Klaus Georg Steng (born June 22, 1943 in Bad Aussee, Styria), better known as Klaus Maria Brandauer, is an Austrian actor and director.
He is best known for his roles in several Hungarian films directed by István Szabó in The '80s such as Mephisto, Colonel Redl and Hanussen, as well as Never Say Never Again, Out of Africa, Burning Secret and the 1991 film adaptation of White Fang.
For his supporting role in Out of Africa, he was nominated for the Academy Award and won a Golden Globe. He's been nominated for many other awards (and won quite a few) from 1982 up until 2000.
Selected filmography:
- Mephisto (1981) as Hendrik Höfgen
- Never Say Never Again (1983) as Maximilian Largo
- Colonel Redl (1985) as Colonel Alfred Redl
- Out of Africa (1985) as Baron Bror von Blixen-Finecke
- Quo Vadis (1985 Mini Series) as Nero
- Hanussen (1988) as Erik Jan Hanussen
- Spider's Web (1989) as Benjamin Lenz
- The French Revolution (1989) as Georges Jacques Danton
- The Russia House (1990) as Dante/Yakov Saveleyev
- White Fang (1991) as Alex Larson
- Felidae (1994) as Pascal (German voice)
- Help! I'm a Fish (2000) as Joe (German dub)
- Druids (2001) as Julius Caesar
- Tetro (2009) as Carlo Tetrocini
Tropes & Trivia in his works:
- Omniglot: He speaks at least five languages: German, Italian, Hungarian, English and French; and has acted in each.
- Star-Making Role: Hendrik Höfgen in Mephisto marked his rise to fame.
- What Could Have Been: He was originally cast as Marko Ramius in The Hunt for Red October before the part went to Sean Connery.
