Iris Berben

About Iris Berben

Iris Berben, born August 12, 1950, is a German actress of considerable renown. Her life began in Detmold, and her formative years were spent in Hamburg, where her family owned and operated a restaurant. Since 1969, Berben has graced the screen in approximately 150 film and television projects. She has frequently taken center stage in German television dramas and comedies, starring in the 1970s series Zwei himmlische Töchter and the 1980s sketch comedy Sketchup alongside Diether Krebs. From 1994 to 2013, she was widely recognized for her portrayal of the resolute police commissioner in the enduring crime drama Rosa Roth. Her cinematic contributions include an appearance in Sergio Corbucci's 1970 Western Compañeros, opposite Franco Nero, a role in the 2008 adaptation of Thomas Mann's Die Buddenbrooks, and her turn as Petra, a barmaid, in the 2016 sports comedy Eddie the Eagle. Following the Six-Day War in 1967, Berben journeyed to Israel, subsequently forming a relationship with the Israeli singer Abi Ofarim. This experience fostered a lifelong commitment to supporting Israel and actively opposing antisemitism. In 1971, she welcomed a son, Oliver, but has kept the identity of his father private. In 2010, Berben, alongside Bruno Ganz, assumed the presidency of the German Film Academy. She also participated as an SPD delegate in the 2017 Federal Convention, tasked with electing the President of Germany.