Franka Potente
Encyclopedia
Franka Potente is a German film actress and singer. She first appeared in the comedy
After Five in the Forest Primeval
(1995) and gained critical recognition in the action thriller Lola rennt (released in English as Run Lola Run
) (1998). Potente received Germany's highest film and television awards for her performances in Run Lola Run and Opernball
. After half a decade of critically acclaimed roles in German films, Potente went on to garner the role of Barbara Buckley in Blow (2001) and as Jason Bourne
's love interest in the Bourne film series
.
, and raised in nearby Dülmen
. Her mother, Hildegard, is a medical assistant, and her father, Dieter Potente, is a teacher. Her Italian surname stems from her great-grandfather, a Sicilian slate mason
who emigrated to Germany during the 19th century. At age 17, she spent some months as an exchange student in Humble, Texas
, United States.
. Potente took acting jobs outside school time and appeared in her first movie in the 1995 student film Aufbruch. She was then spotted by a casting agent and appeared in the film Nach Fünf im Urwald (It's a Jungle Out There), directed by her then-boyfriend, Hans Christian Schmid. She received the 1995 Bavaria
n Film Prize for Young Talent for her work in this film. She then finished her last year of training at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in Manhattan
.
Potente returned to Europe and worked in German and French films. She was cast as the lead in Lola Rennt (Run Lola Run
) after meeting the director, Tom Tykwer
, in a café. The part was written for her and although the film was a small-budget, art house film
production, it was popular in Europe. Franka Potente also performed on the soundtrack. She made several more German-language films, including the horror film Anatomy
and the romantic thriller The Princess and the Warrior
also directed by Tykwer.
Potente's first English-language role was that of film editor in Storytelling
in 2001. This was followed by a role in Blow
, with Johnny Depp
, and the female lead in The Bourne Identity
, with Matt Damon
, which she reprised in The Bourne Supremacy
. In 2006, she starred with Eric Bana
in the Australian film Romulus, My Father
, for which she was nominated for an Australian Film Industry Award for Best Lead Actress. Also in 2006, she wrote and directed Der die Tollkirsche ausgräbt, a silent
comedy.
Starting on May 22, 2007, Potente had a three-episode recurring role in FX drama The Shield
, where she played Diro Kesakhian, "the ruthless godmother of LA's Armenian mafia".
In 2009, she appeared in the House M.D.
television series two-part episode Broken
. In January 2011, she played Hilda in a BBC drama The Sinking of the Laconia
.
In April 2011, she gave birth to a daughter.
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
After Five in the Forest Primeval
After Five in the Forest Primeval
After Five in the Forest Primeval , sometimes also known as It's a Jungle Out There, is a 1995 German romantic comedy film directed by Hans-Christian Schmid and starring Franka Potente in her first film role. The film tells the story of a 17-year old girl Anna who, in search of freedom in an urban...
(1995) and gained critical recognition in the action thriller Lola rennt (released in English as Run Lola Run
Run Lola Run
Run Lola Run is a 1998 German crime thriller film written and directed by Tom Tykwer and starring Franka Potente as Lola and Moritz Bleibtreu as Manni. The story follows a woman who needs to obtain 100,000 German marks in 20 minutes to save her boyfriend's life...
) (1998). Potente received Germany's highest film and television awards for her performances in Run Lola Run and Opernball
Opernball (film)
Opernball is a 1998 made-for-TV movie by Urs Egger based on a 1995 novel by Austrian writer Josef Haslinger in which thousands of people are killed in a Neo-Nazi terrorist attack taking place during the Vienna Opera Ball. The film starred Heiner Lauterbach, Franka Potente, Frank Giering, Caroline...
. After half a decade of critically acclaimed roles in German films, Potente went on to garner the role of Barbara Buckley in Blow (2001) and as Jason Bourne
Jason Bourne
Jason Charles Bourne is a fictional character and the main protagonist in the novels of Robert Ludlum and subsequent film adaptations. He first appeared in the novel The Bourne Identity...
