Udo Kier, the horror icon known for films like Dracula 3000, Armageddon, Blade, and My Own Private Idaho has died. The actor passed away in California at the age of 81, his partner Delbert McBride has confirmed.
As reported by Variety, the German actor died in Palm Springs on Sunday morning, although no cause of death has been revealed. Kier became a staple of the horror genre in the mid-1970s, when he starred in movies like Flesh for Frankenstein, Blood for Dracula, and Suspiria. While not exactly a member of Hollywood royalty, his many credits in cult films were significant enough to make him one of those faces you instantly recognized within the horror community.
During the last part of his career, Kier appeared in movies like Rob Zombie’s Halloween, Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac, and Alexander Payne’s Downsizing. He also appeared in music videos for songs like Madonna’s “Erotica,” Korn’s “Make Me Bad,” and RMB’s “Deep Down Below.” Kier was also a very prolific voice actor, often appearing in projects both in German and English.
Udo Kier Was “An Icon of His Time”
The 81-year-old German actor had hundreds of credits to his name, and throughout his career, he worked with industry figures like Gus Van Sant, Werner Herzog, and Dario Argento, among others. The horror genre was a major part of his career, and even though he was prominently featured in lesser-known films, Kier’s presence always represented credibility within the genre. He could make critically panned films like BloodRayne and Feardotcom, but then he appeared in acclaimed movies like Dancer in the Dark and Melancholia.
Kier was also very active up to the last moments of his career. Even though he was in his late 70s, he participated in more than a dozen films between 2017 and 2019. His last film role was in the international production The Secret Agent, co-starring Wagner Moura, and which has only had a limited release. The late actor was supposed to appear in the Hideo Kojima horror video game OD, co-written with Jordan Peele. Kojima reacted to the news with a message on his X account, in which he reveals that Kier was sadly never able to complete his work on the OD game:
“I’m at a loss for words. It all happened far too suddenly.
Because of the strike, we weren’t able to shoot ‘OD’ for a long time, and we were forced to reschedule to next year. Even during that time, Udo and I exchanged emails frequently. We stayed in close contact. When we met in Milan at the end of September, he told me how much he was looking forward to the shoot starting up again next year. He was full of energy then too, making me laugh with his usual ‘Udo-isms.’
I still can’t believe this.
Udo wasn’t just an actor. He was truly an ‘icon’ of his time. We’ve lost a great ‘icon.’ There will never be another like him.
Udo, rest in peace. I will never forget you.
