Udo Kier, the German actor with the “icy blue stare” who became famous for playing unforgettable villains, has died at 81 in Palm Springs. His partner confirmed his passing, though no cause was given. His life began in chaos — he was born in Cologne in 1944, and “the hospital was bombed shortly after he came into the world,” with rescuers pulling him and his mother from the rubble. Growing up was difficult. As he once said, “We grew up poor. We had no hot water until I was 17.”

Kier found escape in performance and later moved to London, where a chance meeting in a café launched his acting career. In 2024 he explained his motivation simply: “I liked the attention, so I became an actor.” His breakthrough came with Mark of the Devil in 1970, and audiences quickly recognized his ability to make evil look magnetic, elegant, even sympathetic.

Much of his career unfolded through fate and unconventional choices. He landed roles in Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula after sitting next to director Paul Morrissey on a flight. He worked with major European directors, including Fassbinder and Lars von Trier, who trusted him so deeply he made Kier godfather to his child.

Kier also built a wide Hollywood résumé, from My Own Private Idaho and Ace Ventura to Blade, Armageddon, and later Swan Song. Gamers remember him for Yuri in Red Alert 2. As he once said, “It’s better to be evil and scare people… Audiences will remember you more.”

Openly gay throughout his career, he said, “No one cared about my sexuality.” Looking back on his work, he joked, “100 movies are bad… and 50 movies are good.”

Udo Kier leaves behind a bold, unforgettable legacy.