Katharina Thalbach

Katharina Thalbach was born in East Berlin in 1954. She is the daughter of Brechtian actress Sabine Thalbach and the director Benno Besson. In 1969, at age 15, she made her debut in the Berliner Ensemble as “Polly” in the “Three Penny Opera.” Since then, she has performed in all the major theaters in Germany. For her portrayal of Käthchen von Heilbronn she was awarded the title “Actress of the Year.” She also appeared in many TV and feature films, including “The Tin Drum” (1979), “Domino” (1982), “Paradise” (1986), “Sonnenallee” (1999), and “Kabale und Liebe” (2005). Recently she won the Bavarian Film Prize for Best Leading Actress in “Strike” (2007). Katharina Thalbach directs plays as well as operas and lends her voice to many audio books.