Vicky Krieps (born 4 October 1983) is a Luxembourgish-German actress. She has appeared in a number of American, Luxembourgish, French and German productions. Her breakout role was in the period film Phantom Thread (2017).

Vicky Krieps
Born (1983-10-04) 4 October 1983 (age 41)[1]
Nationality
Alma materZurich University of the Arts
OccupationActress
Years active2008–present
PartnerJonas Laux (2010–present)
Children2

Her early films include Hanna (2011), Two Lives (2012) and A Most Wanted Man (2014), and has since starred in The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018), The Last Vermeer (2019), Old (2021), and The Survivor (2021). She earned acclaim for her performances in Bergman Island (2021), Hold Me Tight (2021), and Corsage (2022). Her portrayal of Empress Elisabeth of Austria in Corsage earned her the European Film Award for Best Actress.

Early life and education

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Krieps was born in Hesperange,[2] the daughter of a Luxembourgish father, who managed a film distribution company, and German mother.[9][10] Her father, Bob Krieps, is the director general of the Ministry of Culture of Luxembourg,[11] the former director of Sacem Luxembourg,[12] and the former president of the Luxembourg Film Fund.[13][14][15] Several of her films have been funded by the Luxembourg Film Fund,[16] which is supervised by the Ministry of Culture, which then decides which films will be funded by state subsidies.[17][18][19] Her paternal grandfather, Robert Krieps, was a politician, war-time member of the Luxembourg Resistance,[10] and Luxembourg's Minister of Justice, National Education and Culture in the 1970s and 1980s.[20]

Krieps had her first acting experiences at the Lycée de Garçons secondary school in Luxembourg City, receiving training at the Conservatoire de Luxembourg.[citation needed] Rather than enrolling in one of the drama schools, she participated in a social project at the primary school of a South African township near Knysna. This confirmed her resolve to study acting, with the goal of performing on theatre stages.[21]

Krieps attended Zurich University of the Arts, while gathering acting experience at Schauspielhaus Zürich.[citation needed]

Career

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Krieps at Berlinale 2018

Krieps had numerous roles in Luxembourgish films and television series, before starring in foreign productions, such as Hanna (2011), Rommel (2012), Before the Winter Chill (2013) and Elly Beinhorn: Solo Flight [de], a biopic about the German aviation pioneer Elly Beinhorn. She also had supporting roles in Anonymous (2011), and A Most Wanted Man (2014).

She had her career breakthrough starring opposite Daniel Day-Lewis in the period film Phantom Thread (2017). The film revolves around the romantic relationship between an older man, a fashion designer, and a younger woman.[22][23] Receiving critical acclaim for her role, Dan Jolin of Empire stated that Krieps "can hold her own opposite a titan like Day-Lewis", while David Edelstein of Vulture wrote that she is "bewitchingly lucent, her face just masklike enough to make our sudden awareness of all her dark thoughts a shock."[24][25] The film received six Academy Award nominations including for Best Picture.

Krieps played the magazine publisher in The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018),[23] and Minna Holberg in the drama film The Last Vermeer (2019). She portrayed the morally compromised Alsatian interpreter in the 2020 television series Das Boot, and subsequently in the second series.[26] In 2021, Krieps starred in M. Night Shyamalan's horror film Old,[27] and in the drama film Bergman Island (2021).[28] That same year, she starred in the HBO film The Survivor and the Netflix film Beckett. She starred in Mathieu Amalric's drama film Hold Me Tight (2021) which premiered at the 74th Cannes Film Festival. Susannah Gruder of IndieWire praised her performance writing, "Krieps, who delivers a disarmingly vulnerable, yet understated performance that keeps the film grounded. Her wispy elegance is tempered by a clumsy charm as she lovingly strokes her daughter’s hair, or floats through the world in her newly-solo life".[29]

 
Luna Wedler, Margarethe von Trotta and Krieps at Berlinale 2023

The following year, she played Empress Elisabeth of Austria in the historical drama Corsage which she also served as an executive producer. The film premiered at the 75th Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section. She won the Un Certain Regard Best Performance Prize. Jessica Kiang of Variety praised the casting describing it as "the best showcase for [Krieps]' defiantly peculiar charisma since Phantom Thread.[30] For her performance she received the European Film Award for Best Actress. She continued to act in the acclaimed drama films More Than Ever (2022) and Ingeborg Bachmann – Journey into the Desert (2023). She played Anne of Austria in the action adventure film The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan (2023).

