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.
Filmography
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
as Marianne
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
as Marianne
In My Mother's Mirror
as Ursula Scheuer
In My Mother's Mirror
as Ursula Scheuer
23 000 Lives
as Mrs. Gans
23 000 Lives
as Mrs. Gans
Kundschafter des Friedens 2
as Helene
Kundschafter des Friedens 2
as Helene
Die Ironie des Lebens
as Eva
Die Ironie des Lebens
as Eva
Dying
as Lissy Lunies
Dying
as Lissy Lunies
The Boy Who Owns the World
as Edna
The Boy Who Owns the World
as Edna
The Boyfriend
as Henriette
The Boyfriend
as Henriette
What You Can See from Here
as Selma
What You Can See from Here
as Selma
Zwischen uns
as Child psychologist
Zwischen uns
as Child psychologist
Mostly Minimalistic
as Marlen
Mostly Minimalistic
as Marlen
Bloodsuckers
as Tante Erkentrud
Bloodsuckers
as Tante Erkentrud
The Girl With the Golden Hands
as Gudrun
The Girl With the Golden Hands
as Gudrun
Immer der Nase nach
as Imke
Immer der Nase nach
as Imke
Ruhe! Hier stirbt Lothar
as Rosa
Ruhe! Hier stirbt Lothar
as Rosa
Schlingensief – A Voice That Shook the Silence
as Self (archive footage)
Schlingensief – A Voice That Shook the Silence
as Self (archive footage)
Lara
as Lara
Lara
as Lara
Kranke Geschäfte
Kranke Geschäfte
Persona
as Schwester Alma
Persona
as Schwester Alma
Ingmar Bergman - Herr der Dämonen
Ingmar Bergman - Herr der Dämonen
Right Here Right Now
as Innensenatorin
Right Here Right Now
as Innensenatorin
Cloud Whispers
as Charlotte
Cloud Whispers
as Charlotte
Suck Me Shakespeer 3
as Kerstin BIZ
Suck Me Shakespeer 3
as Kerstin BIZ
Too Close
as Caro
Too Close
as Caro
The Missing Woman
as Karen
The Missing Woman
as Karen
Emma nach Mitternacht - Frau Hölle
as Katharina Holl
Emma nach Mitternacht - Frau Hölle
as Katharina Holl
Jack
as Susanne Sönnmann
Jack
as Susanne Sönnmann
Der Fall Bruckner
as Katharina Bruckner
Der Fall Bruckner
as Katharina Bruckner
Finsterworld
as Inga Sandberg
Finsterworld
as Inga Sandberg
Puppe
as Geena
Puppe
as Geena
Moon Man
as Conquistadora (voice)
Moon Man
as Conquistadora (voice)
Ihr Brief zur Hochzeit
as Hannah
Ihr Brief zur Hochzeit
as Hannah
Move
as Mutter
Move
as Mutter
Schmidt & Schwarz
as Carolin Schwarz
Schmidt & Schwarz
as Carolin Schwarz
Home for the Weekend
as Gitte Heidtmann
Home for the Weekend
as Gitte Heidtmann
Cracks in the Shell
as Nina
Cracks in the Shell
as Nina
Kein Sex ist auch keine Lösung
as Theresa
Kein Sex ist auch keine Lösung
as Theresa
Looking for Simon
as Valerie
Looking for Simon
as Valerie
Faust Sonnengesang
as (voice)
Faust Sonnengesang
as (voice)
Tod einer Schülerin
as Susanne Berger
Tod einer Schülerin
as Susanne Berger
Ein Dorf sieht Mord
as Maria Bonk
Ein Dorf sieht Mord
as Maria Bonk
Julia's Disappearance
as Giulia
Julia's Disappearance
as Giulia
Hand in Hand
as Heike Laurens
Hand in Hand
as Heike Laurens
This Is Love
as Maggie
This Is Love
as Maggie
Whiskey with Vodka
as Bettina Moll
Whiskey with Vodka
as Bettina Moll
A Year Ago in Winter
as Eliane Richter
A Year Ago in Winter
as Eliane Richter
Berlin Calling
as Prof. Dr. Petra Paul
Berlin Calling
as Prof. Dr. Petra Paul
Meine Mutter, mein Bruder und ich!
as Susanne
Meine Mutter, mein Bruder und ich!
