Arthurs Gesetz - TV miniseries, 6 episodes (2018), as Martha Ahnepol / Muriel • Herzjagen (2019), as Caroline Binder • Oktoberfest: Beer and Blood - TV miniseries, 6 episodes (2020), as Maria Hoflinger • Cinema • Tiger, Lion, Panther (1989), as Nicoletta/Lion • Hard Days, Hard Nights (1989), as Goldi • Der bewegte Mann (1994), as Jutta • Talk of the Town (1995), as Sabine Kirsch • How I've Got Rhythm (short film, 1995), as Susanne • ' (1997), as Rica Reichmann • ' (1997), as Serafina • Life is All You Get (1997), as Lilo • Women Don't Lie (1998), as Hannah • ' (1998), as Czerni • Jew-Boy Levi (1999), as Fräulein Neuner • Alles Bob! (1999), as Barbara • The Green Desert (1999), as Doris • Mostly Martha (2001), as Martha Klein • Atomised (2006), as Christiane • The Lives of Others (2006), as Christa-Maria Sieland • The Perfect Friend (2006), as Marlène • Summer '04 (2006), as Miriam Franz • The Good Shepherd (2006), as Hanna Schiller • Messy Christmas (2007), as Sara • Geliebte Clara (2008), as Clara Schumann • The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008), as Ulrike Meinhof • Bets and Wedding Dresses (2009), as Josephine Campanella • Jew Suss: Rise and Fall (2010), as Anna Marian • Agnosía (2010), as Prevert • Bastard (2011 film) (2011), as Claudia Meinert • The Wall (2012), as the woman • The Door (2012), as Magda • The Nun (La Religieuse, 2013), as Suzanne's mother • Night Train to Lisbon (2013), as Mariana • Those Happy Years (2013), as Helke • The Limits of Patience (2014), as Corianna Kleist • The Girl King (2015), as Maria Eleonara of Brandenburg • I'm Off Then (2015), as Stella • Das Tagebuch der Anne Frank (2016), as Edith Frank • Original Bliss (2016), as Helene Brindel • Wir töten Stella (2017), as Anna • Zwei Herren im Anzug (2018), as Theres • Lost in Separation (2019), as Doris Lehnert • Wunderschön (2022), as Frauke Abeck, Julie's Mother • Dark Satellites (2022) • Allegro Pastell (2026)
Other activities
In 2010, Gedeck, who is affiliated with the Green Party, served as an elector in the Federal Convention to elect the new President of Germany. In 2013, Gedeck was a member of the jury at the 70th Venice International Film Festival. Since 2023, she has been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Where the work is held
Recognition and collections
Martina Gedeck received Bavarian Order of Merit, Bavarian TV Awards, Berliner Bär, Eckart Witzigmann Prize, Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art and German Film Award.
Awards and nominations
• Year — Award — Category — Project — Result • 1995 — Grimme-Preis — Best Cast — Just an affair • 1995 — Bavarian TV Awards — Best Actress — Hölleisengretl • 1997 — German Film Award — Best Supporting Actress — Rossini • 1997 — Golden Lion — Best Actress — The Nephew • 1997 — TelStar — Best Actress — The Nephew • 1998 — Golden Lion — Best Supporting Actress — Bella Block • 1998 — Grimme-Preis — Best Actress — The Nephew, Bella Block • 1999 — Bavarian Film Awards — Best Actress — The Green Desert • 2000 — Bavarian TV Awards — Best Actress — Best Years • 2001 — Baden-Baden TV Film Festival — Best Cast — Romeo • 2002 — European Film Award — Best Actress — Mostly Martha • 2002 — German Film Award — Best Actress — Mostly Martha • 2002 — Grimme-Preis — Best Actress — Romeo • 2002 — Preis der deutschen Filmkritik — Best Actress — Mostly Martha • 2002 — Mons International Festival — Best Actress — Mostly Martha • 2003 — Goldene Kamera — Best Actress — Lost Country, The Mother • 2004 — Grimme-Preis — Best Actress — Back to Life • 2004 — Deutscher Fernsehpreis — Best Actress — Hungry for Life • 2006 — European Film Award — Best Actress — The Lives of Others • 2006 — German Film Award — Best Actress — The Elementary Particles • 2006 — Premio Bacco, Notte delle Stelle — Best Actress — Mostly Martha • 2006 — International Filmfestival Kaluga — Best Actress — Mostly Martha • 2006 — Diva Award — Hall of Fame — Outstanding Artistic Contribution • 2007 — Berlin Film Festival, Silver Bear — Best Cast — The Good Shepherd • 2007 — Bavarian Film Awards — Best Actress — Messy Christmas • 2007 — Jupiter Award — Best Actress — The Elementary Particles • 2007 — Nastro d'Argento Europeo — Best Actress — The Lives of Others • 2008 — BZ Culture Award — Outstanding artistic contribution — — • 2013 — German Film Award — Best Actress — Die Wand • 2015 — Goldene Kamera — Best German Actress — —

German actress Martina Gedeck
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Martina Gedeck at the Romy TV awards (Hofburg Imperial Palace in Vienna)
Manfred Werner (Tsui)
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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