Martin Feifel

German actor Martin Feifel spent his teen years studying acrobatics and pursuing a career in the circus. But when his dream of being a professional clown didn't work out, Feifel attended drama school and began his acting career. His stage debut was in a production of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's play "Katzelmacher" in 1989. Feifel subsequently starred in several more German theatrical productions, including a 1991 staging of Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull" and productions of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and "Hamlet," in which Feifel played the title roles. Feifel made his screen debut with a small role in the 1992 comedy "Schtonk!," and followed that project with roles in nearly 80 films and television series. He is often cast as the romantic lead, as evidenced by his characters in the 2005 made-for-television drama "Die Geierwally" and the 2006 historical romance "Die Frau des Heimkehrers." In 2009, Feifel starred as the king in the German adaptation of the Brothers Grimm fairytale "Sleeping Beauty." Feifel's impressive career and acting skills have not gone unnoticed: in 2010, he received the Grimme Prize, the prestigious award for excellence in German television, for his work in the 2009 television movie "Kommissar Süden und der Luftgitarrist."