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Sebastian Koch

Sebastian Koch

Actor · Born May 31, 1962 (64) · Karlsruhe, Germany

Screen Actors Guild Award nominee

Sebastian Koch is a German television and film actor. He is known for roles in the 2007 Academy Award-winning film The Lives of Others, in Steven Spielberg's Bridge of Spies, and as Otto Düring in the fifth season of the Showtime series Homeland. Description above from the Wikipedia article Sebastian Koch, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 31, 1962 (64)
From
Karlsruhe, Germany
Works as
Actor
Titles
27 on MovieCove · 100 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 8% in 30 days

What are Sebastian Koch's films like?

Across their 21 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 94th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 86th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 28th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 83rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
29%
Self
21%
Bonds
15%
Survival
13%
Power
12%
Society
8%
Ideas
3%
Justice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 19 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 1 · Serious 6 · Dark 12

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 10 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 9 · Intense 8

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 16 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 6

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 2 · Affecting 8 · Heavy 9

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 14 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

13 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 7 of 13 analyzed roles.

Shadow
7 of 13
Ally
3 of 13
Hero
3 of 13
Show the 13 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
17
Melancholic
9
Dread
5
Bittersweet
4
Hopeful
4
Other
12

How their films linger

Bittersweet11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet11
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Sebastian Koch's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 16 of their 27 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Sebastian Koch's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

100 credits, 27 with a MovieCove page; 22 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Batman: Part II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2028)

    Actor

  • Etty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Show 6 episodes · as Julius Spier

  • Máxima (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Show 4 episodes · as Claus

  • Your Honor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 6 episodes · as Michael Jacobi

  • 1821 at the Cinema (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as (archive footage)

  • The Defeated(2020)

    Show 8 episodes · as Dr. Werner Gladow "Engelmacher"

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • The Name of the Rose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 2 episodes · as Baron of Neuenberg

  • Never Look Away(2018)

    as Carl Seeband

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Bel Canto(2018)

    as Messner

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Fog in August(2016)

    as Dr. Werner Veithausen

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Billionaire Ransom(2016)

    as Bobby Hartmann

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Kalinka(2016)

    as Doctor Dieter Krombach

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Danish Girl(2015)

    as Warnekros

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Bridge of Spies(2015)

    as Wolfgang Vogel

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Eine Liebe für den Frieden – Bertha von Suttner und Alfred Nobel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Alfred Nobel

  • The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden(2013)

    as Heinz Wittmer (voice)

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • October November (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Andreas

  • A Good Day to Die Hard(2013)

    as Yuri Komarov

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Suspension of Disbelief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Martin

  • In the Shadow(2012)

    as Zenke

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Weekend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Jens Kessler

  • God Loves Caviar(2012)

    as Ioannis Varvakis

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Albatross(2011)

    as Jonathan

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Homeland(2011)

    Show 13 episodes · as Otto Düring

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Camelot(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · as King Uther

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all shows

  • Unknown(2011)

    as Professor Leo Bressler

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Manipulation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Harry Wind

  • Sea Wolf (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Wolf Larsen

  • Sea Wolf(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · as Wolf Larsen

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all shows

  • Effi Briest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Geert von Instetten

  • In jeder Sekunde (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Dr. Hans Frick

  • The Shell Seekers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Cosmo König

  • Auf dem Vulkan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Dr. Moritz Jung

  • Rennschwein Rudi Rüssel 2 - Rudi rennt wieder!(2007)

    as Thomas

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Black Book(2006)

    as Ludwig Müntze

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Lives of Others(2006)

    as Georg Dreyman

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Speer & Hitler: The Devil's Architect (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 4 episodes · as Albert Speer

  • Deadly Diversion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Philipp

  • Princess Marie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · as Rodolphe Löwenstein

  • Stauffenberg(2004)

    as Oberst Claus Graf Schenk v. Stauffenberg

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Two Days of Hope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Helmut Kaminski

  • Tauerngold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Jakob Hirzbacher

  • The Flying Classroom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Robert 'Nichtraucher' Uthofft

  • Napoleon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 4 episodes · as Maréchal Jean Lannes

