Thorsten Merten
Photoplayd Industry Rating
Not enough rated films yet to compute a weighted score.
Roles are weighted by involvement: director 1.0, screenwriter 0.7, lead 0.8, supporting 0.4, crew 0.1.
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
Credits
The Audition (2019)
Actor
The Hero of Friedrichstrasse Station (2025)
as Harald Wischnewsky
Operation Valkyrie (2004)
as Peter Graf Yorck v. Wartenburg
The Elementary Particles (2006)
as Hubert
Naked Among Wolves (2015)
as Hans Bochow
From Hilde, with Love (2024)
as Dr. Minergerode
Gun-shy (2003)
as Krausser
Alki Alki (2015)
as Thomas
Open the Wall (2014)
as Manfred
Four Windows (2006)
as Vater
Gundermann (2018)
as Puppenspieler
The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (2018)
as Taxifahrer Klaus
We Are Young. We Are Strong. (2014)
Actor
Tiger Milk (2017)
as Stefan
Silvi - Maybe Love (2013)
as Michael
Triptych (—)
Actor
Heil (2015)
as Verfassungsschützer F. – Sachsen
In Times of Fading Light (2017)
Actor
Lunik (2007)
as Toni Harmann
Atlas (2018)
as Alfred Hoppe
Curveball (2021)
as Schatz
Bach - A Christmas Miracle (2024)
as Adrian Stieglitz
November Child (2008)
as Alexander
Exit (2020)
as Hönings
Der Fall Marianne Voss (2024)
as Fritz Malowski
What You Can See from Here (2022)
as Herr Rödder
Stopped on Track (2011)
Actor
Donbass (2018)
as German Journalist
The Golden Goose (2013)
as Räubervater
Alfons Zitterbacke (2019)
as Mr. Flickendorf
Sushi in Suhl (2012)
as Hans Leutner
Rübezahls Schatz (2017)
as Arzt
In Berlin wächst kein Orangenbaum (2020)
as Wärter Grunert
Miss Merkel - Ein Uckermark-Krimi (2023)
as Joachim Sauer
Alfons Jitterbit – Class Trip Chaos! (2022)
as Herr Flickendorf
Sprachlos in Irland (2021)
as Dirk
Grill Point (2002)
as Christian
Locked in Society (2022)
as Manfred Prohaska
Bibi Blocksberg - Die total verhexte Zeitreise (2026)
as Krause
Ruhm (2012)
as Klaus Rubinstein
Hunting Season (2022)
as Vermieter
The Policeman's Niece (2025)
as Werner Barth
Roxy (2024)
as Passfälscher
Augen zu (2011)
as Frank
Der Rücktritt (2014)
as Martin Heidemanns
Cicadas (2025)
as Uwe
Underdogs (2008)
as Forster
Die Weihnachtswette (2006)
as Reinhold
Arschkalt (2011)
as Erhard
Die Frau am Ende der Straße (2007)
as Klaus Garbers
Sooner or Later (2007)
Actor
Auf Doktor komm raus (2010)
as Apotheker Walter
Eine riskante Entscheidung (2022)
as Bernhard Elster
Gravity (2010)
as Kollath
Einschnitt (2015)
as der Bürochef
In Liebe eine Eins (2005)
as Herr Steiner
Foreign Body (2015)
as Wolfgang
Kohlhaas or the Proportionality of Means (2013)
as Herse
Empathie (2010)
as Rüdiger
Haltet die Welt an (2010)
as André Spanuth
Der zweite Kurzschluss (2023)
as Oliver
The Last Pig (2016)
as Meier
Silent Country (1992)
as Kai Finke
Miss Merkel - Mord auf dem Friedhof (2024)
as Achim Sauer
Das Nebelhaus (2017)
as Doros Chef
Meer is nich (2007)
as Friedrich
Rough Road Ahead (2015)
Actor
Der zweite Mann (2013)
as Klaus Padberg
Brothers (2017)
as Rainer Welke
Der vierte Mann (2019)
as Kurt Lehrmann
Frösche petzen nicht (2010)
as Jörg Hilbert
Schneeweißchen und Rosenrot (2012)
as Hofrat
Charlotte (2004)
as Georg
Kleine Eheverbrechen (2023)
as Dieter Beil
Wahrheit oder Pflicht (2005)
as Lehrer Behnke
I've Never Been Happier (2009)
as Schlickenrieder
Sunny (2013)
Actor
Willkommen bei Habib (2014)
as Bruno
Miss Merkel - Ein Kreuzfahrt-Krimi (2025)
as Joachim
Transport (2004)
Actor
Nothing More Perfect (2020)
Actor
Vom Atmen unter Wasser (2008)
as Jo
Inklusion - gemeinsam anders (2011)
as Heribert Stein
Gespensterwald (—)
as Jan Jürgens
Remarque - Sein Weg zum Ruhm (2008)
as Chefredakteur der „Sport im Bild“
Good Girl Gone Bad (2019)
as Helmut Mayer
Hit Mom – Mörderische Weihnachten (2017)
as Professor
Schwarzer Sommer (—)
as Jan Jürgens
Night to be Gone (2024)
as Dieter
Knorx (2019)
as Vogtländer
Weisst du eigentlich dass ganz viele Blumen blühen im Park (2011)
Actor
Der große Zusammenbruch (—)
Actor
Up – Down (1994)
as Peet
Die Verteidigerin - Tötungsabsicht (—)
Actor