Corinna Harfouch
Biography
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.
Known For
Scene of the Crime
1970
Scene of the Crime
1970
Scene of the Crime
1970
Scene of the Crime
1970
Scene of the Crime
1970
Scene of the Crime
1970
Scene of the Crime
1970
Scene of the Crime
1970
Polizeiruf 110
1971
Wetten, dass..?
1981
German Film Award
1951
Grimme Award
1964
Filmography
Scene of the Crime
as Dr. Lore Ewers · 1970
Scene of the Crime
as Anna Cordes · 1970
Scene of the Crime
as Valerie · 1970
Scene of the Crime
as Conny Seegmeister · 1970
Scene of the Crime
as Sabine Korsack · 1970
Scene of the Crime
as Martha Kandis · 1970
Scene of the Crime
as Susanne Bonard · 1970
Scene of the Crime
as Barbara · 1970
Polizeiruf 110
as Sonja · 1971
Wetten, dass..?
as Self · 1981
German Film Award
as Self · 1951
Grimme Award
as Self · 1964
Goldene Kamera
as Self · 1984
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
as Madame Arnulfi · 2006
Der letzte Zeuge
as Malia Reh · 1998
Blauer Panther
as Self · 1989
Bavarian Film Awards
as Self · 1979
Deutscher Fernsehpreis
as Self · 1999
Bella Block
as Bianca Kling · 1993
Unser Lehrer Doktor Specht
as Dr. Lilo von Barnim · 1992
Downfall
as Magda Goebbels · 2004
23 000 Lives
as Mrs. Gans · 2026
Ärzte
as Vera Haeusler · 1994
Das Duo
as Anna Mundorf · 2002
Berlin - Schicksalsjahre einer Stadt
as Sprecherin · 2018
Knockin' on Heaven's Door
as Ward B Nurse · 1997
Suck Me Shakespeer 3
as Kerstin BIZ · 2017
Blochin – Die Lebenden und die Toten
as Tilda · 2015
Blond: Eva Blond!
as Eva Blond · 2002
Bibi Blocksberg
as Rabia · 2002
Dying
as Lissy Lunies · 2024
Holiday Secrets
· 2019
Vera Brühne
as Vera Brühne · 2001
Gefahrengebiet
as Susanne Bonard · 2026
2 Minuten
as Dr. Vogel · 2020
Kundschafter des Friedens 2
as Helene · 2025
Bibi Blocksberg and the Secret of Blue Owls
as Rabia von Katzenstein · 2004
Helen, Fred und Ted
as Biggie Schwarz · 2006
Teufelsbraten
as Wachtel · 2008
Move
as Mutter · 2012
Ingmar Bergman - Herr der Dämonen
as Self - Narrator (voice) · 2018
Brennende Themen
as Ms. Platek
Berlin Calling
as Prof. Dr. Petra Paul · 2008
Lara
as Lara · 2019
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
as Marianne · 2026
The Green Desert
as Krankenschwester · 1999
The Elementary Particles
as Dr. Schäfer · 2006
Mostly Minimalistic
as Marlen · 2022
Charlie & Louise - Das doppelte Lottchen
as Sabine Kröger · 1994
Moon Man
as Conquistadora (voice) · 2012
Now or Never
as Flora · 2000
Zwischen uns
as Child psychologist · 2022
Cracks in the Shell
as Nina · 2012
Hitler's Final Days: The Movie 'Downfall'
as Self · 2005
The Bunny Guards vs. the Forces of Evil
as Frau Schmächtig · 2002
A Year Ago in Winter
as Eliane Richter · 2008
Bloodsuckers
as Tante Erkentrud · 2022
The Girl With the Golden Hands
as Gudrun · 2022
Deutscher Hörbuchpreis
as Self · 2010
This Is Love
as Maggie · 2009
Yasemin
as Frau Rathjens · 1988
Jack
as Susanne Sönnmann · 2015
Rage
as Christa Laub · 2006
Faust Sonnengesang
as (voice) · 2011
Right Here Right Now
as Innensenatorin · 2018
Helen, Fred und Ted
as Biggie Schwarz · 2006
In My Mother's Mirror
as Ursula Scheuer · 2026
The Promise
as Sophie II · 1995
Gefährliche Freundin
as Bibi Bratseth · 1996
The Devil and Ms. D
as Cora Dulz · 1999
Verdammt, er liebt mich
as Paula · 1996
What You Can See from Here
as Selma · 2022
Kein Sex ist auch keine Lösung
as Theresa · 2011
Gates of Fire
as Stromberg · 1996
Die Ironie des Lebens
as Eva · 2024
Die Spur des Bernsteinzimmers
as Lisa Mohrbrink · 1992
Goldstaub
as Kerstin · 1993
The House on the River
as Emmi Voß · 1986
Sexy Sadie
as Lucy / Sadie · 1996
Immer der Nase nach
as Imke · 2021
Inge, April und Mai
· 1993
Verzeihung, sehen Sie Fußball?
as Michaela · 1983
Schlingensief – A Voice That Shook the Silence
as Self (archive footage) · 2020
Cloud Whispers
as Charlotte · 2018
The Missing Woman
as Karen · 2016
Ein Dorf sieht Mord
as Maria Bonk · 2009
Meine Mutter, mein Bruder und ich!
as Susanne · 2008
Hamlet_X
as Gertrude · 2003
Emma nach Mitternacht - Frau Hölle
as Katharina Holl · 2016
Manchmal sehe ich ihn nachts
as Corinna
Zwischen Pankow und Zehlendorf
as Isolde Wünsche · 1991
Bis zum Horizont und weiter
as Beate Nelken · 1999
Stockholm Marathon
as Monica Lundin · 1994
C(r)ook
as Maria · 2004
Through This Night
as Bozena Nemcová · 2005
Ihr Brief zur Hochzeit
as Hannah · 2012
Ruhe! Hier stirbt Lothar
as Rosa · 2021
Persona
as Schwester Alma · 2019
Geisterstunde - Fahrstuhl ins Jenseits
as Lisa Mosdi · 1997
Kiss Kiss Wolf
Finsterworld
as Inga Sandberg · 2013
5 Stunden Angst – Geiselnahme im Kindergarten
as Viviane Sperling · 1996
My Father The Turk
as Sprecherin · 2006
According to Plan
as Iris · 2007
Irren ist männlich
as Bettina · 1996
Reunion in Travers
as Therese Forster · 1989
Free to Leave
as Hanni Hudetz · 2007
Wer anhält stirbt
as Heike · 1996
Gebürtig
as Else Sachs · 2002
An die Grenze
as Frau Dobbs · 2007
Wengler & Sons
as Jenny Weinhold · 1987
Solo for Clarinet
as Anna Weller · 1998
Looking for Simon
as Valerie · 2011
Thea und Nat
as Thea Friedberg · 1992
Verrückt nach Paris
as Frau Hermann · 2002
Tod einer Schülerin
as Susanne Berger · 2010
Die lange Ankunft des Alois Fingerlein
· 1981
The Big Mambo
as Maria · 1998
The Tango Player
as Elke · 1991
Hand in Hand
as Heike Laurens · 2009
Der Fall Bruckner
as Katharina Bruckner · 2014
Home for the Weekend
as Gitte Heidtmann · 2012
Whiskey with Vodka
as Bettina Moll · 2009
Julia's Disappearance
as Giulia · 2009
The Actress
as Maria Rheine · 1988
Too Close
as Caro · 2017
Rose
as Rose Steher · 2005
Silberhochzeit
as Alexandra · 2006
Der kleine Staatsanwalt
as Frau Meffert · 1987
Schmidt & Schwarz
as Carolin Schwarz · 2012
The Boy Who Owns the World
as Edna · 2024
Farewell to Agnes
as Agnes · 1994
Kranke Geschäfte
· 2019
Stunde des Wolfs
as Gisela Grosche · 2000
Fallada: The Last Chapter
as Else-Marie Bukonje · 1988
Hüpf, Häschen, hüpf
as Ms. Daniels · 1991
Fandango - Members Only
as Duke · 2000
Pestalozzi's Mountain
as Juliette Benoit · 1989
Verlobung in Hullerbusch
as Schwester Erika · 1979
Die fremde Frau
as Helen Berg · 2004
Puppe
as Geena · 2013
The Boyfriend
as Henriette · 2023
Des Teufels General
as Fliegergeneral Harras · 1997
Das Monstrum
as Helene · 2001