  • Kollaps (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Konrad Lange

  • Amen.(2002)

    as Höss

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Die Manns - Ein Jahrhundertroman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 3 episodes · as Klaus Mann

  • Der Tanz mit dem Teufel - Die Entführung des Richard Oetker(2001)

    as Richard Oetker

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Der Tanz mit dem Teufel - Die Entführung des Richard Oetker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 2 episodes · as Richard Oetker

  • The Tunnel(2001)

    as Matthis Hiller

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Die Rückkehr des schwarzen Buddha (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Max / Nick

  • Gloomy Sunday(1999)

    as Obersturmbannführer Eichbaum

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Das Tal der Schatten (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as von Sviet

  • Der Mörder meiner Mutter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Marc Balthasar

  • Die Rache der Carola Waas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Bernd Waas

  • Schwarzes Blut (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Patrick Schönfeldt

  • Der letzte Zeuge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Tim Guddenberg

  • Der Rosenmörder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Bernd

  • Schimanski (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Dirk Vogel

  • Woanders scheint nachts die Sonne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Pit

  • Dead Pool (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 2 episodes · as Andreas Baader

  • Ende einer Leidenschaft (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Martin Zenker

  • Tödlicher Duft (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Robert

  • Hollister (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Mark Hollister

  • Zwei vom gleichen Schlag (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Sven Eisner

  • The Alsatians or the two Mathilde (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 4 episodes · as Wismar-Marbach

  • Die Nacht hat 17 Stunden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Dr. Stadler

  • Flirt(1995)

    as Dick

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Burning Snail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Gerd

  • Der Mörder und die Hure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Roman

  • Sperling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Georg Giessen

  • Ein fast perfekter Seitensprung (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Martin von Platt

  • Fähre in den Tod (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Clas van Damme

  • Hart to Hart: Two Harts in 3/4 Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Kurt

  • Blutige Spur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Daniel

  • Schrecklicher Verdacht (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Ernst Hoffmann

  • Rosa Roth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Rolf Kage

  • Alles außer Mord (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Jo Möller

  • Ein starkes Team (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Stefan

  • Ärzte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Der Mann mit der Maske (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Bernhard 'Bernd' Schild

  • Freundinnen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Marcel

  • Bella Block (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Friedemann Mommsen · as Max Klöckner

  • Im Himmel hört Dich niemand weinen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Actor

  • Hecht & Haie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Hans Ditsch

  • An Impossible Teacher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Robby

  • Wolffs Revier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Stefan Schmidt

  • Cosimas Lexikon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Sven

  • Transit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Gerhardt

  • Der Tod kam als Freund (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Gerhard Selb (Jung)

  • Die Männer vom K3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 1 episode · as Richard Diestel

  • Anwalt Abel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 1 episode · as Peter Salewsky

  • Der Liebe auf der Spur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Mücke

  • Der Fahnder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Frank

  • A Case For Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Martin Velder · as Schütz

  • The Old Fox (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Hansi Wallner · as Herr Pontini

  • Derrick (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Martin Sasse

  • Tatort(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Heinz Stolle

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Below the Open (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • The Lüneburg Variant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 100 titles, 97 of them dated from 1970 to 2026; peak year 2015.

Biggest box office

A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)

$305M worldwide

Highest rated

The Lives of Others (2006)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Unknown (2011)

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutNomination
19702026

Peak 2015 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 9 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting100 of 100: 100 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score71st

By decade

1970s3 · acting1980s5 · acting1990s39 · acting2000s24 · acting2010s21 · acting2020s5 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 14% of 22 roles
960616

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

Nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2016, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Sebastian Koch's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 82nd percentile, the median of all 22; across their 19 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 75th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Approval · how many liked their films

81stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Reach · how many have seen their films

81stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 27 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

Rennschwein Rudi Rüssel 2 - Rudi rennt wieder! (2007)

54th percentile spread · 38% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Lives of Others (2006)

Midcredits 99th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles; fans 83, detractors 47. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Sebastian Koch's work okay for kids?

Across up to 10 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore8 titles37–78 · median 60 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity10 titles19–76 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity8 titles23–71 · median 45 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs8 titles32–59 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense8 titles38–88 · median 53 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Sebastian Koch work with?

People who share at least 2 of Sebastian Koch's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles