Corinna Harfouch
Born: 1954-10-16 in Suhl, Germany
Known For: Acting
Biography
Corinna Harfouch (born 16 October 1954) is a German actress. Widely regarded as one of the most important performers in German film and theatre, she is known for her portrayals of complex, often emotionally layered characters across more than four decades on stage and screen. Among her most beloved and unexpected performances is her turn as Rabia in Bibi Blocksberg, in which her scene-stealing energy has since been embraced by audiences as camp and iconic, earning her a cult following and status as an unlikely queer icon. For this performance, she received the German Film Award (Lola) for Best Supporting Actress in 2003. Trained at the Hochschule für Schauspielkunst “Ernst Busch” in Berlin, Harfouch began her career in theatre before transitioning to film and television, where she has appeared in over 80 productions. Her early breakthrough came with Die Schauspielerin (1988), followed by roles in films such as Knockin' on Heaven's Door (1997), Der Untergang (2004), Das Parfum: Die Geschichte eines Mörders (2006), Finsterworld (2013), and Lara (2019). She has also been part of the long-running crime series Tatort since 2023. Among her numerous accolades, Harfouch has received the Bavarian Film Award, the Adolf Grimme Award, the German Television Award, and the German Film Award. She won Best Actress at the Shanghai International Film Festival for Frei nach Plan (2007) and received the German Film Award for Best Actress in 2024 for Sterben. In addition to her screen work, Harfouch is an acclaimed stage actress, performing at major theatres including the Deutsches Theater Berlin, the Berliner Ensemble, and the Volksbühne. In 1997, she was named Actress of the Year by Theater heute and awarded the Gertrud-Eysoldt-Ring for her performance in Des Teufels General. Born in Suhl, East Germany, Harfouch initially trained as a nurse before studying acting. She has three children, including actor Robert Gwisdek.
Filmography
2026
- In My Mother's Mirror as Ursula Scheuer
2025
- Kundschafter des Friedens 2 as Helene
2024
- Dying as Lissy Lunies
- Die Ironie des Lebens as Eva
- The Boy Who Owns the World as Edna
2023
- The Boyfriend as Henriette
2022
- What You Can See from Here as Selma
- Bloodsuckers as Tante Erkentrud
- Zwischen uns as Child psychologist
- The Girl With the Golden Hands as Gudrun
- Mostly Minimalistic as Marlen
2021
- Immer der Nase nach as Imke
- Ruhe! Hier stirbt Lothar as Rosa
2020
- 2 Minuten as Dr. Vogel
- Schlingensief – A Voice That Shook the Silence as Self (archive footage)
2019
- Holiday Secrets
- Lara as Lara
- Kranke Geschäfte
- Persona as Schwester Alma
2018
- Berlin - Schicksalsjahre einer Stadt as Sprecherin
- Right Here Right Now as Innensenatorin
- Cloud Whispers as Charlotte
2017
- Suck Me Shakespeer 3 as Kerstin BIZ
- Too Close as Caro
2016
- Emma nach Mitternacht - Frau Hölle as Katharina Holl
- The Missing Woman as Karen
2015
- Blochin – Die Lebenden und die Toten as Tilda
- Jack as Susanne Sönnmann
2014
- Der Fall Bruckner as Katharina Bruckner
2013
- Finsterworld as Inga Sandberg
- Puppe as Geena
2012
- Moon Man as Conquistadora (voice)
- Home for the Weekend as Gitte Heidtmann
- Cracks in the Shell as Nina
- Ihr Brief zur Hochzeit as Hannah
- Move as Mutter
- Schmidt & Schwarz as Carolin Schwarz
2011
