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German-born composer Hans Zimmer is recognized as one of Hollywood's most innovative musical talents. He featured in the music video for The Buggles' single "Video Killed the Radio Star", which became a worldwide hit and helped usher in a new era of global entertainment as the first music video to be aired on MTV (August 1, 1981).

Hans Florian Zimmer was born in Frankfurt am Main, then in West Germany, the son of Brigitte (Weil) and Hans Joachim Zimmer. He entered the world of film music in London during a long collaboration with famed composer and mentor Stanley Myers, which included the film My Beautiful Laundrette (1985). He soon began work on several successful solo projects, including the critically acclaimed A World Apart, and during these years Zimmer pioneered the use of combining old and new musical technologies. Today, this work has earned him the reputation of being the father of integrating the electronic musical world with traditional orchestral arrangements.

A turning point in Zimmer's career came in 1988 when he was asked to score Rain Man for director Barry Levinson. The film went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture of the Year and earned Zimmer his first Academy Award Nomination for Best Original Score. The next year, Zimmer composed the score for another Best Picture Oscar recipient, Driving Miss Daisy (1989), starring Jessica Tandy, and Morgan Freeman.

Having already scored two Best Picture winners, in the early 1990s, Zimmer cemented his position as a preeminent talent with the award-winning score for The Lion King (1994). The soundtrack has sold over 15 million copies to date and earned him an Academy Award for Best Original Score, a Golden Globe, an American Music Award, a Tony, and two Grammy Awards. In total, Zimmer's work has been nominated for 7 Golden Globes, 7 Grammys and seven Oscars for Rain Man (1988), Gladiator (2000), The Lion King (1994), As Good as It Gets (1997), The The Preacher's Wife (1996), The Thin Red Line (1998), The Prince of Egypt (1998), and The Last Samurai (2003).

With his career in full swing, Zimmer was anxious to replicate the mentoring experience he had benefited from under Stanley Myers' guidance. With state-of-the-art technology and a supportive creative environment, Zimmer was able to offer film-scoring opportunities to young composers at his Santa Monica-based musical "think tank." This approach helped launch the careers of such notable composers as Mark Mancina, John Powell, Harry Gregson-Williams, Nick Glennie-Smith, and Klaus Badelt.

In 2000, Zimmer scored the music for Gladiator (2000), for which he received an Oscar nomination, in addition to Golden Globe and Broadcast Film Critics Awards for his epic score. It sold more than three million copies worldwide and spawned a second album Gladiator: More Music From The Motion Picture, released on the Universal Classics/Decca label. Zimmer's other scores that year included Mission: Impossible II (2000), The Road to El Dorado (2000), and An Everlasting Piece (2000), directed by Barry Levinson.

Some of his other impressive scores include Pearl Harbor (2001), The Ring (2002), four films directed by Ridley Scott; Matchstick Men (2003), Hannibal (2001), Black Hawk Down (2001), and Thelma & Louise (1991), Penny Marshall's Riding in Cars with Boys (2001), and A League of Their Own (1992), Tony Scott's True Romance (1993), Tears of the Sun (2003), Ron Howard's Backdraft (1991), Days of Thunder (1990), Smilla's Sense of Snow (1997), and the animated Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) for which he also co-wrote four of the songs with Bryan Adams, including the Golden Globe nominated Here I Am.

At the 27th annual Flanders International Film Festival, Zimmer performed live for the first time in concert with a 100-piece orchestra and a 100-voice choir. Choosing selections from his impressive body of work, Zimmer performed newly orchestrated concert versions of Gladiator, Mission: Impossible II (2000), Rain Man (1988), The Lion King (1994), and The Thin Red Line (1998). The concert was recorded by Decca and released as a concert album entitled "The Wings Of A Film: The Music Of Hans Zimmer."

In 2003, Zimmer completed his 100th film score for the film The Last Samurai, starring Tom Cruise, for which he received both a Golden Globe and a Broadcast Film Critics nomination. Zimmer then scored Nancy Meyers' comedy Something's Gotta Give (2003), the animated Dreamworks film, Shark Tale (2004) (featuring voices of Will Smith, Renée Zellweger, Robert De Niro, Jack Black, and Martin Scorsese), and Jim Brooks' Spanglish (2004) starring Adam Sandler and Téa Leoni (for which he also received a Golden Globe nomination). His 2005 projects include Paramount's The Weather Man (2005) starring Nicolas Cage, Dreamworks' Madagascar (2005), and the Warner Bros. summer release, Batman Begins (2005).

