Actor Udo Keir who had memorable roles in Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho, and an acclaimed starring role in 2021’s Swan Song, has died aged 81.
Over his long career the German actor worked with many different directors including films directed by Paul Morrissey and produced by Andy Warhol.
Kier’s passing was announced by his partner, artist Delbert McBride.
Over is career Udo Kier appeared in over 200 films including titular roles in 1973’s Flesh for Frankenstein and 1974’s Blood for Dracula. Both films were produced by Andy Warhol and directed by Paul Morrissey.
He also worked extensively with Rainer Werner Fassbinder on films including The Stationmaster’s Wife, The Third Generation and Lili Marleen.
In 1991 he had a standout role in Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho where he played a man who hires River Phoenix’s sex worker character to clean his home while dressed in a provocative uniform.
Kier worked with singer Madonna on several occasions. He appears in her Sex book, and pops up in the videos for Erotica and Deeper and Deeper which were released in the same period of the early 1990s. He also appeared in videos for rock band Korn and appeared in Gwen Stefani’s video for Let me Blow Ya Mind.
In his later career Kier worked several times with boundary pushing director Lars von Trier appearing in works including Breaking the Waves, Dancer in the Dark, Dogville and Nymphomaniac II. He also received wide acclaim for his lead role in the 2021 film Swan Song.
While he was a huge identity in arthouse films, Kier also popped up in more mainstream works including credits in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Armageddon, Johnny Pneumonic and Blade.