's love interest in the Bourne film series
Bourne (film series)
The Bourne films are a series of dramatic films based on the character Jason Bourne, a former CIA assassin suffering from extreme memory loss, created by author Robert Ludlum. All three of Ludlum's novels were adapted for the screen, featuring Matt Damon as the titular character in each...
.
Early life
The elder of two children, Potente was born in MünsterMünster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
, and raised in nearby Dülmen
Dülmen
Dülmen is a municipality in the district of Coesfeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Dülmen is situated in the south part of the Münsterland area, between the Lippe river to the south, the Baumberge hills to the north and the Ems river to the east...
. Her mother, Hildegard, is a medical assistant, and her father, Dieter Potente, is a teacher. Her Italian surname stems from her great-grandfather, a Sicilian slate mason
Slater
Slater is an occupational surname of English origin. A slater is a tradesman.-Surname:* Allana Slater , Australian artistic gymnast* Bert Slater , Scottish football player* Bill Slater , English footballer...
who emigrated to Germany during the 19th century. At age 17, she spent some months as an exchange student in Humble, Texas
Humble, Texas
Humble is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area.As of the 2000 census, the city population was 14,579. The city shares a zip code with the small Houston neighborhood of Bordersville, although people who live in Bordersville still have Humble...
, United States.
Career
After finishing high school in Germany, Potente enrolled at the Otto Falckenberg School of Performing Arts in MunichMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. Potente took acting jobs outside school time and appeared in her first movie in the 1995 student film Aufbruch. She was then spotted by a casting agent and appeared in the film Nach Fünf im Urwald (It's a Jungle Out There), directed by her then-boyfriend, Hans Christian Schmid. She received the 1995 Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n Film Prize for Young Talent for her work in this film. She then finished her last year of training at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
Potente returned to Europe and worked in German and French films. She was cast as the lead in Lola Rennt (Run Lola Run
Run Lola Run
Run Lola Run is a 1998 German crime thriller film written and directed by Tom Tykwer and starring Franka Potente as Lola and Moritz Bleibtreu as Manni. The story follows a woman who needs to obtain 100,000 German marks in 20 minutes to save her boyfriend's life...
) after meeting the director, Tom Tykwer
Tom Tykwer
Tom Tykwer is a German film director, screenwriter, and composer. He is best known internationally for directing Run Lola Run , Heaven , Perfume: The Story of a Murderer , and The International ....
, in a café. The part was written for her and although the film was a small-budget, art house film
Art film
An art film is the result of filmmaking which is typically a serious, independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience...
production, it was popular in Europe. Franka Potente also performed on the soundtrack. She made several more German-language films, including the horror film Anatomy
Anatomy (film)
Anatomy is a 2000 German horror film written and directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky that stars Franka Potente. A sequel, Anatomy 2 was released in 2003...
and the romantic thriller The Princess and the Warrior
The Princess and the Warrior
The Princess and the Warrior is a 2000 German drama film written and directed by Tom Tykwer with Franka Potente, star of his previous movie Run Lola Run , in a leading role...
also directed by Tykwer.
Potente's first English-language role was that of film editor in Storytelling
Storytelling (film)
Storytelling is a 2001 film, directed by Todd Solondz. It features original music by Belle & Sebastian, later compiled on an album of the same name...
in 2001. This was followed by a role in Blow
Blow (film)
Blow is a 2001 biopic about the American cocaine smuggler George Jung, directed by Ted Demme. David McKenna and Nick Cassavetes adapted Bruce Porter's 1993 book Blow: How a Small Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellín Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All for the screenplay. It is based on the real...
, with Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
, and the female lead in The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Identity (2002 film)
The Bourne Identity is a 2002 American spy film loosely based on Robert Ludlum's novel of the same name. It stars Matt Damon as Jason Bourne, an amnesiac attempting to discover his true identity amidst a clandestine conspiracy within the Central Intelligence Agency . The film also stars Franka...
