Christoph Waltz

Christoph Waltz’s biography

The most charming bastard of the Dream Factory, Christoph Waltz is an extraordinary person and a unique actor. Glory came to Waltz in the Hollywood style, that is instant: the actor woke up world-famous, playing the role of a hunter for the Jews in the Inglorious Basterds.

In the photo: Christoph Waltz

Early years

Christoph was born in Vienna on October 4, 1956. Christoph's mother and father were artists at the Vienna Court Burgtheater, where they met, and his grandfather, grandmother, and even great-grandfathers had served as actors in the same theater. When Christoph's father, Johannes Waltz passed away, his mother Elizabeth married the director of Burgtheater, who replaced him with his father.

Christoph Waltz in youth

Christoph never had the problem of choosing a profession before, the boy’s entire world was spinning around the theater, and he knew he would become an actor since childhood. In the early 70s, Christoph entered the theater school named after Max Reinhard but was expelled for bad behavior. According to the actor himself, he liked to study, well-known Austrian actors read lectures there but none of them seemed to him a role model. When Christoph himself became an actor, he more than once admitted that he was the shame of his old ridicules. Christoph managed to finish the theater school, already enrolling in the Burgtheater.

Career. European origin

Christoph's theater career was successful but the young actor was attracted by other horizons. After studying at the Lee Strasberg studio in New York, he returned to Austria, where he began acting in films. His first work was the role of Markus in the Headstand 1981 social drama. Though the actor had already turned 25, his character was a teenager. The short, slim young man had a romantic appearance, which didn’t tie-up with extraordinary mental abilities and strong character.

A shot from the Headstand

The next 15 years Christoph lived in London and received recognition in the European cinema, starring in a variety of films and television series’, most of which were popular in the actor’s homeland, but did not achieve global success.

In 1990 the actor played a police detective in the Quicker Than the Eye criminal drama, who is trying to catch a cunning thief, played by legendary Ben Gazzara. In 1995 Waltz took part in the Jacob biblical drama, which starred Matthew Modine, Giancarlo Giannini, and Sean Bean, and in 1996 he played a maniac obsessed with dolls in the third season of the famous TV series Rex: A Cop's Best Friend.

Young Christoph Waltz

Waltz starred in the 1998 episode in Derrick, another popular TV series produced in Germany. Waltz’s most notable work of the London period of his career is also the role of Louis in the Falling Rocks German thriller and the role of Peter in the Ordinary Decent Criminal detective comedy, where Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell and Linda Fiorentino starred.

Christoph Waltz in the Rex: A Cop’s Best Friend TV series

Between 2001 and 2007 the actor took part in the Herr Lehmann, Stolberg, Das jüngste Gericht, and other films but did not gain much fame, which, however, did not disappoint him much.

The Austrian in Los Angeles

Initially, producers intended the role of the psychopathic Nazi in the Inglorious Basterds for Leonardo DiCaprio but Quentin Tarantino, who was also the author of the plot, insisted that the actor who should play the perceptive Colonel Landa must speak and read verses in several languages: English, German, and French.

Christoph Waltz in the Inglorious Basterds

When Tarantino sent Waltz the script of the Inglorious Basterds, he thought that he was being offered some supporting role again, and did not even worry, going to the audition. Only after meeting Christoph, the director immediately realized that no one else would play the role except him.

Waltz’s character became a screen villain role model

Waltz’s character inspired horror and admiration at the same time, his wry smile and bold gestures became the standard of the image of the screen villain. In the unanimous opinion of film experts, the Austrian actor shadowed Brad Pitt, as well as Augusts Diehl and Michael Fassbender, and the scenes with his participation, especially the bar episode, became the authentic decoration of Tarantino’s sixth film.

Inglorious Basterds - Trailer

The picture deserved many awards and nominations, but the Oscar for the best male supporting role went to Waltz, whom critics called the secret weapon of Tarantino and the pearl of the film. Among many awards, Christoph also received the Golden Globe and the English BAFTA.

Best roles

After the extraordinary success of the Inglorious Basterds, already elderly Christoph Waltz was showered with offers. In The Green Hornet action-comedy, the actor played the underworld leader Benjamin Chudnofsky and was accompanied by Seth Rogen, Edward Furlong, and David Harbour, Cameron Diaz also shone in the picture. The film received controversial reviews and reviews from critics, who were incidentally solidar in one thing: Christoph Waltz’s charm and skills are a unique phenomenon in cinema.

The Green Hornet - Trailer

The negative character’s ground polished role was again used by the actor in the Water for the Elephants drama picture. In the 2011 picture by Sarah Gruen’s novel, the actor played August, the owner of the circus, and his wife was played by Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson played her lover.

