Rolf Kanies (born 21 December 1957) is a German actor who played many high-profile roles on the stage before switching to a career in film and television in 1997. Since then Kanies has specialized in German and international film and television. Movies he has played in have been nominated for a variety of international awards, including an Oscar.
Contents
Early life and education
Born in Bielefeld, Kanies studied at the Westfälische Schauspielschule Bochum and at the Universität der Künste (UdK) Berlin. Upon completing his studies, he embarked on a career in the theatre. His first engagement was at the Hebbel-Theater in Berlin, followed by other works at the Schauspielhaus Bochum, the Staatstheater Kassel and productions in Krefeld, Neuss, Cologne, Weimar, Graz (Austria), Basel (Switzerland) and at the Garsington Opera Festival (Oxford, England).
Career
Kanies' roles have included many Shakespearean characters such as Hamlet, Romeo, Mercutio, Macbeth, Theseus/Oberon (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Sir Toby (Twelfth Night), Dromio of Ephesus (A Comedy of Errors) and Lucio (Measure for Measure). Other prominent roles were those of Faust, Orest (Iphigenia) and Biff (Death of a Salesman).
He also played several lead roles in musicals.
Starting in the 1990s, Kanies played in a large variety of German television series and movies and in eight feature films. His film debut was Dark Days, directed by Margarethe von Trotta. In 1998, Rolf had his first international appearance in the science fiction series Lexx, in which he played Reginald J. Priest, a troubled alien who is also the President of the United States. In the same year Kanies played Adolf Hitler in the American production Joe and Max directed by Steve James (STARZ! Pictures). In 2004, Kanies performed the role of Gen. Hans Krebs in Oliver Hirschbiegel's Downfall, which was nominated for an Oscar. In 2008, he played the war veteran Friedrich Hoch in A Woman In Berlin, directed by Max Färberböck, which won the Best International Feature Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2009. In 2008 Rolf also appeared in the movie The Countess as Count Krajevo, a film by Julie Delpy.
Filmography
Film
2000: Mister Boogie
2001: No Regrets - Daniel's Father
2002: Joe and Max - Adolf Hitler
2003: Falling Grace - George
2004: Der Untergang - General Hans Krebs
2006: The Conclave - Cardinal Bessarion
2008: The Lord of Edessa - Eric Malik
2008: A Woman in Berlin - Friedrich Hoch
2008: 10 Sekunden - Ebi Koch
2009: The Countess - Count Krajevo
2009: Für Miriam - Martin Fleißer
2011: A Family of Three - Jürgen
2011: Wunderkinder - Oberst Tapilin
2011: Blissestraße - Anton
2014: Sapphire Blue - William de Villiers
2015: Hitman: Agent 47 - Dr. Delriego
2016: Emerald Green - William de Villiers
2017: The Young Karl Marx - Moses Hess
2018: The Silent Revolution - Wardetzki
Theater
1979 Schauspielhaus Bochum
1981 Schauspielhaus Bochum
1981 Hebbeltheater Berlin
1982–1986 Schauspielhaus Graz
1991 Schauspielhaus Bochum
1996–1997 Staatstheater Kassel
1997 RLT Neuss
1998 OD-Theater Basel "Don Carlos"
1998 Kunstfest Weimar " Sturm und Drang"
1999 Garsington Opera Festival "Entführung aus dem Serail"
2000 Schauspiel Berlin "Warten auf Godot"
