Peter Ketnath (born June 6, 1974) is a German actor, film producer and screenwriter.
He is fluent in English, German, Spanish and Portuguese and starred in numerous international productions playing characters from widely ranged backgrounds. He also produces and has written two screenplays.
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Early life
Born to a doctor and a painter from partly German and Jewish ancestry, Ketnath developed his interest in the performing arts at an early age. Right after finishing secondary school in his hometown Munich, he attended a directing course at New York Film Academy which mainly raised his interest in acting. Back in his hometown Munich he attended the infamous Zinner Studio where he graduated. He then completed his studies at the HB Studio in New York and graduated in Film at Freie Universität Berlin.
Career
While still in drama school, he debuted to play the lead in Joseph Vilsmaier's And Nobody Weeps for Me, alongside actress Nina Hoss. The critically acclaimed film tells the story of young Leo Knie, a young German in the 1930s who resists the seduction of Adolf Hitler and instead of going to war, struggles with his own personal life. After the film's success, Ketnath continued his studies and work in the theater in Munich. He also participated in several films and series as a protagonist or guest actor, in numerous national projects and also in international co-productions, such as Minona, between Germany, France, and Russia, which tells the personal life of Ludwig van Beethoven.
In 1998, the actor financed his university studies by being part of the main cast in the prime time series Klinikum Berlin Mitte – Leben in Bereitschaft, where he played Dr. Daniel Thies for three consecutive seasons. The series was the German version of ER and popular in several European countries.
In 2001, he was part of the Emmy Awards-winning miniseries Die Manns – Ein Jahrhundertroman, which told the life and work of German writer Thomas Mann, played by Armin Mueller-Stahl. He played Franz Westermeier who inspired Thomas Mann to write Confessions of Felix Krull.
Still in 2001, he also discovered his passion for Brazilian cinema and the Portuguese language through a special at the Berlin International Film Festival. He began to master the language and expanded his range to South America.
Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures, by Marcelo Gomes, premiered in 2005 at the Cannes Film Festival. The critically acclaimed film won several national and international awards and was distributed in Germany by Arte Television. The film also represented Brazil in the dispute for the Academy Awards for the best foreign film, but was not nominated. He played Johann Hohenfels, a fictional character who flees the chaos of WWII and as a peace-loving pacifist travels the backlands of Brazil selling Aspirins to the poor by showing them commercial films through his movie projector, completely new for them at the time.
From 2004 to 2006, he took turns in German and Brazilian productions: he was part of the main cast of the new prime time series Die Gerichtsmedizinerin.
Producer
With his Germany based production company Cinezebra GmbH, he produces audiovisual content, mainly international co-productions.
Personal life
Ketnath is married to Maykelis, a German artist of Cuban origin, and has two children. The couple lives between Munich and Berlin.
Filmography
Actor
1995: And Nobody Weeps for Me (film)
1996: Minona (film)
1997: Die Unzertrennlichen (TV series)
1997: Eine Herzensangelegenheit (film)
1998: Zwei Brüder
1998: Derrick
1999: Preis der Unschuld (film)
1999: Dr. Stefan Frank – Der Arzt, dem die Frauen vertrauen (TV series)
1999: Der Bulle von Tölz: Tod aus dem All (TV film)
2000–2002: Klinikum Berlin Mitte – Leben in Bereitschaft (TV series)
2000: Dr. Stefan Frank – Der Arzt, dem die Frauen vertrauen – Drückerschwärze (TV series)
2000: Der letzte Zeuge – Der vierte Mann (TV series)
2001: Die Manns – Ein Jahrhundertroman (mini-series)
2002: Edel & Starck – Eiertanz (TV series)
2003: Spurlos (film)
2004: Einmal Bulle, immer Bulle (TV series)
2004: SOKO 5113 (TV series)
2005: Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures (film)
2005: Die Gerichtsmedizinerin (TV series)
2005: Der Bulle von Tölz: Liebesleid (TV film)
Producer
2007: Happy Desert (film)
2012: Nimuendaju (animation)
2016: Another Forever (film)
2018: Laisse le vent emporter tout (film)
2019: Ophelia's Death (film)
2019: Tropical Abyss (documentary)
2019: We still have the deep black night (film)
2021: When in Venice (film)
Writer
2018: O mar vai virar Sertao e o Sertao vai virar o mar (film)
2021: When in Venice (film)
2022: The summer of 87 (mini-series)