Thorsten Merten
- Acting
- December 1, 1963 · Ruhla, Germany
Biography
Thorsten Merten (born December 4, 1963, in Ruhla) is a German actor. Thorsten Merten originally intended to become a journalist and initially worked as a trainee at the newspaper *Das Volk*. After completing his military service, he underwent acting training from 1986 to 1990 at the "Ernst Busch" Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin, where he attended the newly established cabaret department and graduated with a diploma in cabaret performance. This was followed by engagements at various theaters both at home and abroad, including the Théâtre Vidy in Lausanne, the Staatstheater Schwerin, the Maxim Gorki Theater Berlin, the Volksbühne Berlin, and the Deutsches Theater Berlin. For his stage work, he was awarded the Conrad Ekhof Prize in 1999. His notable stage roles include McMurphy in *One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest*, the Ghost in *Hamlet*, as well as roles in *Ivanov*, *Prometheus*, and *Sonnenallee*. In 2024, he played the role of operations manager Kuckuck in the operetta *Messeschlager Gisela* at the Komische Oper Berlin. Merten gained his first experience in front of the camera in 1992 in Andreas Dresen's film *Stilles Land*. He achieved his breakthrough in 2001 with the tragicomedy *Halbe Treppe* (Grill Point), also directed by Dresen. Since then, he has appeared regularly in both feature films and television productions. Merten also gained recognition through roles in *Wilsberg*, *Afrika, mon amour*, *Bella Block*, *Helen Dorn*, *Donna Leon*, and numerous episodes of *Tatort*. From 2013 to 2021, he played the role of precinct chief Stich in the Weimar-based *Tatort* series. Since 2009, he has portrayed Chief Inspector—later Police Commissioner—Martin Fichte in the ZDF series *Spreewaldkrimi*. He has also played lead roles in other productions, including *Silvi* and *Fremdkörper*. In 2021, he received the German Film Award for his supporting role in *Curveball – Wir machen die Wahrheit*. Furthermore, Merten came up with the idea for the Netflix series *Das letzte Wort*, in which he appeared alongside Anke Engelke.
Known for
Filmography
- Der große Zusammenbruch
- Bibi Blocksberg - Die total verhexte Zeitreise · Krause
- A Stroll to Syracuse
- Berlin Hero · Harald Wischnewsky
- Miss Merkel - Ein Kreuzfahrt-Krimi · Joachim
- The Policeman's Niece · Werner Barth
- Cicadas · Uwe
- Other People's Money · Rolf Lebert
- The Next Level · Matt
- Bach - A Christmas Miracle · Adrian Stieglitz
- From Hilde, with Love · Dr. Minergerode
- Der Fall Marianne Voss · Fritz Malowski
- Miss Merkel - Mord auf dem Friedhof · Achim Sauer
- Pumpen · Rainer Müller
- Roxy · Passfälscher
- Night to be Gone · Dieter
- Der zweite Kurzschluss · Oliver
- Berlin Bad Trip · Jens Lamprecht
- The Gryphon · Dr. Peters
- German Genius · Olli Hansen
- Kleine Eheverbrechen · Dieter Beil
- Sam: A Saxon · Major Schreier
- Miss Merkel - Ein Uckermark-Krimi · Joachim Sauer
- What You Can See from Here · Herr Rödder
- Hunting Season · Vermieter
- Alfons Jitterbit – Class Trip Chaos! · Herr Flickendorf
- Locked in Society · Manfred Prohaska
- Divided We Stand · Hajo Gärster
- Eine riskante Entscheidung · Bernhard Elster
- Befriending the Grouch · Nowak
- Sprachlos in Irland · Dirk
- Curveball · Schatz
- There Are No Orange Trees in Berlin · Wärter Grunert
- The Last Word · Andreas Borowski
- Exit · Hönings
- Deutscher · Frank Pielcke
- Nothing More Perfect
- Knorx · Vogtländer
- The Audition
- Der vierte Mann · Kurt Lehrmann
- Good Girl Gone Bad · Helmut Mayer
- Alfons Zitterbacke · Mr. Flickendorf
- Atlas · Alfred Hoppe
- The Most Beautiful Girl in the World · Taxifahrer Klaus
- Donbass · German Journalist
- Gundermann · Puppenspieler
- The Institute - Oasis of Failure
- Rübezahls Schatz · Arzt
- Hit Mom – Mörderische Weihnachten · Professor
- Das Nebelhaus · Doros Chef
- Brothers · Rainer Welke
- Bruder - Schwarze Macht · Bahr
- Babylon Berlin · Henning
- Tiger Milk · Stefan
- In Times of Fading Light
- The Last Pig · Meier
- Die Pfeiler der Macht 2 · Joseph Pilaster
- Die Pfeiler der Macht · Joseph Pilaster
- Alki Alki · Thomas
- Die Kanzlei · Otto Suhlke
- Sedwitz · Ralf "Ralle" Pietzsch
- Heil · Verfassungsschützer F. – Sachsen
- Foreign Body · Wolfgang
- Naked Among Wolves · Hans Bochow
- Einschnitt · der Bürochef
- Rough Road Ahead
- Open the Wall · Manfred
- We Are Young. We Are Strong.
- Willkommen bei Habib · Bruno
- Helen Dorn · Wachmann Strauch
- Der Rücktritt · Martin Heidemanns
- The Golden Goose · Räubervater
- Der zweite Mann · Klaus Padberg
- Sunny
- Silvi - Maybe Love · Michael
- Kohlhaas or the Proportionality of Means · Herse
- Schneeweißchen und Rosenrot · Hofrat
- Sushi in Suhl · Hans Leutner
- Letzte Spur Berlin · Jürgen Beck
- Ruhm · Klaus Rubinstein