German actress Christiane Paul’s journey to the dramatic arts is anything but typical. The award-winning actress almost took an entirely different path as a practicing medical doctor. Ultimately, Paul’s call to the performing arts proved too strong.
This month, take the opportunity to learn German with films and discover more about Christiane Paul!
Get to Know Christiane Paul
Christiane Paul was born on March 8, 1974, in East Berlin, to a father who was an orthopedist and surgeon and a mother who was an anesthesiologist. She grew up in East Berlin’s Pankow neighborhood.
Following in her parents’ footsteps, Paul studied medicine at Humboldt University in Berlin, earning her doctorate in 2002. However, she simultaneously pursued acting, studying at the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York City. For a while, she balanced both careers, but in 2004 she chose to focus on acting full-time, leaving her medical career behind.
Im Juli
One of Christiane Paul’s notable roles is in Fatih Akin‘s 2000 film Im Juli, a road-trip movie directed and written by Akin.
Moritz Bleibtreu stars as Daniel, a young teacher with no plans for the summer break. He meets Juli (played by Paul) when he buys a ring from her. Juli tells him the ring, which bears a Mayan sun symbol, will bring the wearer true happiness.
She invites him to a party that night where he leaves with another woman. And the pair part ways.
The next day Juli is hitchhiking, bound to follow wherever the first car takes her. By chance, Daniel is the one who picks her up, and together they embark on an adventure-filled road trip to Turkey.
Reine Formsache
In the 2006 romantic comedy Reine Formsache (translated as A Mere Formality), Christiane Paul stars alongside Marc Hosemann as Pola and Felix, a married couple struggling with their relationship.
Their marriage has hit a rough patch, and they have been separated for some time. However, they are forced to reunite for a court hearing concerning their divorce. At the last minute, the hearing is postponed, which Felix takes as a sign that he should try to win Pola back.
Es ist nur eine Phase, Hase
The 2021 romantic comedy Es ist nur eine Phase, Hase is based on the 2018 best-selling book by Maxim Leo and Jochen-Martin Gutsch.
The story centers on middle-aged couple Paul and Emilia (played by Christoph Maria Herbst and Christiane Paul). They seem to have it all: a happy marriage, three children, and successful careers—he is a writer, and she is an actress. However, their marriage faces turmoil when Emilia has an affair.
Practice, practice, practice! Discover more German actors and actresses previously featured.
Top photo by Mathias Bothor courtesy of Players Agentur. This post contains affiliate links.
