In Memoriam
Legendary Film Actor Who Starred in ‘Ace Ventura’ and Worked With Andy Warhol and Madonna, Dead at 81
German actor Udo Kier — known for playing Hollywood villains — died on Sunday, November 23 at a hospital in Palm Springs, California.
His parter, Delbert McBride, confirmed the news to Variety, but didn’t reveal a cause of death.
Kier was 81.
Born in Cologne, Germany, in 1944, Kier, known for his ice-blue eyes and menacing presence, rose to fame in Andy Warhol-produced films Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula in the 1970s, which led to many roles in horror films.
In Hollywood, he starred in everything from My Own Private Idaho with Keanu Reeves to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective with Jim Carrey. He also had a memorable role as the NASA flight psychologist in Armageddon.
In 1992, he appeared in Madonna’s controversial photo book, Sex, and had parts in her “Erotica” and “Deeper and Deeper” videos.
His final film role was in the Portuguese movie The Secret Agent, which debuted at Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.
