Hardy Krüger Jr.
Born on 9 May 1968 in Switzerland.

Hardy Krüger Jr. is an actor and author whose life and work bridge cultures. The son of actor and writer Hardy Krüger and Italian painter Francesca Marazzi, he grew up between Africa and Europe. His childhood on the Tanzanian farm associated with the film Hatari! helped shape a lasting connection to nature and an international outlook.

In 1989, he began acting training in Los Angeles and appeared in early US television productions. His breakthrough in Germany came with Nicht von schlechten Eltern, followed by the leading role in the ARD series Gegen den Wind, which reached an audience of millions between 1995 and 1999.

His international credits include Le Cocu magnifique, Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar and Roger Young’s Dracula. He also appeared in Stauffenberg, which received the German Television Award for Best Film.

German television audiences know him as forest ranger Stefan Leitner in Forsthaus Falkenau. His work spans feature films, television drama and theatre, including Eine ganz heiße Nummer 2.0 and numerous contemporary television productions.

Beyond acting, Hardy is a trained chef, photographer, painter and author. He collaborated with Fissler on a regional cookbook, and his photographic exhibition Lost Paradise was shown at the Palmenhaus in Vienna in 2018. Architecture and interior design are further creative interests.

His debut novel, Der leise Ruf des Schmetterlings, appeared in 2018 and became a bestseller in Switzerland. It was followed by the autobiographical book Wendepunkte and, in March 2026, the novel Das Licht der Erinnerung.

His humanitarian work includes a long-standing commitment to UNICEF and support for charitable initiatives including Kinderlachen, the TukTuk Tour and Menschen für Menschen. His interests in documentary filmmaking include global food systems, climate change and sustainable development.

His honours include the GQ Newcomer of the Year Award in 1999.

Hardy lives in Berlin with his wife Alice. He works in German and English, with basic Italian.