, with Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
, which she reprised in The Bourne Supremacy
The Bourne Supremacy (film)
The Bourne Supremacy is a 2004 American spy film very loosely based on Robert Ludlum's novel of the same name. The film was directed by Paul Greengrass, written by Tony Gilroy and Brian Helgeland, and produced by Frank Marshall and Pat Crowley. Universal Pictures released the film to theaters in...
. In 2006, she starred with Eric Bana
Eric Bana
Eric Bana is an Australian film and television actor. He began his career as a comedian in the sketch comedy series Full Frontal before gaining critical recognition in the biopic Chopper...
in the Australian film Romulus, My Father
Romulus, My Father (film)
Romulus, My Father is a 2007 Australian drama film directed by Richard Roxburgh. Based on the memoir by Raimond Gaita, the film tells the story of Romulus and his wife Christine , and their struggle in the face of great adversity to raise their son, Raimond . The film marks the directorial debut...
, for which she was nominated for an Australian Film Industry Award for Best Lead Actress. Also in 2006, she wrote and directed Der die Tollkirsche ausgräbt, a silent
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
comedy.
Starting on May 22, 2007, Potente had a three-episode recurring role in FX drama The Shield
The Shield
The Shield is an American television drama series starring Michael Chiklis which premiered on March 12, 2002 on FX in the United States and concluded on November 25, 2008 after seven seasons...
, where she played Diro Kesakhian, "the ruthless godmother of LA's Armenian mafia".
In 2009, she appeared in the House M.D.
House (TV series)
House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
television series two-part episode Broken
Broken (House)
"Broken" is the joint title for the first and second episodes of the sixth season of the television series House. It is a two-part season premiere, being first broadcast on the Fox network on September 21, 2009...
. In January 2011, she played Hilda in a BBC drama The Sinking of the Laconia
The Sinking of the Laconia
The Sinking of the Laconia is a two-part TV film, first aired on 6 and 7 January 2011 on BBC Two, about the Laconia incident; the sinking of the former British ocean liner RMS Laconia during World War II by a German U-boat, which then, together with three other U-boats and an Italian submarine,...
.
Personal life
In 2008, she was engaged to an American businessman; however, in September 2009, the couple separated and the engagement was called off.In April 2011, she gave birth to a daughter.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | After Five in the Forest Primeval After Five in the Forest Primeval After Five in the Forest Primeval , sometimes also known as It's a Jungle Out There, is a 1995 German romantic comedy film directed by Hans-Christian Schmid and starring Franka Potente in her first film role. The film tells the story of a 17-year old girl Anna who, in search of freedom in an urban... |
Anna | Bavarian Film Award – Best Young Actress |
| 1997 | Coming In | Nina | Television film |
| 1998 | Opernball Opernball (film) Opernball is a 1998 made-for-TV movie by Urs Egger based on a 1995 novel by Austrian writer Josef Haslinger in which thousands of people are killed in a Neo-Nazi terrorist attack taking place during the Vienna Opera Ball. The film starred Heiner Lauterbach, Franka Potente, Frank Giering, Caroline... |
Gabrielle Becker | Television film Bavarian TV Award – Best Actress |
| 1998 | Run Lola Run Run Lola Run Run Lola Run is a 1998 German crime thriller film written and directed by Tom Tykwer and starring Franka Potente as Lola and Moritz Bleibtreu as Manni. The story follows a woman who needs to obtain 100,000 German marks in 20 minutes to save her boyfriend's life... |
Lola | Bambi Award – Best Actress |
| 1998 | Bin ich schön? | Linda | |
| 1999 | Downhill City | Peggy | Television film |
| 2000 | Anatomy Anatomy (film) Anatomy is a 2000 German horror film written and directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky that stars Franka Potente. A sequel, Anatomy 2 was released in 2003... |
