Max Riemelt (born 7 January 1984) is a German actor. He is known internationally for playing Wolfgang Bogdanow in the Netflix series Sense8. In Germany, he is known for his many appearances on television and in films, including Before the Fall, Free Fall and the 2023 series Bonn. He has appeared in many productions directed by Dennis Gansel and Dominik Graf.
Early life and education Max Riemelt was born on 7 January 1984 in Mitte, East Berlin, which was in East Germany until he was six years old, and grew up in Berlin, Germany.
Career Riemelt's career began in Germany in 1997 at the age of 13, in the TV productions Eine Familie zum Küssen and Praxis Bülowbogen. The following year Riemelt played his first leading role in the ZDF Christmas series Zwei allein, directed by Matthias Steurer. He also had a cameo appearance in the video for the title song "Two of a Kind" by the Hamburg duo "R & B".
He starred in all of Dennis Gansel's feature films from Mädchen, Mädchen (2004) until The Fourth State (2012). In 2004 gained wide attention in Germany for his role in Gansel's World War II drama Before the Fall.
He starred in Dominik Graf's 2010 TV crime series In the Face of Crime (Im Angesicht des Verbrechens), and has collaborated numerous times with Graf as well as Dennis Gansel.
In 2013, he starred in the romance Free Fall, with Hanno Koffler, where he plays Kay, a police officer in training. The film depicts a gay love story and has been compared to Brokeback Mountain.
From 2015 to 2018, he starred in The Wachowskis' Netflix series Sense8, playing Wolfgang Bogdanow, a German safe cracker. The first season received positive reviews from critics.
He starred in the 2017 psychological thriller Berlin Syndrome alongside Australian actress Teresa Palmer, which premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. The film received generally favorable reviews, and both Palmer and Riemelt garnered praise for their performances.
In 2020, he joined the cast of The Matrix Resurrections.
In 2023 he played a leading role Bonn – Alte Freunde, neue Feinde, a political drama set in post-war West Germany in 1954.
Personal life Riemelt completed his school career with a high school diploma and refused military service. Riemelt is the father of a daughter and lives in Berlin.
Awards 2004: Best Actor, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, for Before the Fall 2006: Best Newcomer Actor, Bavarian Film Awards, for 2006: Best Performance by an Actor in the Marrakech International Film Festival Awards, for his role in The Red Cockatoo
Filmography Film Year Title Role 2003 Lottoschein ins Glück Björn Michels2004 Mädchen, Mädchen 2 – Loft oder Liebe Flin Before the Fall Friedrich Weimer2005 Hallesche Kometen Ingo Nachtasyl Aljoscha2006 Siggi Carl-Friedrich von Krempin2007 Edgar Gefreiter Kerner Charly2008 Up! Up! To the Sky Arnold The Wave Marco Andreas Neidrig Tausend Ozeane Meikel 2009 13 Semester Momo 2010 We Are the Night Tom2011 Lars Thomas Hafner Urban Explorer Kris Playoff Thomas2012 The Fourth State Dima Daniel Gerber Heiter bis Wolkig Tim The German Friend Friedrich Burg Marcus2013 Free Fall Kay Engel Blutgeld Ralf Seifert Der zweite Mann Adrian Davids2014 Bernd Rosemeyer Warsaw 44 Johann Krauss Jonas2015 Lichtgestalten Sanctuary Bruder Krapp Amnesia Jo Gellert Storno: Todsicher versichert Rupert Halmer 2017 Berlin Syndrome Andi 2019 Head Burst Markus 2021 The Matrix Resurrections Shepherd 2024 Robert 2025 The Tasters Albert Ziegler
Television Year Title Role Notes 1998 Zwei allein Max 2002 Alphateam – Die Lebensretter im OP Timo 1 episode2003 Wolffs Revier Harald Bernhard 1 episode Alarm for Cobra 11 – The Highway Police Marcel Freese 1 episode In aller Freundschaft Mirco Venske 1 episode2004 Sextasy Short film Balko Ingo Grabowski 1 episode Neuland Short film2005 Feinde Deutscher Soldat Short film Videotagebuch von Dennis Gansel Friedrich Weiemer / Himself Short video 2006 Der Kriminalist Michael Büssig 1 episode2008 Die Zigarrenkiste Tjark Evers Short film Die Schattenboxer Boxer Short film2010 Sehsüchte: Underworld Young Man Short film Im Angesicht des Verbrechens Marek Gorsky 10 episodes 2011 Der Staatsanwalt Markus Pohl 1 episode 2013 The Last Cop Dennis Paschmann 1 episode 2015–2018 Sense8 Wolfgang Bogdanow Main character2019 Die Freundin meiner Mutter Jan TV film Der Schneegänger Lutz Gehring TV film World on Fire Schmidt Miniseries2023 Bonn Wolfgang Berns Miniseries Schlafende Hunde (Sleeping Dog (English)) Mike Atlas Miniseries
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