Franka Potente (born 22 July 1974) is a German actress. She first appeared in the 1998 film Run Lola Run, and has since starred in a number of German and English language films.
Potente was born in Münster, West Germany, the daughter of Hildegard, a medical assistant, and Dieter Potente, a teacher. Her parents divorced when she was five years old, and she subsequently lived with her mother. She took acting classes at the age of 16, and also studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York City.
Potente began her career in German films, appearing in such films as Der bewegte Mann (1994) and Männerpension (1996). She first came to international prominence with her role in the 1998 film Run Lola Run. She has since starred in a number of German and English language films, including The Bourne Identity (2002), Blow (2001), The Princess and the Warrior (2000), and The Bridge (2007).
Potente has a net worth of $5 million. She has been married to actor Moritz Bleibtreu since 2000, and they have two children together.
General Info
Full Name
Franka Potente
Date Of Birth
July 22, 1974
Height
1.74 m
Profession
Writer, Actor, Singer
Education
Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute
Family
Spouse
Derek Richardson
Children
Polly Richardson
Parents
Dieter Potente, Hildegard Potente
Siblings
Stefan Potente
Accomplishments
Awards
MTV Europe Music Award for MTV Select - Central, German Film Award - Audience Award for Best Actor/Actress
Nominations
AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress, German Film Award for Best Leading Actress, Echo Award for Music Video of the Year, Bambi - German film, European Film Audience Award for Best Actress, Chlotrudis Award for Best Actress
Movies
The Bourne Identity, Run Lola Run, The Bourne Supremacy, The Conjuring 2, Blow, The Princess and the Warrior, Romulus, My Father, I Love Your Work, All I Want, After Five in the Forest Primeval, Creep, Che: Part Two, Anatomy, Anatomy 2, Atomised, Opernball, Am I Beautiful?, Beate Uhse, Storytelling,...
I've published one book before, and now I'm writing a book of essays and stories about life in Tokyo. And I have one book coming out in May in Germany, about fitness.
2
I'm so uncomfortable, especially in emotional situations, having to say sentences that don't feel right. As an actor - or really, as any kind of person sensitive to it.
3
I never consciously said, 'I want to be an actor.' It sounds stupid, but it's kind of like being a painter or something. You don't say, 'From today on I'm going to be a painter.' It's not something conscious - you've just been painting pictures all your life.
4
I think actors are divided into two groups: one that wants to be an actor to become famous and rich, and the other that wants to be an actor because they have to be. I'm more in the second group.
5
I think I'm a really good partner and very sensitive to the other person's feelings. I want somebody else to be comfortable, to understand about my job, and if they want to come on a set and see me work, they always can.
6
I don't really care where I work, actually, because you know making a movie is like living in movie world. There's such a secluded world, and the director is the king ruling the country, and everybody's building this little town to speak in symbolism.
7
I just want to be able to sit on grass as long as I want to, without anybody telling me to leave. Everything is so restricted, here, in that you actually have to stand behind a line, you can't go up the Canyon and enjoy the view.
8
My background is a small town with no movie theater. So... I always pictured myself onstage. I went to acting school and learned all the skills. I left early because I did my first movie and discovered that I really loved the minimalistic work with the camera.
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Everybody is great when things are great. It's the 'not great' stuff that matters.
10
I don't like actors who try to talk directors into making their part bigger and that's really lame.
11
I choose my work very carefully, always for the script and the director, and I don't think that's going to change. My work is like a house. It's built on very strong poles.
12
I think when I'm in love, I really am very good with calling, little faxes, and visiting and I really put a lot of effort into it. I'm really not the one that's not available because of work and I'm very sad when I actually leave.
13
I always performed when I was a child. My parents got very annoyed, because my brother and I had our little bedrooms upstairs, and I would plaster the house with posters with arrows pointing upstairs.
14
I said, 'Wouldn't it be great if Matt Damon's character fell in love with a girl with a real butt?' They were like, 'Yeah sure, sure - here's your personal trainer.'
15
I think working with Johnny Depp was very intimidating. It was my fault though. I mean he's a total cool nice, nice guy, but I was just so, I don't know, overpowered by his presence. Like he's a very mystic person. He's older so I never really warmed up around him. I was so stiff.
16
When I was a kid at first I wanted to own a candy shop. I guess every kid wants to - we just want to have access - free access.
17
To give somebody your time is the biggest gift you can give.
(Summer 2012) Married her longtime boyfriend and father of her 1-year-old daughter Polly Derek Richardson.
3
Gave birth to her 1st child at age 36, a daughter Polly Richardson in April 2011. Child's father is her boyfriend (now husband), Derek Richardson.
4
During the shooting of Blow (2001), she was so impressed by Johnny Depp that she always blushed in his presence.
5
She is of Sicilian descent.
6
Wrote her first book "Los Angeles - Berlin. One Year." together with her good friend, the actor Max Urlacher 2005.
7
Was director for the short movie Der die Tollkirsche ausgräbt (2006) (German title) for the first time 2005. She also wrote the script.
8
Member of the 'Official Competition' jury at the 55th Berlin International Film Festival in 2005.
9
1/16th Italian by descent. Her great-great-grandfather was an Italian roof-tiler, who stayed in Germany.
10
1998: Named as one of European films 'Shooting Stars' by European Film Promotion.
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Number 8 in 'Neon' Magazine's list of 100 most important young Germans. (Issue 1, September 2003)
12
Plays the violin and the flute.
13
Speaks fluent French, English, and German.
14
Has occasionally shaved off her hair after filming movies because she has wanted time to get her "real" hair back (as it is dyed or bleached so often for roles).
15
Disliked the strict fitness regimen and diet that were required for The Bourne Identity (2002).
16
Knows how to fence.
17
In spring 2002, she broke up with longtime boyfriend Tom Tykwer.
18
Tom Tykwer wrote Run Lola Run (1998) specifically for her, with the intention of casting her as Lola.
19
Has a brother who is three years younger and was very sick when he was born. She says she always was very jealous on the way he was cosseted and that was why she often behaved like a clown and arranged performances to get more attention, and that this was why she decided to become an actress.
20
Says she was discovered as an actress in a public restroom. She was in a bar when she noticed she was constantly stared at by some woman. She decided to leave but went to the restroom before. The woman followed her and again stared at her through the mirror. Suddenly she asked "How would you describe yourself in one sentence?". Turns out she was a casting agent.
21
Graduated from high-school (German Gymnasium) in 1994.
22
Her father is a teacher.
23
Education: Otto Falckenberg School, Munich; Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, New York.
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Her last name "Potente" (pronounced Poe-ten-the) means "powerful" in Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.
