Michael Fassbender Biography

(German-Irish Actor and Racing Driver)

Birthday: April 2, 1977 (Aries)

Born In: Heidelberg, Germany

Michael Fassbender is an accomplished award winning German-born Irish actor best known for films like ‘Hunger’, ‘12 Years a Slave’ and ‘Steve Jobs’. A drop out from the Drama Centre London, Fassbender’s passion for acting led him to tour with the Oxford Stage Company to perform in the play ‘Three Sisters’ and also do several odd jobs including labour work and bartending before landing up with his first on-screen role in the 2001 war-drama television miniseries ‘Band of Brothers’. Moving on he featured in other television series and movies before making his big-screen debut earning role of a Spartan warrior in the fantasy-war-epic film ‘300’. He rose to prominence playing IRA activist Bobby Sands in Irish-British historical-drama film ‘Hunger’ that won him a British Independent Film Award. His remarkable performances as slave owner Edwin Epps in the period-drama film ‘12 Years a Slave’ and in titular role in the biographical-drama film ‘Steve Jobs’ earned him Academy Award nominations. Over the years this remarkable actor garnered both critical acclaim and popularity portraying many other notable roles in films like ‘Shame’, ‘Inglourious Basterds’, ‘Prometheus’, ‘A Dangerous Method’, ‘Fish Tank’, ‘X-Men: First Class’ and ‘Macbeth’.

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Quick Facts

German Celebrities Born In April

Age: 47 Years, 47 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Alicia Vikander (m. 2017)

father: Josef Fassbender

mother: Adele Fassbender

siblings: Catherine Fassbender

Born Country: Germany

Actors German Men

Height: 6'0" (183 cm), 6'0" Males

Notable Alumni: Drama Centre London, St. Brendan's College

Ancestry: German Irish

City: Heidelberg, Germany

More Facts

education: Drama Centre London, St. Brendan's College

  • 1

    What are some of Michael Fassbender's most famous movie roles?

    Some of Michael Fassbender's most famous movie roles include Magneto in the X-Men series, Steve Jobs in "Steve Jobs," and Edwin Epps in "12 Years a Slave."
  • 2

    Has Michael Fassbender ever won an Oscar?

    No, Michael Fassbender has not won an Oscar, but he has received critical acclaim and nominations for his performances in various films.
  • 3

    Can Michael Fassbender speak multiple languages?

    Yes, Michael Fassbender is fluent in German, as his mother is German, and he has demonstrated his language skills in some of his roles.
  • 4

    Does Michael Fassbender perform his own stunts in movies?

    Michael Fassbender is known for being dedicated to his craft and often performs his own stunts in movies to bring authenticity to his characters.

  • 5

    What is Michael Fassbender's approach to preparing for challenging roles?

    Michael Fassbender is known for his intense preparation for roles, often immersing himself in the character's world through research, physical training, and method acting techniques.

