Famous Swiss Actors

Sean Hepburn Ferrer is an American author and film producer who has worked on films, such as Inchon and Blood In Blood Out. Also known for his charity work, Sean established the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund a year after Audrey Hepburn's death. In 2020, he published a children's book, with the proceeds benefitting the European Organisation for Rare Diseases.

Bruno Ganz was a Swiss actor best remembered for his collaborations with acclaimed directors like Francis Ford Coppola, Werner Herzog, and Wim Wenders. Ganz achieved immense popularity for his performance in movies like The American Friend and Nosferatu the Vampyre. Bruno Ganz was the recipient of several prestigious awards such as the Swiss Film Prize and the European Film Award.

Maximilian Schell was an Austrian-born Swiss actor who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Hans Rolfe in the 1961 courtroom drama film, Judgment at Nuremberg. Remembered for his versatility, Schell received the Golden Globe Award for playing Vladimir Lenin in the 1992 TV film, Stalin. A multi-talented personality, Schell was also an accomplished conductor and pianist.

While he initially studied architectural design, Daniel Bernhardt also co-owned a martial arts center with his brother. He later worked as a model in Paris, before stepping into films. Known for his roles in action films such as the Bloodsport franchise, he was later seen as Agent Johnson in The Matrix Reloaded.

Jake Canuso is a Swiss actor best known for his portrayal of Mateo Castellanos in the comedy TV series, Benidorm. Canuso is also known for playing Tony Peroni in another comedy TV series titled Scarborough. Apart from appearing on TV, films, and stage, Jake Canuso has also appeared on music videos of popular artists like Spice Girls and Kylie Minogue.

Gustav Knuth was a German actor who appeared in over 120 movies between 1935 and 1982. Some of his best-known films include My Daughter and I, You Don't Shoot at Angels, and That Can Happen to Anyone. Gustav Knuth also played an important role in the TV series Alle meine Tiere.

Vincent Perez is a Swiss actor, photographer, and director. He is best known for playing important roles in films like The Crow: City of Angels and Queen of the Damned. Vincent Perez has also played prominent roles in many French films, receiving César Award nominations on a couple of occasions.

Anatole Taubman is a Swiss actor best known for his portrayal of Elvis in the 2008 spy film, Quantum of Solace. He has also played important roles in other popular films like Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky, Northmen: A Viking Saga, and The Circle.

David Bennent is a Swiss actor who made his film acting debut in 1979 with the controversial film The Tin Drum. The movie attracted criticisms as an 11-year-old Bennent was shown in sex scenes. Since then, Bennent has appeared in several other films such as Legend and Happy as Lazzaro. David Bennent has also appeared in plays like Michael Kramer.

Joel Basman is a Swiss actor. He began his career as a teenager with a role in the weekly soap opera Lüthi und Blanc. A few years later, he gained much fame for playing an autistic boy in the film Jimmie. While pursuing his acting career, he also completed his training at the European Film Actor School.  

Max Hubacher is a Swiss actor best known for his portrayal of Willi Herold in the 2017 historical drama film, The Captain. Active since 2010, Max Hubacher was honored with the Shooting Stars Award in 2012.

Born to circus-owner parents, James Thiérrée began performing on stage at age 4. He later stepped into theater and films and gained international fame with his César Award-winning portrayal of George Foottit in the film Chocolat. He is also the grandson of legendary comedian and filmmaker Charlie Chaplin.

Swiss conceptual artist Urs Fischer uses sculptures and installations to explore themes traditionally associated with painting, such as nudes and still lifes. His artworks, such as What if the Phone Rings, are often self-destructing. He had initially worked as a bouncer in clubs to support his photography lessons.

Max Miedinger was a Swiss typeface designer who achieved international fame after creating the Helvetica typeface in 1957. Initially named Neue Haas Grotesk, the typeface was renamed Helvetica in 1960. Helvetica achieved global success after being marketed as a symbol of Swiss technology.

Michel Simon was a Swiss-French actor best remembered for playing important roles in many successful French films like La Chienne, L'Atalante, and Boudu Saved from Drowning. In 1967, he was honored at the Berlin International Film Festival with the Silver Bear for Best Actor for his performance in the comedy-drama film, The Two of Us.