In 2023, she starred in the western drama The Dead Don't Hurt directed by Viggo Mortensen. The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. Krieps is described as being the true central figure of the revisionist Western. Frank Schek of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Krieps delivers yet another astonishing turn in a career that already seems destined for greatness. Her Vivienne — warm yet steely, courageous yet vulnerable, fierce yet loving — is a complex, fascinating character who’s compelling every moment she’s onscreen."[31]

Personal life

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Krieps moved to Berlin, Germany in her early 20s.[32] She resides in Berlin with her two children, daughter Elisa (born 2011) and son Jan-Noah (born 2015), and her partner, the German actor Jonas Laux [de].[32][10][33]

When asked about the #MeToo movement, Krieps said: "Maybe it's very European, but I always see both sides. I feel very sorry for the people who have been harassed, but I also feel very sorry for the people who have lived a life where they have been harassing people. You cannot tell me any of these people are really happy, it's more like a disease. So I really think it's important for everyone to wake up. That would be my hashtag: #WakeUp."[34]

In April 2021, Krieps was part of the controversial campaign #allesdichtmachen ("close everything down"), which featured 50 German-speaking actors making fun of Germany's protective measures against COVID-19.[35] In her video, Krieps says, among other things, that acting helped her to deal with her fear of people. "During this time, we all learned how good it is to finally get away from it all. To alienate, not always having to let others get close to you. Above all, you don't know if the people you meet are washed."[35] The campaign, released when Germany had more than 80,000 deaths related to COVID, was highly criticized as being "tasteless" and "cringe-worthy",[36] but it also received support from members of the far-right and COVID-deniers,[37] who were rejoicing to find material supporting their own criticism of the authorities' handling of the pandemic.[36]

When Krieps was questioned on Instagram about the alleged abuser in the cast of her film Corsage who was kept in the film after director Marie Kreutzer was informed about him,[38] she said: "So, a feminist film made by two women should be discarded because of the misconduct of a male colleague? (Second question) Who exactly is being harmed by this?"[39] Krieps was also an executive producer on Corsage.[40] The case became public in Austria in June 2022, when Austrian director Katharina Mückstein shared an Instagram story that generated a lot of media attention and sparked a new wave of the #MeToo Movement in Austria.[38]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2008 La Nuit passée Christina Short film
2009 X on a Map Ana Short film
House of Boys Flower shop girl
2011 Legal.Illegal Kicki Short film
If Not Us, Who? Dörte
Hanna Johanna Zadek
Elle ne pleure pas, elle chante Nurse
Anonymous Bessie Vavasour
2012 Formentera Mara
D'Belle Epoque Belle Documentary
The Treasure Knights and the Secret of Melusina Marie Kutter
Two Lives Kathrin Lehnhaber
Measuring the World Johanna Gauss
2013 Tied Angel
Möbius Olga
Before the Winter Chill Caroline
Brotherhood of Tears Russian woman
2014 A Most Wanted Man Niki
Meer zwischen uns Karen Short film
The Chambermaid Lynn Lynn
2015 M wie Martha Helene Short film
Pitter Patter Goes My Heart Lisa Short film
Outside the Box Yvonne von Geseke
Colonia Dignidad Ursel
2016 Was hat uns bloß so ruiniert Stella
2017 The Young Karl Marx Jenny von Westphalen
Gutland Lucy Loschetter
Phantom Thread Alma Elson
2018 3 Days in Quiberon Hotel maid
The Girl in the Spider's Web Erika Berger
2019 The Last Vermeer Minna Holberg
2020 Faithful Hélène Iveton
2021 Next Door Target Cameo
Bergman Island Chris
Old Prisca Cappa
Beckett Lena
The Survivor Miriam Wofsoniker
Hold Me Tight Clarisse
2022 Corsage Empress Elisabeth of Austria Also executive producer
More Than Ever Hélène
2023 Ingeborg Bachmann – Journey into the Desert Ingeborg Bachmann
The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan Anne of Austria
The Three Musketeers: Milady
The Dead Don't Hurt Vivienne Le Coudy [41]
2024 Went Up the Hill Jill
TBA Father, Mother, Sister, Brother TBA Filming[42]
Harmonia TBA Pre-production [43]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2011 Tatort Mariam Sert Episode: Eine bessere Welt
2012 Rommel Comtesse de La Rochefoucauld Television film
2014 Elly Beinhorn: Solo Flight [de] Elly Beinhorn Television film
The Witness House [de] Marie-Claude Vaillant-Couturier Television film
2015 Tag der Wahrheit Ursel Television film
Mon cher petit village Elisabeth Television film
2017 Der Kriminalist Dr. Kim Koch Episode: Hochrisiko
2018–20 Das Boot Simone Strasser 10 episodes

