Michael Fassbender

Michael Fassbender's Biography

Michael Fassbender is an actor of Irish and German descent, known for the role of Magneto in the movie series «X-Men», the role of Stelios warrior in «300» and Lieutenant Hickox in «Inglorious Basterds».

Michael Fassbender is of Irish and German descent

However, Michael has played not only in the blockbusters but also in the art house projects such as: «Esmé», «Bobby Sands», «Conor», «Frank».

In the movie «Frank», Fassbender (in the center) not only played but also sang

Among his personal achievements - two Oscar nominations: for the title role in the biography movie «Steve Jobs» and for the Best Supporting Actor (Slaveowner Epps) in «12 years a slave» as well as the fact of professional collaboration with such prominent people as Tarantino, Ridley Scott, Matthew Vaughn, Steven Spielberg, and Steven Soderbergh.

Early life of Michael Fassbender

Michael Fassbender was born in a multicultural family: his mother Adele was a native of Northern Ireland, and his father Joseph was German, who was born and lived for a long time in Germany, in the town of Heilderberg. Only after the birth of a son, the family moved to Killarney, Ireland, where the parents of the future actor opened their restaurant business. The Fassbenders invested a lot of energy in their cozy West-End House restaurant: the father worked as a professional chef in the kitchen, and his wife greeted the guests.

Michael Fassbender in his early years

And, by the way, his mother`s background has some interesting peculiarities. According to Fassbender's family lore, his mother is the great-grand-niece of Michael Collins, an Irish revolutionary of IRA. So the obstinacy and freedom-loving Michael obviously inherited from her.

With the father

The family did not have a lot of spare money, all the income went to business development, thus the children - Michael and his older sister Catherine - grew unspoiled. As he got older, Michael began to help his parents in the restaurant, taking on the menial job: unloaded the products, cleaned the kitchen, helped his father with the cooking. Therefore, the young man knew the value of money and used to achieve everything on his own. With his first salary, he bought himself a powerful stereo system to listen to his favorite heavy metal music.

Michael Fassbender`s parents as restaurateurs

Michael studied at the Fossa National School. Relations with classmates did not work out, and in the neighborhood, there were few children of his age, so he spent free time by himself, but he learned how to dive into the fantasy world, during this time spent in solitude he learned how to play piano masterfully, as well as guitar and accordion.

The older sister of Michael Fassbender works as a psychologist.

Every summer, Michael and Katherine went to visit their grandparents in Germany, for that reason, the actor is fluent not only in Irish English but also in German, which could be observed in the movie «Inglorious Basterds.»

The start of acting career

When Michael was a 16 - year - old boy, he got inspired by watching the premiere of the debut film of Quentin Tarantino «Reservoir Dogs» and decided to stage his version of the movie in the amateur theater Bricru. He also appeared on stage in the role of Mr. Pink, who originally played Steve Buscemi. It would not be an exaggeration to say, that this movie staging turned his life around. After his first success, he went to cast for the role in one of the plays of in the city theater of Killarney and was eventually approved and in 1996 he moved to the capital of Britain, where he entered the Drama Centre London. Just before the graduation in 1999, he dropped out of the Drama Centre and toured with the Oxford Stage Company (Theater Headlong).

Young Michael Fassbender is a student in the Drama Center London

He felt bad about leaving the most prestigious theatrical school in Britain, but in order to pay his rental of a single room, he had to work hard as a loader, a waiter and even a stripper in a nightclub, what he revealed to the movie director Soderbergh many years later.

Back in college, Fassbender worked as a stripper

However, in the future he managed to fulfill his dream of becoming a movie actor.

Michael Fassbender`s film experience

Like many celebrities, Fassbender started out by playing in the TV - series. In 2001, he landed a small role in the second season of the multi-series drama «Hearts and Bones». His character, Herman, debuted in the second episode and appeared in two more series.

»Hearts and Bones»: first role of Fassbender

The more serious role the young actor had in the miniseries «Band of Brothers» produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. The role of Sergeant Burton Christenson was also more memorable.

Michael Fassbender plays in the movie «Band of Brothers»

In 2003, fans of the British rock band The Cooper Temple Clause could also recognize Fassbender in a clip for the song «Blind Pilot», at this time they had no idea, that in the near future this dark-haired guy would become a Hollywood star.

Michael Fassbender in the clip «Blind Pilot» 2003)

For the next few years, he starred in the British TV-series and short movies: «Things I Notice. Things You See», «Holby City», «Julian Fellowes Investigates A Most Mysterious Murder« (the role of Charles Bravo, mysteriously poisoned in 1876), «Murphy's Law,» «William and Mary. « Another memorable movie was a drama «A Bear Named Winnie», where Fassbender had to bottle-feed a bear cub.

A shot from the movie «A Bear Named Winnie»

In 2006, the movie «300» was released and it turned out to be a real breakthrough for Fassbender. After the role of a fearless long-haired Spartan warrior Stelios, a devoted soldier of King Leonidas (Gerard Butler), he no longer thought about abandoning his acting career. Nevertheless, he had his work cut out to live up to the athletic standard of a Spartan warrior.

Michael Fassbender as Stelios in «300»

The movie «300» was enough to receive fan loyalty, however, in order to receive praise on the part of the critics, Michael had to wait 2 additional years. Fassbender started to be called a world-class actor for the first time after the release of the drama «Hunger» in 2008, where he needed to get into the character of Bobby Sands, a captive soldier of the Irish army, who followed his ideals even under inhuman conditions. For the role, he had to lose extreme weight: from 77 to 58 kilograms, what for such a tall man (183) could turn into serious health problems. Such an act could be called nothing, but self-sacrifice for the sake of art.