Zimmer's additional honors and awards include the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in Film Composition from the National Board of Review, and the Frederick Loewe Award in 2003 at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. He has also received ASCAP's Henry Mancini Award for Lifetime Achievement. Hans and his wife live in Los Angeles and he is the father of four children.

Ulrike Butz, daughter of television presenter Hermann Butz, grew up in the Bavarian district of Miesbach. At the age of 17, she left her parents' home to go to Southern Europe, but only made it as far as Munich, where she was shooting nudes as a 17-year-old. It was during this time that she first came into contact with drugs.

In 1972 she started working as an actress in the German soft sex film industry, which was just flourishing. Between 1972 and 1974, Ulrike starred in 28 films, including film series such as The School Girls (1970) (parts four through seven), The Miner' Wife ... Takes Her Pick (1972) (parts one, three and four), Wide Open Marriage (1973) and other pseudo-documentary report films such as Nurses Report (1972), Sex-Träume-Report (1973), Swedish Lessons in Love (1973) and 14 and Under (1973). She played her most demanding role in The Devil's Plaything (1973), a horror film directed by Joseph W. Sarno.

With nearly 30 film roles, Ulrike was one of the busiest actresses of the genre. As one of the few actresses in the industry, her acting talent was witnessed. In February 1974, the chubby, busty actress was featured in a photo spread for Playboy magazine. During this time she came into contact with the wrong friends, who again associated her with drugs. Her father tried several times to get his daughter out of this milieu. He financed several rehabs, a luxury apartment and a mannequin apprenticeship, which she dropped out of. In 1976, she spent some time in prison for a theft offense.

After her father died in 1976, Butz slipped back into the drug milieu. In 1979, she had to serve another prison sentence in Aichach for drug possession. After successful rehab, she worked as a waitress, began a relationship and had a son. In 1981, Butz went into business for herself with money from her father's inheritance and opened a costume shop in Munich's Neuhausen district, but it went bankrupt after a few years. Franz Marischka cast her again in two productions of the sex film industry, which was by now coming to an end: Laß laufen, Kumpel (1981) and Die unglaublichen Abenteuer des Guru Jakob (1983) with Zachi Noy, Thomas Ohrner and Sibylle Rauch.

She died at the age of 46 in Munich, the urn grave is located at the Waldfriedhof.

Robert Dölle was born on 29 October 1971 in Frankfurt am Main, West Germany. He is an actor, known for Hotel Lux (2011), Mord mit Aussicht (2008) and Phoenixsee (2016).

Sonsee Neu is a German actress known for her versatile roles in television and film. She gained recognition for her portrayal of Sarah Maria in the comedy series "Pastewka" (2005-2020). Her filmography includes performances in "Rabbit Without Ears" (2007) and "The Last Days of Disco" (1998). Neu studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York from 1993 to 1996 and continued her training under Michael Howard until 1998. She has also appeared in international productions, such as the miniseries "Titanic" (1996). In addition to her acting career, Neu has been involved in theater productions and voice acting. She resides near Magdeburg, Germany.

The actor is one of the most successful German actors. Hannes Jaenicke became popular in the role of the tough guy. He spent part of his childhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In Regensburg he attended the Albertus-Magnus-Gymnasium and the Albrecht-Altdorfer-Gymnasium. Here he completed his high school diploma. Jaenicke received his acting training at the Max Reinhardt Seminar in Vienna, the Vienna Opera School and the London School of Modern Dance. In addition to his work as an actor, he was also active as a screenwriter and speaker in various audio books, and he also won a screenwriting scholarship in the USA. Jaenicke has appeared in numerous German television productions. In the American TV series "Highlander: The Raven" he played the role of Bert Myers. In his private life, the mime was involved in numerous animal and environmental protection projects, in collaboration with the Borneo Orangutan Aid organization. He made a documentary for ZDF about the threatened lives of polar bears in the Arctic.

Luise Bähr was born on 23 June 1979 in Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, West Germany. She is an actress, known for The Red Baron (2008), Von wegen! (2005) and Die Bergretter (2009).

Claude-Oliver Rudolph was born on 30 November 1956 in Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, West Germany. He is an actor and writer, known for Das Boot (1981), The World Is Not Enough (1999) and Rote Erde (1983). He was previously married to Sabine von Maydell.

Trystan Pütter was born on 11 December 1980 in Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, West Germany. He is an actor, known for Anonymous (2011), War Horse (2011) and Toni Erdmann (2016).

Florian Bartholomäi was born on 10 January 1987 in Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, West Germany. He is an actor and producer, known for Tatort (1970), Ruby Red (2013) and The Missing (2014).