as Susanne
An die Grenze
as Frau Dobbs
An die Grenze
as Frau Dobbs
According to Plan
as Iris
According to Plan
as Iris
Free to Leave
as Hanni Hudetz
Free to Leave
as Hanni Hudetz
Rage
as Christa Laub
Rage
as Christa Laub
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
as Madame Arnulfi
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
as Madame Arnulfi
Helen, Fred und Ted
as Biggie Schwarz
Helen, Fred und Ted
as Biggie Schwarz
My Father The Turk
as Sprecherin
My Father The Turk
as Sprecherin
The Elementary Particles
as Dr. Schäfer
The Elementary Particles
as Dr. Schäfer
Hitler's Final Days: The Movie 'Downfall'
as Self
Hitler's Final Days: The Movie 'Downfall'
as Self
Through This Night
as Bozena Nemcová
Through This Night
as Bozena Nemcová
Rose
as Rose Steher
Rose
as Rose Steher
C(r)ook
as Maria
C(r)ook
as Maria
Bibi Blocksberg and the Secret of Blue Owls
as Rabia von Katzenstein
Bibi Blocksberg and the Secret of Blue Owls
as Rabia von Katzenstein
Downfall
as Magda Goebbels
Downfall
as Magda Goebbels
Die fremde Frau
as Helen Berg
Die fremde Frau
as Helen Berg
Hamlet_X
as Gertrude
Hamlet_X
as Gertrude
Verrückt nach Paris
as Frau Hermann
Verrückt nach Paris
as Frau Hermann
The Bunny Guards vs. the Forces of Evil
as Frau Schmächtig
The Bunny Guards vs. the Forces of Evil
as Frau Schmächtig
Gebürtig
as Else Sachs
Gebürtig
as Else Sachs
Das Monstrum
as Helene
Das Monstrum
as Helene
Now or Never
as Flora
Now or Never
as Flora
The Green Desert
as Krankenschwester
The Green Desert
as Krankenschwester
The Devil and Ms. D
as Cora Dulz
The Devil and Ms. D
as Cora Dulz
Solo for Clarinet
as Anna Weller
Solo for Clarinet
as Anna Weller
The Big Mambo
as Maria
The Big Mambo
as Maria
Geisterstunde - Fahrstuhl ins Jenseits
as Lisa Mosdi
Geisterstunde - Fahrstuhl ins Jenseits
as Lisa Mosdi
Des Teufels General
as Fliegergeneral Harras
Des Teufels General
as Fliegergeneral Harras
Gefährliche Freundin
as Bibi Bratseth
Gefährliche Freundin
as Bibi Bratseth
Gates of Fire
as Stromberg
Gates of Fire
as Stromberg
Irren ist männlich
as Bettina
Irren ist männlich
as Bettina
Sexy Sadie
as Lucy / Sadie
Sexy Sadie
as Lucy / Sadie
Wer anhält stirbt
as Heike
Wer anhält stirbt
as Heike
5 Stunden Angst – Geiselnahme im Kindergarten
as Viviane Sperling
5 Stunden Angst – Geiselnahme im Kindergarten
as Viviane Sperling
The Promise
as Sophie II
The Promise
as Sophie II
Stockholm Marathon
as Monica Lundin
Stockholm Marathon
as Monica Lundin
Farewell to Agnes
as Agnes
Farewell to Agnes
as Agnes
Charlie & Louise - Das doppelte Lottchen
as Sabine Kröger
Charlie & Louise - Das doppelte Lottchen
as Sabine Kröger
Inge, April und Mai
Inge, April und Mai
Goldstaub
as Kerstin
Goldstaub
as Kerstin
Zwischen Pankow und Zehlendorf
as Isolde Wünsche
Zwischen Pankow und Zehlendorf
as Isolde Wünsche
Hüpf, Häschen, hüpf
as Ms. Daniels
Hüpf, Häschen, hüpf
as Ms. Daniels
The Tango Player
as Elke
The Tango Player
as Elke
Reunion in Travers
as Therese Forster
Reunion in Travers
as Therese Forster
Pestalozzi's Mountain
as Juliette Benoit
Pestalozzi's Mountain
as Juliette Benoit
The Actress
as Maria Rheine
The Actress
as Maria Rheine
Fallada: The Last Chapter
as Else-Marie Bukonje
Fallada: The Last Chapter
as Else-Marie Bukonje
Yasemin
as Frau Rathjens
Yasemin
as Frau Rathjens
Wengler & Sons
as Jenny Weinhold
Wengler & Sons
as Jenny Weinhold
Der kleine Staatsanwalt
as Frau Meffert
Der kleine Staatsanwalt
as Frau Meffert
The House on the River
as Emmi Voß
The House on the River
as Emmi Voß
Verzeihung, sehen Sie Fußball?
as Michaela
Verzeihung, sehen Sie Fußball?
as Michaela
Die lange Ankunft des Alois Fingerlein
Die lange Ankunft des Alois Fingerlein
Verlobung in Hullerbusch
as Schwester Erika
Verlobung in Hullerbusch
as Schwester Erika
Manchmal sehe ich ihn nachts
as Corinna
Manchmal sehe ich ihn nachts
as Corinna
Brennende Themen
as Ms. Platek
Brennende Themen
as Ms. Platek