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2008 Budapest Short Film Festival Best Youngster Award La nuit passée Won [44]
2012 Luxembourg Film Awards Young Newcomer Award Won [45]
2016 Preis der deutschen Filmkritik Best Actress The Chambermaid Lynn Nominated [46]
2017 Chicago Film Critics Association Best Actress Phantom Thread Nominated [47]
2019 Deutscher Fernsehpreis Best Actress Das Boot Won [48]
2022 César Awards Best Actress Hold Me Tight Nominated [49]
2022 Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard Best Performance Prize
(shared with Adam Bessa for Harka)
Corsage Won [50]
2022 European Film Awards European Actress Won [51]
2022 London Film Critics' Circle Actress of the Year Nominated [52]
2023 Satellite Awards Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama Nominated [53]
2023 Austrian Film Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Won [54]
2023 Toronto International Film Festival TIFF Tribute Performer Award Honored [55]

References

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  2. ^ a b Brown, Helen (31 December 2022). "Vicky Krieps: 'Method acting? I saw it as a circus'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 18 January 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  3. ^ Maxwell, Dominic (19 January 2023). "Vicky Krieps: 'I love men, but there is something linear in their thinking'". The Times. Archived from the original on 19 January 2023.
  4. ^ "Vicky Krieps: Luxembourg's leading lady". Benelux. 2 September 2015. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
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  8. ^ "Star der Leinwand: Vicky Krieps" (in German). 22 November 2018. Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  9. ^ Leimann, Eric; Probst, Matthias (2014). "Pionierin der Lüfte. Vicky Krieps als Elly Beinhorn". Télécran (in German). No. 14. p. 38.
  10. ^ a b c Kellaway, Kate (21 January 2018). "Actor Vicky Krieps: 'I spent a whole day staring into greenery to avoid Daniel Day-Lewis'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  11. ^ Rolland, Marie-Laure (22 May 2022). "Mon journal de Cannes (III): Dieu fait débat sur la Croisette". wort.lu (in French). Archived from the original on 21 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  12. ^ "Start from scratch". land.lu (in French). 29 January 2004. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
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  20. ^ "Luxembourg new stamp issues in May 2015". SEPAC Stamps. 27 April 2015. Archived from the original on 22 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  21. ^ Scheffen, Jean-Louis. "Vicky und der Schmetterling". Télécran (in German). Archived from the original on 10 September 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
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  23. ^ a b Kroll, Justin (8 February 2018). "'Phantom Thread' Star Vicky Krieps joins 'Dragon Tattoo' sequel". Variety. Archived from the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  24. ^ Jolin, Dan. "Phantom Thread". Empire. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  25. ^ Edelstein, David. "Phantom Thread underscores the great tragedy of Daniel Day-Lewis's retirement". Vulture. Archived from the original on 19 October 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  26. ^ Hale, Mike (16 June 2019). "Review: Rebooting 'Das Boot' on Land And Sea". New York Times. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  27. ^ "Vicky Krieps on M. Night Shyamalan's unsettling new thriller Old". The Digital Fix. Archived from the original on 28 July 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  28. ^ Dawson, Angela. "Vicky Krieps Plays Writer Seeking Inspiration In 'Bergman Island'". Forbes. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  29. ^ "'Hold Me Tight' Review: Vicky Krieps Mesmerizes in Mathieu Amalric's Cryptic Story of Loss". IndieWire. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  30. ^ "'Corsage' Review: A Superb Vicky Krieps Gives the Empress New Clothes in a Brilliant Reclamation of the 'Sissi' Legend". Variety. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  31. ^ "'The Dead Don't Hurt' Review: Vicky Krieps Electrifies in Viggo Mortensen's Stirring Romantic Western". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  32. ^ a b "'I'm lucky: the right things have always come my way'". Belfast Telegraph. 3 March 2018. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  33. ^ Grady, Oliver (25 July 2021). "Vicky Krieps: 'I wanted to disappear and pretend none of it happened'". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  34. ^ Barker, Andrew (12 January 2018). "Vicky Krieps on 'Phantom Thread,' Her Future, Her Influences, and #MeToo". Variety. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  35. ^ a b "Vicky Krieps protestiert gegen Lockdown-Politik" [Vicky Krieps protests against lockdown policy]. L'Essentiel (in German). 23 April 2021. Archived from the original on 4 December 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  36. ^ a b Grenier, Elizabeth (23 April 2021). "German actors' COVID videos spark controversy". Deutsche Welle. Archived from the original on 4 December 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  37. ^ Roxborough, Scott (23 April 2021). "Right-Wing Politicians Cheer German Actors' Attack on Corona Measures". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  38. ^ a b Grissemann, Stefan (2 July 2022). "#MeToo in der heimischen Filmbranche: "Diese Schweine stellen"" [#MeToo in the domestic film industry: "These pigs are asking"]. Profil.at (in German). Archived from the original on 21 December 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  39. ^ "Vicky Krieps' statement about the abuser in the cast of her film Corsage. Instagram, 9 January 2023". Imgur. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023.
  40. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (3 December 2022). "Vicky Krieps Talks About The Physical Pain Of Getting Into Character For 'Corsage' – Contenders International". Deadline. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  41. ^ "Viggo Mortensen to Direct Western 'The Dead Don't Hurt,' Starring Vicky Krieps". Deadline. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  42. ^ Vicky Krieps Cast in Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Father, Mother, Sister, Brother
  43. ^ "Guy Nattiv's 'Harmonia' Casts Naomi Watts, Vicky Krieps, Bella Ramsey and Odessa Young as Pre-Sales Launch Ahead of Cannes (EXCLUSIVE)". variety. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  44. ^ Wallace, Rick (30 December 2017). "Five Things You Didn't Know About Vicky Krieps". TVOvermind. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
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  46. ^ "Nominierungen für den Preis der deutschen Filmkritik 2015 stehen fest". Verband der deutschen Filmkritik e.V. (in German). 11 January 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
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  51. ^ "The winners of the European Film Awards". European Film Academy. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  52. ^ Ritman, Alex (21 December 2022). "'Banshees of Inisherin,' 'Aftersun' Top London Critics' Circle Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  53. ^ "2022 Winners | International Press Academy". International Press Academy. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  54. ^ "Österreichischer Filmpreis 2023: Vicky Krieps wins best actress at Austrian film awards". RTL Today. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  55. ^ "Toronto International Film Festival honours Vicky Krieps with the TIFF Tribute Performer Award". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
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