Ruben Studdard was born on 12 September 1978 in Frankfurt, West Germany. He is an actor and producer, known for American Idol (2002), Obsessed (2009) and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004). He is married to Kristin Moore. They have two children. He was previously married to Surata Zuri McCants.

Florian Fitz was born on 16 November 1967 in Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, West Germany. He is an actor, known for Equilibrium (2002), Knockin' on Heaven's Door (1997) and Fremde, liebe Fremde (1991).

Jermaine Cole (a.k.a. J.Cole) was originally born in Germany. But his origins are from North Carolina/Charlotte and he never hides it. He was signed by Jay-Z as the first artist for his record label Roc Nation. He dropped his first mix tape there, 'The Warm Up' and it had received great reviews from public. His song Ladies featuring Lee Fields was the closing credits song for HBO's popular TV show Scared Straight (2009).

Paul A. Hutton was born on 23 October 1949 in Frankfurt, West Germany. He is a writer and actor, known for Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994), Jane Got a Gun (2015) and Investigating History (2003). He was previously married to Vickie Bauer.

Sabine Bach was born on 16 September 1956 in Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, West Germany. She is an actress, known for Paradiso - Sieben Tage mit sieben Frauen (2000), The Country Doctor (1987) and Venus Talking (2001). She was previously married to Nikodemus Frisch.

Anke Sevenich was born on 30 January 1959 in Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, West Germany. She is an actress and writer, known for Klabautermann (2021), Marienhof (1992) and Dobrodruzství kriminalistiky (1989).

Susanne Schäfer was born on 7 March 1963 in Frankfurt am Main, West Germany. She is an actress and producer, known for Diese Drombuschs (1983), Die Manns - Ein Jahrhundertroman (2001) and Zapping-Alien@Mozart-Balls (2009). She has been married to Philippe Chemin since 15 September 2023.

Peer Martiny was born on 9 December 1958 in Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, West Germany. He is an actor, known for The Edukators (2004), R.I.S (2007) and Nichts als die Wahrheit (1999).

My name is Saro Emirze, an actor of Armenian descent, born in Frankfurt am Main and raised in Rodgau.

My love for film started early-or rather, in the video store around the corner, which was almost like a second living room for us. My father was a huge film enthusiast, and on weekends, our home was essentially a mini movie theater. We'd watch several films in a row, all together as a family. Since then, I've been hooked.

That passion never left me. I dreamed of one day working internationally, and I've been fortunate enough to make that dream come true-with a major role in The Survivor by Oscar winner Barry Levinson (Rain Man), alongside Danny DeVito. I was also part of Masters of the Air, produced by Steven Spielberg, whose films deeply influenced me as a child.

At the same time, I'm deeply rooted in the German theater and film world and proud of the projects I've had the chance to help shape here.

I come from the theater, love the stage, and regularly perform in productions at the Maxim Gorki Theater-a stage that truly feels like home to me.

I love this profession, with everything that comes with it: the acting, the stories, the encounters. And I want more. More filming, more storytelling, more experiences.

Even as a child, I supposedly told my mother: "I want to be an actor. Nothing else. Or I'll die." Sounds dramatic, sure. But somehow, it still sums it up pretty well.

Florian Weber was born on 24 June 1976 in Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, West Germany. He is an actor, known for Zwei am großen See (2004), Die Gerichtsmedizinerin (2005) and Bei aller Liebe (2000).

Alexander Wüst was born on 22 July 1973 in Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, West Germany. He is an actor, known for Joyeux Noel (2005), Tessa - Leben für die Liebe (2006) and Karl der Grosse (2013).

Christina Rainer was born in 1969 in Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, West Germany. She is an actress, known for M.E.T.R.O. - Ein Team auf Leben und Tod (2006), Tatort (1970) and Die Bergretter (2009).

Nikola Kress, born Nikola Sabine Kress, on 19 December 1958 in Frankfurt am Main. She studied Drama at the Hochschule fuer Musik und Theater in Hannover and later joined the Grips Theatre in Berlin. Since then she has appeared in numerous TV and Theater productions. She has residence in Frankfurt, Germany, as well as in Cape Town, South Africa.

Gerhard Bös was born in 1955 in Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, West Germany. He is an actor, known for Die Tigerin (1992), Liebling Kreuzberg (1986) and O Beautiful Night (2019).

Julia Leinweber was born in 1981 in Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, West Germany. She is an actress, known for Arthurs Gesetz (2018).

Cornelius Schwalm was born in 1967 in Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, West Germany. He is an actor and director, known for Hotel Auschwitz (2018), Pascals Reise ins Glück - Operation Germanenkind and Balloon (2018).