Corinna Harfouch
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.
Known For
Credits
- 2025 · Kundschafter des Friedens 2 as Helene
- 2024 · Dying as Lissy Lunies
- 2024 · The Boy Who Owns the World as Edna
- 2022 · What You Can See from Here as Selma
- 2022 · Zwischen uns as Child psychologist
- 2022 · Mostly Minimalistic as Marlen
- 2020 · 2 Minuten as Dr. Vogel
- 2020 · Schlingensief – A Voice That Shook the Silence as Self (archive footage)
- 2019 · Holiday Secrets as
- 2019 · Lara as Lara
- 2018 · Berlin - Schicksalsjahre einer Stadt as Sprecherin
- 2018 · Right Here Right Now as Innensenatorin
- 2017 · Suck Me Shakespeer 3 as Kerstin BIZ
- 2015 · Blochin – Die Lebenden und die Toten as Tilda
- 2015 · Jack as Susanne Sönnmann
- 2013 · Finsterworld as Inga Sandberg
- 2012 · Moon Man as Conquistadora (voice)
- 2012 · Move as Mutter
- 2012 · Cracks in the Shell as Nina
- 2011 · Kein Sex ist auch keine Lösung as Theresa
- 2010 · Tod einer Schülerin as Susanne Berger
- 2010 · Deutscher Hörbuchpreis as Self
- 2009 · This Is Love as Maggie
- 2009 · Whiskey with Vodka as Bettina Moll
- 2008 · A Year Ago in Winter as Eliane Richter
- 2008 · Berlin Calling as Prof. Dr. Petra Paul
- 2007 · An die Grenze as Frau Dobbs
- 2007 · Free to Leave as Hanni Hudetz
- 2006 · Rage as Christa Laub
- 2006 · Perfume: The Story of a Murderer as Madame Arnulfi
- 2006 · The Elementary Particles as Dr. Schäfer
- 2006 · Silberhochzeit as Alexandra
- 2004 · C(r)ook as Maria
- 2004 · Bibi Blocksberg and the Secret of Blue Owls as Rabia von Katzenstein
- 2004 · Downfall as Magda Goebbels
- 2003 · Hamlet_X as Gertrude
- 2002 · Blond: Eva Blond! as Eva Blond
- 2002 · Bibi Blocksberg as Rabia
- 2002 · Erkan & Stefan 2 as Frau Schmächtig
- 2002 · Gebürtig as Else Sachs
- 2002 · Das Duo as Anna Mundorf
- 2001 · Vera Brühne as Vera Brühne
- 1999 · The Devil and Ms. D as Cora Dulz
- 1999 · German Television Award as Self
- 1998 · The Big Mambo as Maria
- 1998 · Der letzte Zeuge as Malia Reh
- 1997 · Geisterstunde - Fahrstuhl ins Jenseits as Lisa Mosdi
- 1997 · Knockin' on Heaven's Door as Ward B Nurse
- 1996 · Irren ist männlich as Bettina
- 1995 · Kulturzeit as self
- 1994 · Stockholm Marathon as Monica Lundin
- 1994 · Charlie & Louise - Das doppelte Lottchen as Sabine Kröger
- 1994 · Ärzte as Vera Haeusler
- 1993 · Bella Block as Bianca Kling
- 1992 · Unser Lehrer Doktor Specht as Dr. Lilo von Barnim
- 1989 · Blauer Panther as Self
- 1988 · Fallada: The Last Chapter as Else-Marie Bukonje
- 1988 · Yasemin as Frau Rathjens
- 1987 · Wengler & Sons as Jenny Weinhold
- 1984 · Goldene Kamera as Self
- 1983 · Verzeihung, sehen Sie Fußball? as Michaela
- 1981 · Wetten, dass..? as Self
- 1979 · Bavarian Film Awards as Self
- 1971 · Polizeiruf 110 as Sonja
- 1970 · Scene of the Crime as Dr. Lore Ewers
- 1970 · Scene of the Crime as Anna Cordes
- 1970 · Scene of the Crime as Valerie
- 1970 · Scene of the Crime as Conny Seegmeister
- 1970 · Scene of the Crime as Sabine Korsack
- 1970 · Scene of the Crime as Martha Kandis
