If you have already seen big English language, Hollywood films like 2009’s Pandorum with Dennis Quaid or 2008’s Valkyrie with Tom Cruise, you may already be familiar with German actor Wotan Wilke Möhring. German television watchers might also recognize him from episodes of Tatort or his appearances in numerous made for television movies. Although the films highlighted below might suggest otherwise, Möhring is a versatile actor who is known as much for roles in silly comedies as he is for more dramatic ones.

Antikörper (Antibodies)

In Antikörper, Möhring portrays Michael Martens, a German police officer, who investigates the unsolved murder of a young girl. When a serial killer suspected of committing the crime is taken in to custody in Berlin, Martens travels to the capital to interview him. Martens and the suspect become involved in a battle of the psyches in this dramatic thriller.

Das Leben ist nichts für Feiglinge (Life Is Not For Cowards)

As Markus in 2012’s Das Leben ist nichts für Feiglinge, Möhring is a recently and unexpectedly widowed. After his teenaged daughter runs away, he goes after her — and brings his mother and her nurse along.

Das letzte Schweigen (The Silence)

Based on the crime novel by Jan Costin Wagner of the same name, 2010’s Das letzte Schweigen is another thriller revolving around murder. 23 years after the unsolved murder of a young girl in a field, another young girl goes missing in the very same location. For the new case, the original detective teams up with a younger one for the investigation. The dramatic story gets a twist by way of Möhring. He portrays Timo Friedrich, an old friend of the original detective. Timo left town after the first murder and is only recently returned. Those involved become suspicious.

Practice practice practice! Discover other great German language actors and actresses previously featured.

Top photo by Jens Koch and used courtesy of Möhring’s official Facebook page.