Udo Kier Cause of Death: ‘Ace Ventura,’ ‘Blade’ Star Passes Away …

Reading Time: 2 minutes

We have sad news to report out of Hollywood today:

Udo Kier — the unmistakable character actor who racked up more than 250 film and television credits over the course of his career — has passed away.

Kier’s career took him from the independent arthouse cinema scene in his native Germany to the world of Hollywood blockbusters like Blade and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.

German actor Udo Kier poses during a photocall for the film "Bacurau" at the 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 16, 2019.
German actor Udo Kier poses during a photocall for the film “Bacurau” at the 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 16, 2019. (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Friends and fans mourn the loss of a Hollywood legend

News of Kier’s passing comes courtesy of his longtime romantic partner, Delbert McBride, who issued a statement to several media outlets, including Variety.

Additional information was provided by Kier’s friend Michael Childers, who wrote on Facebook that the 81-year-old died at Eisenhower Hospital in Palm Springs, California.

“Breaking my heart, a sad goodbye to my great friend Udo Keir… RIP,” Childers wrote.

No cause of death has been revealed at this time.

Actor Udo Kier attends the "Melancholia" photocall at the Palais des Festivals during the 64th Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2011 in Cannes, France.
Actor Udo Kier attends the “Melancholia” photocall at the Palais des Festivals during the 64th Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2011 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

The conclusion of a truly epic career

Very few actors accumulate hundreds of credits during their careers.

And even fewer do so with such a wide variety of projects.

Though he is best known to American audiences for his work in mainstream blockbusters, Kier also worked with some of the indie world’s most acclaimed directors, including Gus Van Sant, Lars Von Trier, and Werner Herzog.

Udo Kier attends Variety presents The Creative Impact Awards and 10 Directors To Watch Brunch at Parker Palm Springs on January 04, 2025 in Palm Springs, California.
Udo Kier attends Variety presents The Creative Impact Awards and 10 Directors To Watch Brunch at Parker Palm Springs on January 04, 2025 in Palm Springs, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Kier got his start with a pair of campy 1970s horror films — Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula — both produced by Andy Warhol.

He also collaborated with Madonna on multiple occasions, appearing in two of her music videos and posing for her infamous 1992 book, Sex.

Multiple projects in which Kier was involved in recent months — including a Jordan Peele-produced horror film titled OD — have yet to be released.

Our thoughts go out to Udo Kier’s loved ones during this enormously difficult time.

Udo Kier Cause of Death: ‘Ace Ventura,’ ‘Blade’ Star Passes Away … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *