Biography
Who is August Diehl?
Early life and family
August Diehl was born in West Berlin on January 4, 1976. His father is actor Hans Diehl, his mother worked as a costume designer, and his brother Jakob Diehl is a composer. Growing up in a family of artists, he moved frequently during his childhood. He spent time living in Auvergne, France, before moving back to West Germany at the age of nine. Throughout his youth, his family also lived in Hamburg, Vienna, and Düsseldorf.
As a teenager, he participated in school theatre productions. At the age of 18, he played Franz Moor in a production of Friedrich Schiller's play Die Räuber. After completing his school exams and passing the Abitur, he pursued formal acting training at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin.
Acting career
August Diehl began building his career in film and theatre. In 2000, the European Film Promotion named him one of Europe's Shooting Stars. He gained broader international recognition for playing Gestapo major Dieter Hellstrom in Quentin Tarantino's film Inglourious Basterds in 2009. He also appeared as Michael Krause in the action movie Salt alongside Angelina Jolie.
His filmography includes leading roles in several historical and drama films. He starred in The Counterfeiters in 2007, The Young Karl Marx in 2017, and Terrence Malick's A Hidden Life in 2019. In 2024, he appeared in the fantasy drama The Master and Margarita as Woland and acted in the historical drama Bonhoeffer. His later projects include Lucile Hadžihalilović's film The Ice Tower in 2025, along with the upcoming projects The Disappearance, where he portrays Josef Mengele, and Control.
Personal life and languages
August Diehl was married to actress Julia Malik, and the marriage ended amicably in 2016. They share two children, including a daughter born in May 2009 and a son born in 2012. Outside of his acting work, he is a musician who plays the guitar.
In addition to his professional acting skills on stage and screen, August Diehl is a multilingual performer. He speaks German, Spanish, French, and English fluently, which has allowed him to work across various international productions throughout his career.
Birthday and age
August Diehl was born on January 4, 1976, which makes August 50 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. August shares the date with 60 other famous people.
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