- Kein Sex ist auch keine Lösung as Theresa
- Faust Sonnengesang as (voice)
- Looking for Simon as Valerie
2010
- Deutscher Hörbuchpreis as Self
- Tod einer Schülerin as Susanne Berger
2009
- This Is Love as Maggie
- Whiskey with Vodka as Bettina Moll
- Ein Dorf sieht Mord as Maria Bonk
- Julia's Disappearance as Giulia
- Hand in Hand as Heike Laurens
2008
- Berlin Calling as Prof. Dr. Petra Paul
- A Year Ago in Winter as Eliane Richter
- Teufelsbraten as Wachtel
- Meine Mutter, mein Bruder und ich! as Susanne
2007
- An die Grenze as Frau Dobbs
- According to Plan as Iris
- Free to Leave as Hanni Hudetz
2006
- Perfume: The Story of a Murderer as Madame Arnulfi
- The Elementary Particles as Dr. Schäfer
- Rage as Christa Laub
- Helen, Fred und Ted as Biggie Schwarz
- Helen, Fred und Ted as Biggie Schwarz
- Silberhochzeit as Alexandra
- My Father The Turk as Sprecherin
2005
- Hitlers letzte Tage - Der Film "Der Untergang" as Self
- Rose as Rose Steher
- Through This Night as Bozena Nemcová
2004
- Downfall as Magda Goebbels
- C(r)ook as Maria
- Bibi Blocksberg and the Secret of Blue Owls as Rabia von Katzenstein
- Die fremde Frau as Helen Berg
2003
- Hamlet_X as Gertrude
2002
- Das Duo as Anna Mundorf
- Bibi Blocksberg as Rabia
- Blond: Eva Blond! as Eva Blond
- Gebürtig as Else Sachs
- Erkan & Stefan 2 as Frau Schmächtig
- Verrückt nach Paris as Frau Hermann
2001
- Vera Brühne as Vera Brühne
- Das Monstrum as Helene
2000
- Fandango - Members Only as Duke
- Now or Never as Flora
- Stunde des Wolfs as Gisela Grosche
1999
- German Television Award as Self
- The Devil and Ms. D as Cora Dulz
- The Green Desert as Krankenschwester
- Bis zum Horizont und weiter as Beate Nelken
1998
- Der letzte Zeuge as Malia Reh
- Solo for Clarinet as Anna Weller
- The Big Mambo as Maria
1997
- Knockin' on Heaven's Door as Ward B Nurse
- Geisterstunde - Fahrstuhl ins Jenseits as Lisa Mosdi
- Des Teufels General as Fliegergeneral Harras
1996
- Irren ist männlich as Bettina
- Sexy Sadie as Lucy / Sadie
- Gates of Fire as Stromberg
- Wer anhält stirbt as Heike
- 5 Stunden Angst – Geiselnahme im Kindergarten as Viviane Sperling
- Gefährliche Freundin as Bibi Bratseth
- Verdammt, er liebt mich as Paula
1995
- Kulturzeit as self
- The Promise as Sophie II
1994
- Ärzte as Vera Haeusler
- Charlie & Louise - Das doppelte Lottchen as Sabine Kröger
- Stockholm Marathon as Monica Lundin
- Farewell to Agnes as Agnes
1993
- Bella Block as Bianca Kling
- Inge, April und Mai
- Goldstaub as Kerstin
1992
- Unser Lehrer Doktor Specht as Dr. Lilo von Barnim
- Die Spur des Bernsteinzimmers as Lisa Mohrbrink
- Thea und Nat as Thea Friedberg
1991
- The Tango Player as Elke
- Zwischen Pankow und Zehlendorf as Isolde Wünsche
- Hüpf, Häschen, hüpf as Ms. Daniels
1989
- Blauer Panther as Self
- Reunion in Travers as Therese Forster
- Pestalozzi's Mountain as Juliette Benoit
1988
- Yasemin as Frau Rathjens
- Fallada: The Last Chapter as Else-Marie Bukonje
- The Actress as Maria Rheine
1987
- Wengler & Sons as Jenny Weinhold
- Der kleine Staatsanwalt as Frau Meffert
1986
- The House on the River as Emmi Voß
1984
- Goldene Kamera as Self
1983
- Verzeihung, sehen Sie Fußball? as Michaela
1981
1979
- Bavarian Film Awards as Self
- Verlobung in Hullerbusch as Schwester Erika
1971
- Polizeiruf 110 as Sonja
1970
- Scene of the Crime as Dr. Lore Ewers
1964
- Grimme Award as Self
1951
- German Film Award as Self