Childhood & Early Life
He was born on April 2, 1977, in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany to Josef Fassbender and Adele. He is of German descent from his father’s side and Irish from his mother’s side, who according to family lore of Fassbender is the great-grand-niece of Irish revolutionary, soldier and politician Michael Collins.
His parents wanted their children to grow up in the countryside and hence relocated from Germany to Killarney in southwestern Ireland when he was two years old. His older sister Catherine became a neuropsychologist.
He grew up as a Catholic and served as an altar boy at the church attended by his family. His father worked as a chef in their own restaurant in Killarney called West End House.
He studied at the Fossa National School and thereafter at the St. Brendan's College. He was cast in a Donal Courtney play following which at age 17, he resolved to pursue career in acting. He attended drama class by Donie Courtney for some time.
He relocated to London at age 19 and started attending British drama school ‘Drama Centre London’, however dropped out in 1999 and went on a tour with the Oxford Stage Company to perform in the ‘Three Sisters’ play. He did several odd jobs including as a labour, bartender, and postman and also worked for Dell computers before getting acting assignments.
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Career
He made his on-screen debut playing Technical Sergeant Burton Christenson in the 2001 award-winning American television war drama miniseries ‘Band of Brothers’ executive produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.
He starred in music video of the November 10, 2003 released single ‘Blind Pilots’ by British alternative rock band, ‘The Cooper Temple Clause’.
The BBC Northern Ireland produced ten-part radio serialisation of Dracula aired in radio program ‘Book at Bedtime’ between November 24 and December 5 in 2003 saw Fassbender playing Jonathan Harker.
He starred as Azazeal in the British television series ‘Hex’ that premiered on Sky One on October 17, 2004. Over the years he has featured in several television productions including in series’ ‘Murphy's Law’ (2005) and ‘The Devil's Whore’ (2008) and television films like ‘Gunpowder, Treason & Plot’ (2004) and ‘Wedding Belles’ (2007).
He was part of ‘The Quarrel’, a Guinness TV ad that went on to garner gold medal at the 2005 FAB Awards.
He played Michael Collins in the Mary Kenny play ‘Allegiance’ produced during the 2006 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Fassbender also directed, produced and starred in the stage version of American heist thriller film ‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992) written and directed by Quentin Tarantino.
His big-screen debut happened with the role of Stelios, a young Spartan warrior in the blockbuster hit American epic war film ‘300’. The film had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 14, 2007 and released theatrically on March 9, 2007 in the US. Its opening weekend gross is the 24th highest in the history of box office. Overall the film garnered more than $456 million worldwide.
He rose to prominence essaying the starring role of Provisional Irish Republican Army prisoner Bobby Sands in the Steve McQueen directed Irish-British historical drama film ‘Hunger'. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 15, 2008 where it won the prestigious Caméra d'Or award for first-time filmmakers. It released theatrically on October 31 that year in the UK and Ireland and garnered both critical acclaim and accolades also fetching Fassbender a British Independent Film Award.
In the ensuing years he proved his acting mettle and versatility performing several challenging roles in critically and commercially successful films. These include playing Conor O'Reily in the 2009 British drama ‘Fish Tank’; Lieutenant Archie Hicox in Quentin Tarantino's 2009 war film ‘Inglourious Basterds’; and sentient android David 8 in 2012 science fiction ‘Prometheus’, reprising the role in its 2017 sequel ‘Alien: Covenant’ as well.
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In 2011 he won the Spotlight Award from ‘National Board of Review Awards’ and Best Actor award from Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards for his 2011 portrayals as Marvel Comics antihero Magneto in the American superhero film ‘X-Men: First Class’ ( a role he reprised in its 2014 sequel ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ and 2016 sequel ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’); as Edward Fairfax Rochester in British romantic drama ‘Jane Eyre’; as sex addict Brandon Sullivan in Steve McQueen’s British drama ‘Shame’; and as Swiss psychiatrist and psychologist Carl Jung in German-Canadian historical film ‘A Dangerous Method’.
Shame also won him Volpi Cup Best Actor Award at the Venice Film Festival apart from fetching him nominations for a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award thus raising his bar as an actor.
One of the most remarkable roles of Fassbender was that of Edwin Epps in the Academy Awards winning period drama film ‘12 Years a Slave’ (2013), an adaptation of 1853 memoir and slave narrative by American abolitionist Solomon Northupthe. The film that marked his third collaboration with Steve McQueen became a critical and commercial success and garnered Fassbender an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, his first Oscar nomination.
He earned his second Oscar nomination playing late American business magnate, founder and former CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, in the 2015 biographical drama film ‘Steve Jobs’ directed by Danny Boyle. The film emerged as a critical and commercial success and fetched Fassbender nomination for Academy Award for Best Actor. He also won Best Actor in a Lead Role in a Film award at the 2016 Irish Film & Television Awards for the film.
Other notable films of this brilliant actor includes the 2013 crime thriller ‘The Counselor’; the 2015 British-French film tragedy ‘Macbeth’ based on play by William Shakespeare bearing same title; and the 2015 British/New Zealand action western film ‘Slow West’ that he also produced. He can be seen reprising the role of Magneto in the upcoming American superhero film ‘X-Men: Dark Phoenix’ that is planned for a February 14, 2019 release.
He has set up a production company Finn McCool Films with screenwriter Ronan Bennett and is presently making a film on Irish mythological hero Cú Chulainn.
Personal Life
He married Swedish actress Alicia Vikander on October 14, 2017 in Ibiza, Spain, whom he dated since December 2014. The couple live in Lisbon, Portugal as of 2017.
Although Fassbender still visits church and lights candles, he has become a lapsed Catholic.
Facts About Michael Fassbender
Michael Fassbender is a skilled amateur guitarist and enjoys playing music in his free time.
Despite his intense on-screen presence, Fassbender is known for his goofy sense of humor and love of practical jokes on set.
Fassbender is a talented cook and enjoys experimenting with different recipes in his kitchen.
He is an avid motorcycle enthusiast and enjoys taking long rides through scenic landscapes.
Fassbender is fluent in multiple languages, including German and Spanish, which he has showcased in some of his film roles.

Michael Fassbender Movies

1. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

  (Adventure, War, Drama)

2. 12 Years a Slave (2013)

  (History, Biography, Drama)

3. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

  (Thriller, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Action)

4. X: First Class (2011)

  (Adventure, Sci-Fi, Action)

5. 300 (2006)

  (Fantasy, Action)

6. Hunger (2008)

  (Drama, Biography)

7. Pitch Black Heist (2011)

  (Crime, Drama, Short)

8. Jane Eyre (2011)

  (Romance, Drama)

9. The Light Between Oceans (2016)

  (Drama, Romance)

10. Fish Tank (2009)

  (Drama)

See the events in life of Michael Fassbender in Chronological Order

How To Cite

Article Title
- Michael Fassbender Biography
Author
- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
- TheFamousPeople.com
URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/michael-fassbender-13309.php

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