Paula Henning | |
| 2000 | Simone 'Sissi' Schmidt | ||
| 2001 | Blow Blow (film) Blow is a 2001 biopic about the American cocaine smuggler George Jung, directed by Ted Demme. David McKenna and Nick Cassavetes adapted Bruce Porter's 1993 book Blow: How a Small Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellín Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All for the screenplay. It is based on the real... |
Barbara Buckley | |
| 2001 | Storytelling Storytelling (film) Storytelling is a 2001 film, directed by Todd Solondz. It features original music by Belle & Sebastian, later compiled on an album of the same name... |
Editor | |
| 2002 | Marie Helena Kreutz | ||
| 2002 | All I Want All I Want (film) All I Want is a 2002 coming-of-age dramedy film, directed by Jeffrey Porter and written by Charles Kephart. It stars Elijah Wood, Franka Potente, and Mandy Moore... |
Jane | |
| 2003 | I Love Your Work I Love Your Work I Love Your Work is an American psychological thriller film completed in 2003 and released theatrically in 2005. The film was directed by Adam Goldberg and written by Goldberg and Adrian Butchart. An indictment of celebrity culture, it was not a commercial success. The cast includes Giovanni... |
Mia | |
| 2003 | Blueprint Blueprint (film) Blueprint is a 2003 German drama film directed by Rolf Schübel. It is based on the novel written by Charlotte Kerner. The film raises the ethical issue of human cloning.-Plot:... |
Iris Sellin/Siri Sellin | |
| 2003 | Anatomy 2 Anatomy 2 Anatomy 2 is a 2003 German thriller film written and directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky that stars Franka Potente. It's the sequel to the 2000 film Anatomy... |
Paula Henning | |
| 2004 | Marie Helena Kreutz | ||
| 2004 | Creep Creep (film) Creep is a 2004 British horror film about a woman locked in overnight on the London Underground who finds herself being stalked by a hideously deformed killer living in the sewers below... |
Kate | |
| 2005 | Annabelle | ||
| 2006 | Diro Kesakhian | TV series. 3 episodes | |
| 2006 | Der die Tollkirsche ausgräbt | Silent black-and-white movie, written and directed by Franka Potente | |
| 2007 | Romulus, My Father Romulus, My Father (film) Romulus, My Father is a 2007 Australian drama film directed by Richard Roxburgh. Based on the memoir by Raimond Gaita, the film tells the story of Romulus and his wife Christine , and their struggle in the face of great adversity to raise their son, Raimond . The film marks the directorial debut... |
Christine Anna Gaita (née NEE NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp... Dörr) |
|
| 2007 | Marie Helena Kreutz | Flashbacks only | |
| 2007 | Eichmann Eichmann (film) Eichmann is a biographical film detailing the interrogation of Otto Adolf Eichmann. Directed by Robert Young, the film stars Thomas Kretschmann as Eichmann and Troy Garity as Eichmann's Israeli interrogator, Avner Less... |
Vera Less | |
| 2008 | Che Che (film) Che is a two-part 2008 biopic about Ernesto 'Che' Guevara directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Benicio del Toro. Rather than follow a standard chronological order, the films offer an oblique series of interspersed moments along the overall timeline... |
Tamara "Tania" Bunke | |
| 2008 | Elfie Bauer | ||
| 2009 | Pope Joan | Joan | |
| 2009 | House House (TV series) House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in... |
Lydia | TV series, episode "Broken Broken (House) "Broken" is the joint title for the first and second episodes of the sixth season of the television series House. It is a two-part season premiere, being first broadcast on the Fox network on September 21, 2009... " |
| 2010 | Psych | Nadia | TV series, episode "One, Maybe Two, Ways Out" |
| 2010 | Shanghai | Leni | |
| 2011 | Hilda Smith | Television film - BBC Productions |
Singles
- "Believe" (1998)
- "Wish (Komm Zu Mir)" (1998)
- "Easy Day" (1999)
- "Fly With Me" (2001)
Author/books
- 2005: Los Angeles - Berlin. Ein Jahr
- 2006: Der die Tollkirsche ausgräbt, Drehbuch zum Film
- 2009: Kick Ass - Das alternative Workout
- 2010: Zehn: Stories