Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1956-10-04
- Born Place: Vienna, Austria
Also Known As:
Кристоф Вальц, كريستوف فالتز, 克里斯托弗·瓦尔兹, 크리스토프 발츠, クリストフ・ヴァルツ, คริสทอฟ วัลซ์, 크리스토프 왈츠, 克里斯多夫·華茲, کریستف والتس
Christoph Waltz
Christoph Waltz is an Austrian-German actor renowned for his compelling portrayals of complex characters. Born on October 4, 1956, in Vienna, Austria, he hails from a family with deep theatrical roots. His father, Johannes Waltz, was a German set designer, and his mother, Elisabeth Urbancic, was an Austrian costume designer. Waltz's maternal lineage includes notable figures in the performing arts, such as his grandmother, Maria Mayen, a Burgtheater actress, and his grandfather, Rudolf von Urban, a psychiatrist and student of Sigmund Freud . Waltz's acting journey began in Europe, where he performed in various theaters across Vienna, Zurich, and Hamburg. He gained prominence in German television during the 1980s and 1990s. However, it was his collaboration with director Quentin Tarantino that catapulted him to international fame. In 2009, Waltz portrayed SS Colonel Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds, a role that earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, the Golden Globe Award, and the BAFTA Award. He reunited with Tarantino in 2012 for Django Unchained, playing Dr. King Schultz, which garnered him a second Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . Beyond his work with Tarantino, Waltz has showcased his versatility in various films. He portrayed the iconic James Bond villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld in Spectre (2015) and No Time to Die (2021). His other notable performances include roles in Carnage (2011), Big Eyes (2014), Alita: Battle Angel (2019), and The French Dispatch (2021). In 2020, Waltz made his directorial debut with Georgetown, a crime drama based on a true story . Fluent in German, English, and French, Waltz divides his time between Los Angeles, Berlin, and Vienna. He has been married to German costume designer Judith Holste since 2009 and has four children.
