Tilman Valentin Schweiger, born on December 19, 1963, in Freiburg, West Germany, is a renowned German actor, filmmaker, producer, and director.
Raised in Heuchelheim near Giessen, Hesse, by his parents, Herbert and Monika Schweiger, both teachers, Til initially pursued studies in German and medicine before finding his true calling in acting.
He honed his craft at Der Keller acting school in Cologne, graduating in 1989, and quickly rose to prominence as one of Germany’s most commercially successful and recognizable cinematic figures.
Schweiger’s multifaceted career spans acting, directing, producing, and screenwriting, with a reputation for creating blockbuster hits that resonate with audiences both in Germany and internationally.
He is also the founder of Barefoot Films, his production company based in Berlin, and has made significant contributions to both German cinema and Hollywood productions.
Siblings
Til grew up as the middle child of three brothers in Heuchelheim, fostering a close-knit family environment.
His two brothers are Florian Schweiger and Nik Schweiger.
Florian is notably involved with the Til Schweiger Foundation, serving as a member of its board alongside Til and Til’s son, Valentin.
Beyond this, specific details about Florian’s professional or personal endeavors remain less documented in public sources.
Nik Schweiger, the younger of the two, is a designer by profession, carving out his own creative path distinct from Til’s cinematic pursuits.
Career
Schweiger’s career began with his television debut in 1989 on the long-running German series Lindenstraße, but his breakthrough came with the 1991 film Manta, Manta, a cult comedy that showcased his charisma and comedic timing.
His role in Der bewegte Mann (1994) solidified his stardom in Germany, earning him widespread recognition.
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Schweiger’s directorial debut came in 1997 with Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, a road movie he also produced and starred in, which became a cult classic and won multiple awards.
This marked the beginning of his dual role as an actor and filmmaker.
He went on to direct, produce, and star in major German hits like Barfuss (2005), Keinohrhasen (2007), Zweiohrküken (2009), Kokowääh (2011), and Honig im Kopf (2014), the latter being one of Germany’s most successful films, drawing over 7 million viewers.
Schweiger’s international career includes roles in Hollywood films such as Inglourious Basterds (2009), where he played Hugo Stieglitz under Quentin Tarantino’s direction, as well as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life (2003), King Arthur (2004), Atomic Blonde (2017), and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024).
His production company, Barefoot Films, has been instrumental in his ability to maintain creative control over his projects, often casting his children—Valentin, Luna, Lilli, and Emma—in his films, blending family and professional endeavors.
Schweiger’s work extends to television, notably as Nick Tschiller in the Tatort crime series, which garnered record-breaking viewership.
Accolades
Schweiger’s film Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door earned him the Best Actor award at the 1997 Moscow International Film Festival and a Polish Film Festival award, marking him as the first non-Polish actor to receive their Best Actor honor.
Keinohrhasen (2007), a romantic comedy, became a cultural phenomenon, securing a Bambi Award, a Bavarian Film Award, a German Comedy Award, two DIVA Awards, a Jupiter Award, and the Ernst Lubitsch Award.
Barfuss (2005) also won a Bambi Award, as did his performance in Traumschiff Surprise – Periode 1. His 2014 film Honig im Kopf received the Deutscher Filmpreis for Most Popular Film, a CIVIS-Publikumpreis, and another Bambi Award, underscoring its emotional resonance and commercial success.
Schweiger’s Kokowääh 2 (2013) earned a Deutscher Comedypreis for the most successful German comedy.
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