Acting · Ruhla, Germany · Born December 1, 1963
Thorsten Merten (born December 4, 1963, in Ruhla) is a German actor. Thorsten Merten originally intended to become a journalist and initially worked as a trainee at the newspaper *Das Volk*. After completing his military service, he underwent acting training from 1986 to 1990 at the "Ernst Busch" Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin, where he attended the newly established cabaret department and graduated with a diploma in cabaret performance. This was followed by engagements at various theaters both at home and abroad, including the Théâtre Vidy in Lausanne, the Staatstheater Schwerin, the Maxim Gorki Theater Berlin, the Volksbühne Berlin, and the Deutsches Theater Berlin. For his stage work, he was awarded the Conrad Ekhof Prize in 1999. His notable stage roles include McMurphy in *One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest*, the Ghost in *Hamlet*, as well as roles in *Ivanov*, *Prometheus*, and *Sonnenallee*. In 2024, he played the role of operations manager Kuckuck in the operetta *Messeschlager Gisela* at the Komische Oper Berlin. Merten gained his first experience in front of the camera in 1992 in Andreas Dresen's film *Stilles Land*. He achieved his breakthrough in 2001 with the tragicomedy *Halbe Treppe* (Grill Point), also directed by Dresen. Since then, he has appeared regularly in both feature films and television productions. Merten also gained recognition through roles in *Wilsberg*, *Afrika, mon amour*, *Bella Block*, *Helen Dorn*, *Donna Leon*, and numerous episodes of *Tatort*. From 2013 to 2021, he played the role of precinct chief Stich in the Weimar-based *Tatort* series. Since 2009, he has portrayed Chief Inspector—later Police Commissioner—Martin Fichte in the ZDF series *Spreewaldkrimi*. He has also played lead roles in other productions, including *Silvi* and *Fremdkörper*. In 2021, he received the German Film Award for his supporting role in *Curveball – Wir machen die Wahrheit*. Furthermore, Merten came up with the idea for the Netflix series *Das letzte Wort*, in which he appeared alongside Anke Engelke.
MovieBibi Blocksberg - Die total verhexte Zeitreise
2026
as Krause
MovieA Stroll to Syracuse
2026
MovieThe Hero of Friedrichstrasse Station
2025
as Harald Wischnewsky
MovieMiss Merkel - Ein Kreuzfahrt-Krimi
2025
as Joachim
MovieThe Policeman's Niece
2025
as Werner Barth
MovieCicadas
2025
as Uwe
TVOther People's Money
2025
as Rolf Lebert
TVThe Next Level
2025
as Matt
MovieBach - A Christmas Miracle
2024
as Adrian Stieglitz
MovieFrom Hilde, with Love
2024
as Dr. Minergerode
MovieDer Fall Marianne Voss
2024
as Fritz Malowski
MovieMiss Merkel - Mord auf dem Friedhof
2024
as Achim Sauer
TVPumpen
2024
as Rainer Müller
MovieRoxy
2024
as Passfälscher
MovieNight to be Gone
2024
as Dieter
MovieDer zweite Kurzschluss
2023
as Oliver
TVBerlin Bad Trip
2023
as Jens Lamprecht
TVThe Gryphon
2023
as Dr. Peters
TVGerman Genius
2023
as Olli Hansen
MovieKleine Eheverbrechen
2023
as Dieter Beil
TVSam: A Saxon
2023
as Major Schreier
MovieMiss Merkel - Ein Uckermark-Krimi
2023
as Joachim Sauer
MovieWhat You Can See from Here
2022
as Herr Rödder
MovieHunting Season
2022
as Vermieter
MovieAlfons Jitterbit – Class Trip Chaos!
2022
as Herr Flickendorf
MovieLocked in Society
2022
as Manfred Prohaska
TVDivided We Stand
2022
as Hajo Gärster
MovieEine riskante Entscheidung
2022
as Bernhard Elster
TVBefriending the Grouch
2021
as Nowak
MovieSprachlos in Irland
2021
as Dirk
MovieCurveball
2021
as Schatz
MovieIn Berlin wächst kein Orangenbaum
2020
as Wärter Grunert
TVThe Last Word
2020
as Andreas Borowski
MovieExit
2020
as Hönings
TVDeutscher
2020
as Frank Pielcke
MovieNothing More Perfect
2020
MovieKnorx
2019
as Vogtländer
MovieThe Audition
2019
MovieDer vierte Mann
2019
as Kurt Lehrmann
MovieGood Girl Gone Bad
2019
as Helmut Mayer
MovieAlfons Zitterbacke
2019
as Mr. Flickendorf
MovieAtlas
2018
as Alfred Hoppe
MovieThe Most Beautiful Girl in the World
2018
as Taxifahrer Klaus
MovieDonbass
2018
as German Journalist
MovieGundermann
2018
as Puppenspieler
TVThe Institute - Oasis of Failure
2018
MovieRübezahls Schatz
2017
as Arzt
MovieHit Mom – Mörderische Weihnachten
2017
as Professor
MovieDas Nebelhaus
2017
as Doros Chef
MovieBrothers
2017
as Rainer Welke
TVBruder - Schwarze Macht
2017
as Bahr
TVBabylon Berlin
2017
as Henning
MovieTiger Milk
2017
as Stefan
MovieIn Times of Fading Light
2017
MovieThe Last Pig
2016
as Meier
TVDie Pfeiler der Macht
2016
as Joseph Pilaster
MovieAlki Alki
2015
as Thomas
TVDie Kanzlei
2015
as Otto Suhlke
TVSedwitz
2015
as Ralf "Ralle" Pietzsch
MovieHeil
2015
as Verfassungsschützer F. – Sachsen
MovieForeign Body
2015
as Wolfgang
MovieNaked Among Wolves
2015
as Hans Bochow
Einschnitt
2015
as der Bürochef
MovieRough Road Ahead
2015
MovieOpen the Wall
2014
as Manfred
MovieWe Are Young. We Are Strong.
