Hollywood and European cinema are mourning the loss of veteran German actor Udo Kier, known for his piercing eyes and unforgettable villain roles. He died at 81, his partner Delbert McBride confirmed. Kier passed away on Sunday morning at a hospital in Palm Springs. No cause of death has been disclosed, according to The Guardian.

Kier’s career spanned more than 275 films, working with global auteurs such as Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Gus Van Sant, and Lars von Trier. His filmography stretched across movies, television, music videos, and even video games — often portraying characters that were eerie, intense, or chilling. From vampires to Nazi officers, his screen presence was always instantly recognizable.

Born in Cologne in 1944, Kier’s dramatic life began immediately: hours after his birth, the hospital was bombed, and he was rescued from the rubble. Raised in post-war poverty, he worked factory jobs as a teen before being discovered in London. His breakout came in 1970 with Mark of the Devil.

A chance meeting on a flight with director Paul Morrissey landed him major roles in Flesh for Frankenstein (1973) and Blood for Dracula (1974). His collaboration with Fassbinder produced multiple classics, including Lola, The Stationmaster’s Wife, and the landmark series Berlin Alexanderplatz.

Kier later became one of Lars von Trier’s most frequent collaborators, appearing in Breaking the Waves, Dancer in the Dark, Melancholia, Nymphomaniac, and others. He was even godfather to von Trier’s son.

Hollywood embraced him in the 1990s, with roles in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Johnny Mnemonic, Armageddon, End of Days, and Blade. Madonna also featured him in her book Sex and in several music videos after admiring his work in My Own Private Idaho.

Kier remained active well into his later years, taking on acclaimed roles in Brawl in Cell Block 99, Dragged Across Concrete, and the 2022 comedy Swan Song, where he played a flamboyant retired hairdresser on a final comeback.

Reflecting on his vast career, Kier once joked:

“100 movies are bad, 50 movies you can watch with a glass of wine, and 50 movies are good.”

His final film is The Secret Agent, where he portrays a Jewish Holocaust survivor. He will also appear posthumously in OD, the upcoming horror video game collaboration between Hideo Kojima and Jordan Peele.