Actor
Film
Danish actor Ulrich Thomsen has, over the course of his career, built a reputation as a compelling and versatile performer—someone who brings depth and nuance to both lead and supporting roles. His work has earned widespread critical acclaim, particularly in films like *The Celebration* (1998), *The Inheritance* (2003), and *The Commune* (2016). Born on December 6, 1963, in Odense, Denmark, Ulrich Thomsen dedicated himself early on to mastering his craft. He attended the prestigious Danish National School of Theatre and Contemporary Dance, graduating in 1993, and soon became a familiar face in Danish theater circles.
It wasn’t long after graduation that Ulrich Thomsen made his feature film debut in Ole Bornedal’s gripping thriller *Nightwatch* (1994). While that role put him on the map, it was two years later, in Thomas Vinterberg’s *The Biggest Heroes* (1996), that Ulrich Thomsen truly broke through—delivering a standout performance as a bank robber who unexpectedly discovers he has a teenage daughter. This pivotal moment helped set the stage for even greater recognition.
In 1998, Ulrich Thomsen achieved international acclaim with Vinterberg’s harrowing family drama *The Celebration*, a film that not only shocked audiences but also launched the influential Dogme 95 movement in cinema. The film’s success—and Ulrich Thomsen’s powerful portrayal at its center—earned him a Best Actor nomination at the European Film Academy Awards. That level of attention opened doors both at home and abroad. Domestically, he contributed to award-winning projects like the Oscar-nominated short *Election Night* (1998), while internationally, he stepped into the world of big-budget Hollywood with a role in the James Bond film *The World Is Not Enough* (1999).
From there, Ulrich Thomsen began appearing in a wide array of English-language films, showcasing his range across genres and characters. He played a 19th-century Norwegian immigrant accused of murder in Kathryn Bigelow’s *The Weight of Water* (2002), took on the chilling role of a Nazi officer in *Max* (2002), and portrayed German scientist Gerhard Zucker in *The Rocket Post* (2004). He also appeared as a journalist in Chen Kaige’s *Killing Me Softly* (2002) and delivered a memorable turn as a Templar knight in Ridley Scott’s epic *Kingdom of Heaven* (2005).
Despite his growing presence in international cinema, Ulrich Thomsen remained a leading figure in Danish film. He won a Bodil Award—the highest acting honor in Denmark—for his performance in *Arven* (*The Inheritance*), a moving drama about a man grappling with the collapse of his family business. He received additional Bodil nominations for *Brodre* (*Brothers*, 2004), where he played a security officer forced into moral extremes during captivity in Afghanistan, and for *Den du Frygter* (*Fear Me Not*, 2008), a psychological thriller centered on a man undergoing drastic personality shifts due to an experimental drug.
As the 2010s progressed, Ulrich Thomsen found himself increasingly involved in English-language productions. Though many of these—such as Tom Tykwer’s *The International* (2009) and *Duplicity* (2009), both alongside Clive Owen—were commercially driven and less critically celebrated, they kept him visible on the global stage. He also appeared in period action films like *Centurion* (2010) and *Season of the Witch* (2011), as well as the sci-fi horror prequel *The Thing* (2011).
Still, Ulrich Thomsen continued to seek out more meaningful roles in European cinema. He delivered a strong performance in Hungarian director Janos Szasz’s *The Notebook* (2013), and earned consecutive Bodil nominations for *Summer of '92* (2015), which chronicled Denmark’s triumphant soccer season, and *The Commune* (2016), reuniting him once again with Thomas Vinterberg.
During this time, Ulrich Thomsen also reached wider American audiences through television. He played a former Amish man turned crime boss in the Cinemax series *Banshee* (2013–2016), a role that showcased his commanding screen presence. He also appeared on NBC’s *The Blacklist* (2013– ), portraying a cunning international criminal with hidden motives.
In 2016, Ulrich Thomsen expanded his creative horizons by making his directorial debut with *In Embryo*, a noir-tinged psychological thriller. Soon after, he reunited with Ole Bornedal for the darkly comedic crime film *Small Town Killers* (2017), further proving his enduring connection to Danish storytelling. He then took on a supporting role in the Starz science fiction series *Counterpart* (2018– ), adding yet another dimension to his diverse body of work.
Throughout his career, Ulrich Thomsen has consistently demonstrated a commitment to complex characters and bold narratives—whether on screen or behind the camera. And as Ulrich Thomsen continues to evolve as an artist, his influence across both Danish and international cinema remains firmly intact.
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