A shot from the Water for Elephants

The Carnage 2011 comedy-drama, where Waltz played alongside Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly and Kate Winslet, was not successful in America because of the unsolved conflict between the Hollywood bosses and Roman Polanski, who directed the film. But the film was rated highly in Europe and even advanced to several prestigious nominations.

Carnage – Trailer

In 2012 the second collaboration between Christoph Waltz and Quentin Tarantino, the Django Unchained was released, for which the actor received his second Oscar. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx and Samuel L. Jackson starred in the western. Tarantino specifically wrote the role of the eccentric bounty hunter Shultz for Christoph Waltz, unexpectedly for admirers of his talent, who appeared as a positive hero.

Django Unchained - Trailer

2013 gave Waltz the lead role in the science fiction film by brilliant Terry Gilliam The Zero Theorem. Initially, the role of the eccentric genius of Qohen’s calculations was intended for Billy Bob Thornton, but at the last moment, Gilliam changed his mind and did not regret it. Waltz’s unique dramatic talent, who had to lose a few kilograms and shave his head, sparkled with all his facets in the company of Matt Damon and English intellectual bully David Thewlis.

A shot from The Zero Theorem

Having temporarily retired from his favorite topic of the dead and fairy-tale adventures in the afterlife, Tim Burton also paid attention to Christoph Waltz and offered him the lead role in the Big Eyes drama in 2014. The role of the husband of artist Margaret Keane (Amy Adams), who became famous in the 50s for her manner of imaging children with huge eyes, became another victory for the actor.

Big Eyes - Trailer

Presenting in the image of a bastard notetaker, Waltz surprised no one, but once again proved his skills. Even Margaret Keane herself noted that Christoph grasped the most vicious essence of the personality of her late husband, not bound by moral obligations and ready to betray a loved one for the sake of enrichment.

Over the next two years the actor starred in the Reykjavik political drama, where he was accompanied by Michael Douglas and Frank Langella, and in The Legend of Tarzan adventure film, where Alexander Skarsgård, Samuel L. Jackson and Margot Robbie starred.

Christoph Waltz in The Legend of Tarzan

In the 24th Bondiana film, the Spectre the actor played the role of the leader of the Oberhauser criminal organization, the legendary agent was played by Daniel Craig. French Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, and Monica Bellucci also starred in the picture.

The 2017 melodrama film the Tulip Fever, based on Deborah Moggach's novel, did not receive any awards or positive reviews but was warmly received by the audience. Christoph Waltz played the ambiguous role of the wealthy Dutchman Cornelis, whose wife was fascinated by the poor artist.

In early 2018 the premiere of the fantastic comedy Downsizing took place. Director Alexander Payne embodied his vision of the future, deserving enthusiastic reviews of film critics. Matt Damon and Hong Chau played alongside Christoph Waltz in the picture.

Christoph Waltz in the Downsizing

Christoph Waltz’s personal life

It is known that the actor has been married twice. His three adult children from his first marriage have adopted their mother’s religion, Judaism, and live in Israel.

Judith Holste and Christoph Waltz

Costume and makeup artist Judith Holste became Christoph’s second wife. They had a daughter in 2005.

Christoph Waltz and family

Waltz does not like to speak about his personal life, he does not run pages on social networks and hates mobile phones.

Quentin Tarantino and Christoph Waltz

Waltz's closest friend is Quentin Tarantino, the talent and encyclopedic knowledge of whom he never gets tired of admiring.

Trololo – Christoph Waltz

The actor admits that he likes to joke, but not everyone perceives his jokes adequately. After receiving his first Oscar, he shot a video, where he sang a hit, which was performed by Edward Gil. The parody of Mr. Trololo, to put it mildly, contained sexual subtext, and fans of Gil's creativity reacted negatively. However, according to unconfirmed reports, Edward Gil himself, being a man of old age, but remaining young inside, laughed heartily.

Christoph Waltz nowadays

In February 2019, the premiere of the action movie "Alita: Battle Angel" took place. Waltz played the role of one of the key characters in the manga Yukito Kishiro, based on which the plot was written. Ed Skrein and Jennifer Connelly will also star in the film.

No Time To Die: Trailer

In the same year, Christoph took part in the filming of the twenty-fifth James Bond film "No Time to Die". In it, he played Ernst Stavro Blofeld. The premiere is scheduled for 2020.

Edward Johnson

Christoph, as a professional actor for the role in «The Zero Theorem», shaved off his hair and noticeably lost weight, as was required of him. This is what a real actor means.

2021-03-19 13:03:06
Gloria Walker

I had no idea who Christophe was until I read the article. Was curious, thanks

2021-03-09 09:49:19