Michael Fassbender lost almost 20 kilograms for the movie «Hunger»

In 2009, Fassbender received a role, which undoubtedly became a new landmark for the actor, even though it was short. Could he imagine back then in 1992 while staging the movie of Tarantino in the amateur theater, that someday he would work together with the given film director? In «inglorious Basterds», he played the British officer Archie Hickox, who was sent to the SS as a spy. He can be seen in one of the most striking episodes of the movie - the tavern scene.

Michel Fassbender in the «Inglorious Bastards»

In 2011 a new continuation of the Marvel Studio «X-Men» was released. For this movie, the actor turned into an anti-hero, who controls the metal of the mutant Magneto (Erik Lehnsherr).

Fassbender in the role of Magneto

Oscar nominations

In 2013, the audience had a chance to see the actor starring in the role of a sadistic slave-owner Edwin Epps in a drama movie based on a true story «12 years of slavery». His role in the slavery epic movie earned him his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. But the Oscar trophy went to Jared Leto for his role as Rayon in the film «Dallas Club of Buyers.»

Interview with Michael Fassbender on the movie «12 years of slavery»

In 2016, Fassbender's portrayal of Steve Jobs garnered him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. In view of his great acting, he had a good chance to get it, but in the end, the award went to Leonardo DiCaprio for the Role in «The Revenant», what was indeed a well-deserved prize.

Michael Fassbender and the real Steve Jobs

However, we believe, that the cherished prize of the American Film Academy for Michael Fassbender will not be long in coming.

The premiere of the film «Assassin's Creed» took place at the end of 2016. The script was based on the story of the popular video game «Assassin's Creed». Michael Fassbender appeared in two historical eras simultaneously: in modern times and in Spain of the XV century. 95% of the complex stunts presented in the movie, Michael performed on his own.

In the «Assassin's Creed» Michael Fassbender did most of the stunts by himself

Alicia was originally supposed to be Michael’s co-star, but she declined the role and joined the cast of «Jason Bourne» movie starred by charming Matt Damon. Eventually, the main female character was performed by Marion Cotillard. This was the second joint work of Michael and Marion; they already met in 2015 on the set of «Macbeth». Moreover, the French accepted the role, particularly because she wanted to work with Fassbender again.

Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard have already played together in «Macbeth»

Funnily enough, the actor being a busy man, has never played the video games «Assassin's Creed». But the script based on the conflict between the Order of the Templars and Assassins interested him to such an extent, that even after the shooting, he actively participated in the production of Justin Kurzel’s movie, and even gave some advice to the editors.

In 2017 Fassbender will return as the android in «Alien»

In 2017, there were three premieres with Fassbender: the musical drama "Song to Song" with Natalie Portman and Ryan Gosling, the fifth film about the Alien "Alien: Testament" where Fassbender continues his role as an android, and the crime film "The Snowman" in which Michael appeared as an FBI detective.

Michael Fassbender's Personal Life

In 2008-2009, Michael was dating a little-known actress Lizzie Andrews (there were even rumors that she was more likely an escort girl than an actress). In 2010, she filed a lawsuit against Fassbender in court, saying that during their relationship, he broke her nose and ankle, and demanding compensation in the amount of $ 15,000. However, in the end, the case did not reach the court.

Lizzie Andrews filed a charge of assault against Michael Fassbender

At that time, he just started to date Zoe Kravitz (a daughter of the famous musician Lenny Kravitz). They met during the filming of «The X-Men» - she played a mutant named Angel. Despite the 11 years difference between them, they were quite a harmonious couple, but... it did not work out. {img # images/stories2016/uzn_1483007271.jpg#Zoe Kravitz and Michael Fassbender were seeing each other for a year and a half} In 2012, he started a relationship with an Afro-American - Nicole Bahari, then he was seen in the company of Rosario Dawson, Naomi Campbell, a co-star in «12 Years a Slave» Lupita Nihongo. For several months he was dating a professional athlete Louise Hazel and Romanian model Madalina Genea.

Fassbender buys stockings from Natalie Dormer (advertisement of the movie «The Counselor»)

Currently, the actor is in a relationship with the Swedish beauty Alicia Vikander. They have been dating since 2014. They were working together on the melodrama «The Light Between Oceans» (released in 2016), where they played a married couple, who found a baby. Living on the same island since September, the actors declared themselves a couple already in December.

A scene from the movie «The Light Between Oceans»

Michael was impressed by the responsibility of the girl, her perseverance, and courage. «She has courage, which many men would envy!», - recalled the actor.

However, many fans, who like to engage with the following the latest gossips about celebrities, claimed that their relationship was nothing more than a PR trick, drawing parallels between Tom Hiddleston and Taylor Swift who even did not hide the true intentions of their relationship.

Do Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender really fall for each other?

Michael Fassbender nowadays

In 2019, Fassbender appeared in the next part of the X-Men, "Dark Phoenix", in the role of Magneto. Also in 2020, Fassbender will appear in the fantastic action movie "Kung Fury 2".

Michael Fassbender in 2020

Matthew Myers

Probably I know him only because of X-Men and I didn`t watch anything else with him.

2021-05-06 19:09:04
Robert Dean

I like him as Magneto in X-Men, he played really cool, he was in cold blood and it`s nice

2021-04-12 18:33:46
Ruth Hicks

Magneto made Michael famous very much even more than X-Men.

2021-03-24 22:18:17
Karen Mason

By the way, if to read his filmography, he has a very good list.

2021-03-24 16:10:58
Richard Sullivan

I love Fassbender, all his roles are great and this actor is in his prime.

2021-02-25 23:01:07