Dieter Laser is a renowned German actor, widely recognized by English-speaking audiences for his captivating performances in various roles. One of his most notable roles is Mantrid in the sci-fi series Lexx, as well as Prof. Otto Blaettchen in The Ogre and Dr. Joseph Heiter in The Human Centipede (First Sequence),for which he received the Best Actor award at the Austin Fantastic Fest.
Born in Kiel, Dieter Laser's journey into the world of acting began at the tender age of sixteen. On a cold winter afternoon, he approached the stage door of the Deutsches Schauspielhaus in Hamburg, seeking guidance on how to become an actor. Fortunately, an extra was needed for a Christmas fairy tale performance, and 30 minutes later, he found himself on stage alongside a group of "sailors." This marked the beginning of his career as an extra, a path that would eventually lead him to become a professional actor.
Growing up in a fundamentalist Christian sect, Dieter Laser was initially discouraged from pursuing a career in the theatre, which was viewed as "devil's work." However, he made a deal with himself, vowing to become an actor and face the consequences later. Watching the famous actors rehearse and perform as an extra became his makeshift drama school, and he gradually worked his way up from minor roles to landing his first contract.
After 14 years of stage experience and serving as a co-founder and member of the board at the renowned Schaubuehne in Berlin, Dieter Laser decided to become a freelancer and landed his first film role in John Glueckstadt, for which he won the German Film Award in Gold. Since then, he has appeared in approximately 65 films, often co-starring with renowned actors such as Burt Lancaster, Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland, Glenn Close, and John Malkovich.
