Biographie

Frequently works with Quentin Tarantino.

Often plays charming but sinister characters

Polyglotism (The ability to speak or use multiple languages, or the act of using multiple languages)

Characters often explain their motivations or opinions through long (usually humor-filled) speeches

Smooth voice

Native language is German. Is fluent in English and French and is skilled at mimicking Italian speech.

The first actor to win an Oscar for acting in a Quentin Tarantino film. He received Best Supporting Actor for both Le commando des bâtards (2009) and Django déchaîné (2012). He remained the only actor to win an Academy Award in a Tarantino film until Brad Pitt won for Il était une fois à... Hollywood (2019) in 2020.

Despite being born in Austria, he was born with German citizenship (and kept it all his life) since his father was German.

Both his Oscar-winning performances were directed by Quentin Tarantino. This makes him one of four actors to win two Oscars under the same person's direction. The other three are: Walter Brennan for Come and Get It (1936) and The Westerner (1940) (both directed by William Wyler), Jack Nicholson for Tendres passions (1983) and Pour le pire et pour le meilleur (1997) (both directed by James L. Brooks) and Dianne Wiest for Hannah et ses soeurs (1986) and Coups de feu sur Broadway (1994) (both directed by Woody Allen).

Was originally cast as Sigmund Freud in Une méthode dangereuse (2011), but dropped out of the project in order to film De l'eau pour les éléphants (2011). Viggo Mortensen was later cast instead.

[on working in Hollywood] In Europe, everybody would say, "Well, they just want to squeeze you like a lemon." Well, yeah! But, you know, if I have the juice, why shouldn't they?

[on being typecast] Nobody's talking about that. I get interest coming my way from many different directions. I'd hate to pigeon-hole myself. The variety is what's interesting.

I know what I can contribute. And that's a very limited, very specific unit, whether it's a big movie, a small movie, a German movie, an American movie. That's the advantage I have over a 25-year-old. I've had the chance to understand what it is I do.

The one advantage of having grown up in the business is that you don't romanticize it. "Oh, isn't it wonderful?" Blah, blah, blah. No, it isn't! I've never romanticized it. But on the other hand, the conviction, the dedication that you see here, is tremendous. It would be awful if the whole business consisted of grouchy farts like me.

[on advice a dog trainer once gave him that can apply to him as well] The better the dog, the busier you have to keep him. I'm arrogant and blase enough to consider myself a very good dog. You take pride in what you're doing, in your craft, and all of that, but -- I wouldn't say I resigned myself to mediocrity, not at all, but I started to accept that there might be an ideal you strive for (and) never realize.