Mario Adorf is a German actor best known for having played supporting and leading roles in more than 200 film and television productions. He is widely regarded as one of the finest character actors of European cinema. Apart from being an actor, Mario Adorf is also known as a successful author.

Swiss-born Greek singer-actor Panos Mouzourakis is best known for his roles in the Greek series S1ngles and 4. He had first gained attention with the play Acharnis, which toured around the globe. He has also lent his voice to the Greek version of the hit Disney animated film Frozen.

Carlos Leal is a Swiss actor and rapper. He is best known for co-founding a Hip hop group named Sens Unik, which contributed music to films like La Haine and Neutre. Carlos Leal decided to pursue an acting career in the late-1990s and trained under Jack Garfein in Paris. Since then, he has appeared in popular films like Casino Royale.

Thomas Jouannet is a Swiss actor who started his theatrical career in Paris, where he was trained by Jean Périmony. Subsequently, he was cast in several French TV movies and TV series before making his film debut in 2004 with the movie Tout pour l'oseille.

Widely known as the man who popularized French pop music, Alain Souchon explored both personal and political themes with his music. The 7-time Victoires de la musique award winner soared to fame with the phenomenal 1993 hit Foule sentimentale. He has also appeared in a few films.

Hardy Krüger Jr. is a German actor best known as the son of the famous German actor and writer, Hardy Krüger. Apart from appearing in several international productions like Le Cocu magnifique and Asterix and Obelix vs Caesar, Hardy Krüger Jr. also serves as a UNICEF ambassador to fight against child prostitution.

Yves Rénier was a French actor, screenwriter, director, and voice actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of Commissioner Jean-Paul Moulin in the long running TV series, Commissaire Moulin. Over the course of his career, Yves Rénier also voiced important characters in the French dubbed version of popular American films.

Paul Hubschmid was a Swiss actor best remembered for his portrayal of Henry Higgins in the musical My Fair Lady. He also appeared in several television series and films between 1938 and 1991. Paul Hubschmid mostly appeared in German films and TV series.

Gregoire Aslan was a Swiss-Armenian musician and actor. He started his career as a vocalist, drummer, and trumpeter with a Paris dance band before establishing himself as an actor. He then achieved popularity for playing foreign characters in many American and British films. Apart from appearing in films and TV series, Gregoire Aslan also appeared on stage productions.

Darius Sinathrya is a Swiss-born Indonesian actor, model, and TV performer. He is best known for playing the supporting role of Pomo in the 2007 comedy film Nagabonar 2. Sinathrya has also hosted popular programs like the 2006 FIFA World Cup and Super Family Quiz. Darius Sinathrya is also a futsal manager and sport presenter.

Romanian-born Swiss artist Daniel Spoerri is best known for creating snare-pictures, which consist of object bits, usually tableware, attached to a board and put up on the wall. Interestingly, he had initially studied classical dance and had even been the State Opera of Bern’s lead dancer. He is associated with the Fluxus movement.

Eugeniusz Bodo was a film producer and director. He was also one of the most famous Polish comedians and actors of the interwar period. He played important roles in some of the most famous Polish movies of the 1930s. Also renowned for his singing skills, Eugeniusz Bodo became a star of Polish musical comedy.

Dani Levy is a Swiss filmmaker, screenwriter, actor, and theatrical director. He is credited with directing critically acclaimed films like Stille Nacht and Mein Führer – Die wirklich wahrste Wahrheit über Adolf Hitler. Dani Levy is also credited with co-founding a German production company named X Filme Creative Pool.

Curt Goetz was a Swiss German actor, film director, and writer. Widely considered one of the best German comedy writers of his generation, Goetz is also known for appearing in his own plays alongside his wife Valérie von Martens. In addition to writing plays, Curt Goetz also wrote novels and autobiographies.

Lukas Ammann was a Swiss actor best remembered for his contribution to Swiss and German film and TV industries. He achieved immense popularity for his portrayal of the title role in the popular German TV series, Graf Yoster. Lukas Ammann is also remembered for playing the lead role of Wilhelm Faller in a TV series named Die Fallers– Eine Schwarzwaldfamilie.

Remembered as the first Swiss actor to make it big in Hollywood, Max Haufler was initially trained as a painter. Known for his iconic roles such as those of Barbarossa in Hinter den sieben Gleisen, he also turned to direction. Failing to raise money for an ambitious project, he eventually hung himself.