2014
MovieWillkommen bei Habib
2014
as Bruno
TVHelen Dorn
2014
as Wachmann Strauch
MovieDer Rücktritt
2014
as Martin Heidemanns
MovieThe Golden Goose
2013
as Räubervater
MovieDer zweite Mann
2013
as Klaus Padberg
MovieSunny
2013
MovieSilvi - Maybe Love
2013
as Michael
MovieKohlhaas or the Proportionality of Means
2013
as Herse
MovieSchneeweißchen und Rosenrot
2012
as Hofrat
MovieSushi in Suhl
2012
as Hans Leutner
TVLetzte Spur Berlin
2012
as Jürgen Beck
MovieRuhm
2012
as Klaus Rubinstein
TVKommissar Marthaler
2012
as Dr. Meisner
TVDie Chefin
2012
as Harald Steiner
MovieStopped on Track
2011
MovieInklusion - gemeinsam anders
2011
as Heribert Stein
MovieAugen zu
2011
as Frank
MovieArschkalt
2011
as Erhard
MovieWeisst du eigentlich dass ganz viele Blumen blühen im Park
2011
MovieEmpathie
2010
as Rüdiger
MovieHaltet die Welt an
2010
as André Spanuth
MovieGravity
2010
as Kollath
MovieAuf Doktor komm raus
2010
as Apotheker Walter
MovieFrösche petzen nicht
2010
as Jörg Hilbert
TVFlemming
2009
as Arndt Buchwald
MovieI've Never Been Happier
2009
as Schlickenrieder
MovieNovember Child
2008
as Alexander
MovieUnderdogs
2008
as Forster
MovieRemarque - Sein Weg zum Ruhm
2008
as Chefredakteur der „Sport im Bild“
MovieVom Atmen unter Wasser
2008
as Jo
MovieSooner or Later
2007
MovieMeer is nich
2007
as Friedrich
MovieDie Frau am Ende der Straße
2007
as Klaus Garbers
MovieLunik
2007
as Toni Harmann
TVKDD - Kriminaldauerdienst
2007
as Van Gogh
TVHamburg Dockland
2007
as Bernd Wöhler
Die Weihnachtswette
2006
as Reinhold
TVDer Kriminalist
2006
as Lutz Ebeling
TVSpreewaldkrimi
2006
as Fichte
TVKommissar Stolberg
2006
as Manuel Lichtenberg
TVUnter anderen Umständen
2006
as Achim Kaminski
MovieFour Windows
2006
as Vater
MovieThe Elementary Particles
2006
as Hubert
MovieIn Liebe eine Eins
2005
as Herr Steiner
TVVienna Crime Squad
2005
as Falk Link
MovieWahrheit oder Pflicht
2005
as Lehrer Behnke
TVDer Staatsanwalt
2005
as Robert Stein
MovieOperation Valkyrie
2004
as Peter Graf Yorck v. Wartenburg
MovieTransport
2004
Charlotte
2004
as Georg
TVSolo für Schwarz
2003
as Raik Schleusser
TVSOKO Köln
2003
as Lars Beck
K3 – Kripo Hamburg
2003
as Kurt Schmidt
MovieGun-shy
2003
as Krausser
Bloch
2002
as Frank
MovieGrill Point
2002
as Christian
TVMurder in the Mountains
2001
as Stefan Schiener
TVSOKO Leipzig
2001
as Volker Hoss
TVDonna Leon
2000
as Palazzi
TVKüstenwache
1997
as Hartmut Schild
TVStubbe – Von Fall zu Fall
1995
as Uwe Diepenbrock
TVWilsberg
1995
as Rainer Wiedemann
TVIm Namen des Gesetzes
1994
as Bodo Seitz
TVEin starkes Team
1994
as Maik Lehmann
MovieUp – Down
1994
as Peet
TVBella Block
1993
as Peter Liersch
TVWolffs Revier
1992
as Jörg Bauer
MovieSilent Country
1992
as Kai Finke
TVRiverboat
1992
as Self
TVPolizeiruf 110
1971
as Hannes Iwanowski
TVScene of the Crime
1970
as Kriminalhauptkommissar Kurt Stich
Der große Zusammenbruch
Gespensterwald
as Jan Jürgens
Schwarzer Sommer
as Jan Jürgens
Die Verteidigerin - Tötungsabsicht
Triptych