- 1970 · Scene of the Crime as Susanne Bonard
- 1970 · Scene of the Crime as Barbara
- 1964 · Grimme Award as Self
- 1951 · German Film Award as Self
- Future · Untitled Jugend Rettet Film as
- 2026 · Im Spiegel meiner Mutter as Ursula Scheuer
- 2024 · Die Ironie des Lebens as Eva
- 2022 · Bloodsuckers as Tante Erkentrud
- 2021 · Immer der Nase nach as Imke
- 2021 · Ruhe! Hier stirbt Lothar as Rosa
- 2019 · Kranke Geschäfte as
- 2017 · Too Close as Caro
- 2012 · Schmidt & Schwarz as Carolin Schwarz
- 2012 · Home for the Weekend as Gitte Heidtmann
- 2009 · Ein Dorf sieht Mord as Maria Bonk
- 2009 · Hand in Hand as Heike Laurens
- 2008 · Meine Mutter, mein Bruder und ich! as Susanne
- 2008 · Teufelsbraten as Wachtel
- 2006 · Helen, Fred und Ted as Biggie Schwarz
- 2005 · Hitlers letzte Tage - Der Film "Der Untergang" as Self
- 2005 · Through This Night as Bozena Nemcová
- 2005 · Rose as Rose Steher
- 2004 · Die fremde Frau as Helen Berg
- 2000 · Now or Never as Flora
- 1999 · The Green Desert as Krankenschwester
- 1998 · Solo for Clarinet as Anna Weller
- 1997 · Des Teufels General as Fliegergeneral Harras
- 1996 · Gefährliche Freundin as Bibi Bratseth
- 1996 · Gates of Fire as Stromberg
- 1995 · The Promise as Sophie II
- 1993 · Inge, April und Mai as
- 1993 · Goldstaub as Kerstin
- 1992 · Die Spur des Bernsteinzimmers as Lisa Mohrbrink
- 1991 · The Tango Player as Elke
- 1989 · Reunion in Travers as Therese Forster
- 1989 · Pestalozzi's Mountain as Juliette Benoit
- 1988 · The Actress as Maria Rheine
- Future · Kalter Hund as Marianne
- 2023 · The Boyfriend as Henriette
- 2022 · The Girl With the Golden Hands as Gudrun
- 2019 · Persona as Schwester Alma
- 2018 · Cloud Whispers as Charlotte
- 2016 · The Missing Woman as Karen
- 2016 · Emma nach Mitternacht - Frau Hölle as Katharina Holl
- 2014 · Der Fall Bruckner as Katharina Bruckner
- 2013 · Puppe as Geena
- 2012 · Ihr Brief zur Hochzeit as Hannah
- 2011 · Looking for Simon as Valerie
- 2011 · Faust Sonnengesang as (voice)
- 2009 · Julia's Disappearance as Giulia
- 2007 · According to Plan as Iris
- 2006 · Helen, Fred und Ted as Biggie Schwarz
- 2006 · My Father The Turk as Sprecherin
- 2002 · Verrückt nach Paris as Frau Hermann
- 2001 · Das Monstrum as Helene
- 2000 · Fandango - Members Only as Duke
- 2000 · Stunde des Wolfs as Gisela Grosche
- 1999 · Bis zum Horizont und weiter as Beate Nelken
- 1996 · Sexy Sadie as Lucy / Sadie
- 1996 · Verdammt, er liebt mich as Paula
- 1996 · Wer anhält stirbt as Heike
- 1996 · 5 Stunden Angst – Geiselnahme im Kindergarten as Viviane Sperling
- 1994 · Farewell to Agnes as Agnes
- 1992 · Thea und Nat as Thea Friedberg
- 1991 · Zwischen Pankow und Zehlendorf as Isolde Wünsche
- 1991 · Hüpf, Häschen, hüpf as Ms. Daniels
- 1987 · Der kleine Staatsanwalt as Frau Meffert
- 1986 · The House on the River as Emmi Voß
- 1981 · Die lange Ankunft des Alois Fingerlein as
- 1979 · Verlobung in Hullerbusch as Schwester Erika
- Future · Manchmal sehe ich ihn nachts as Corinna
- Future · Brennende Themen as Ms. Platek