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Michael Fassbender Biography

Birth Name:
Michael Fassbender
Birth Place:
Heidelberg, West Germany
Profession
Actor

Fast Facts

  • Born in West Germany to an Irish mother and a German father; moved with his parents at age 2 to Killarney, Ireland
  • Acted in a Killarney theater group, and directed his own stage adaptation of Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs in a nightclub before leaving for drama school in London at age 18
  • Worked in bars and in a London warehouse before being cast in the 2001 HBO miniseries Band of Brothers
  • According to his maternal grandfather, his mother is the great-great niece of Irish revolutionary figure Michael Collins; Fassbender played Collins on-stage in the 2006 play Allegiance
  • Lost more than 30 pounds to play Irish hunger striker Bobby Sands in the 2008 film Hunger; the film also marked his first time working with frequent collaborator, director Steve McQueen

Awards

  • 2017IFTA Film & Drama Awards-Best Actor in a Lead Role Film: nominated
  • 2016IFTA Film & Drama Awards-Best Actor in a Lead Role Film: winner
  • 2016BAFTA Film Awards-Best Leading Actor: nominated
  • 2016Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama: nominated
  • 2015Oscar-Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: nominated
  • 2015Critics' Choice Awards-Best Actor: nominated
  • 2015Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role: nominated
  • 2015Los Angeles Film Critics Association-Best Actor: winner
  • 2015IFTA Film & Drama Awards-Best Actor in a Lead Role Film: nominated
  • 2014BAFTA Film Awards-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
  • 2014BAFTA Film Awards-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
  • 2014Independent Spirit Awards-Best Supporting Male: nominated
  • 2014Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2014Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2014Independent Spirit Awards-Best Supporting Male: nominated
  • 2014Irish Film & Television Awards-Best Supporting Actor Film: winner
  • 2014Irish Film & Television Awards-Best Supporting Actor Film: winner
  • 2014Critics' Choice Movie Awards-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
  • 2014Critics' Choice Movie Awards-Best Supporting Actor: nominated
  • 2013Oscar-Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: nominated
  • 2013Oscar-Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: nominated
  • 2013Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2013Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2013Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: nominated
  • 2013Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: nominated
  • 2012Critics' Choice Movie Awards-Best Actor: nominated
  • 2012Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama: nominated
  • 2012BAFTA Film Awards-Best Leading Actor: nominated
  • 2012European Film Awards-European Actor: nominated
  • 2011Detroit Film Critics Society-Best Actor: winner
  • 2011National Board of Review-Spotlight Award: winner
  • 2011L.A. Film Critics Association-Best Actor: winner
  • 2011Genie Awards-Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: nominated
  • 2011Venice Film Festival-Best Actor: winner
  • 2009Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: winner
  • 2008London Film Critics Association-Best British Actor: winner
  • 2008European Film Awards-European Actor: nominated

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