Udo Kier, German Actor Who Appeared in ‘My Own Private Idaho,’ ‘Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein,’ Dies at 81

Udo Kier, a German actor and cult figure who worked with a wide range of artists including Andy Warhol, Lars von Trier, and Madonna, passed away on Sunday morning, as shared by his partner, artist Delbert McBride. He was 81 years old.

Throughout his long career, Kier appeared in over 200 films.

 His work with Andy Warhol stands out, especially the movies he starred in. In 1973, he played the main character in "Flesh for Frankenstein," and in 1974, he took on the lead role in "Blood for Dracula." Both films were directed by Paul Morrissey and produced by Warhol. These movies are unusual and sensual versions of classic horror creatures, with Kier adding a mysterious and sometimes funny take on the main characters.

These two movies brought Kier a lot of attention, and he continued working in Europe for the next two decades.

 He worked with the famous director Rainer Werner Fassbinder on films such as "The Stationmaster's Wife," "The Third Generation," and "Lili Marleen." At the Berlin Film Festival, he met Gus Van Sant, who later helped Kier get an American work permit and a SAG card.

In 1991, Van Sant introduced Kier to American audiences with the movie "My Own Private Idaho."

 The film is loosely based on Shakespeare's "Henry IV," and Kier had a supporting role alongside River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves.

Kier also started working with Lars von Trier in the late 1980s.

 He appeared in "Epidemic" and "Europa" in 1991. He was part of several episodes of von Trier's long-running horror series "The Kingdom" throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Their film collaborations include "Breaking the Waves," "Dancer in the Dark," "Dogville," "Melancholia," and "Nymphomaniac: Vol. II."

In the 1990s, Kier also appeared in major Hollywood movies like "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective," "Armageddon," and "Blade.

" He was in Madonna's book "Sex" in 1992 and appeared in her music videos for "Erotica" and "Deeper and Deeper" from her album "Erotica."

Recently, Kier was in Kleber Mendonça Filho's award-winning film "The Secret Agent.

" The movie won the Best Actor award at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival for star Wagner Moura.

Udo Kier was born as Udo Kierspe in Cologne, Germany, in a hospital that was under attack by Allied Forces.

 At 18, he moved to London after meeting Fassbinder in a bar. In a 2024 interview with Variety's Peter Debruge, he said, "I liked the attention, so I became an actor." After spending many years working between Europe and the U.S., Kier settled in Los Angeles and Palm Springs. He lived in an old mid-century library and was into art, architecture, and collecting. He was often at the Palm Springs Film Festival, where he was warmly welcomed by fans.