Udo Kier

Born in Cologne, Germany, on Oct. 14, 1944, Udo Kier began his movie career in the 1970s, working often with his friend and former lover, German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder, in films such as The Stationmaster's Wife (1977) and Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980).

Kier appeared in a string of European-produced films throughout the '80s and '90s -- starring in Dutch director Lars von Trier's Epidemic (1987) and Europa (1991) -- before breaking into Hollywood indies with supporting roles in My Own Private Idaho (1991) and Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993) and moving on to mainstream fare such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), Barb Wire (1996) and Blade (1998).

In the new millennium, Kier found a niche in horror-themed films, playing art director Albin Grau in the critically acclaimed Shadow of the Vampire (2000) and appearing in Rob Zombie's retake on the horror classic Halloween (2007).

Breaking the Waves

1996 R

Set in the 1970s, the first film in Lars von Trier's Golden Heart Trilogy stars Emily Watson as Bess, a naïve Scotswoman who's convinced that God will heal her paralyzed husband if she has sex with other men.