Ute Lemper

Acclaimed German-born actress and singer Ute Lemper has made her mark in film and music all over the globe. After training at the Cologne Dance Academy and Vienna's Max Reinhardt Seminar, she made a name for herself performing in various theatrical musicals, including "Cats" and "Peter Pan." She also appeared on several cast recordings, and released a number of her own albums. Lemper made her film debut in 1985 with a supporting role in the cheeky German comedy "Drei Gegen Drei." Then, in 1990, she had a grand year: boldly stepping up to play a leading lady, Lemper took on the challenging role of Marie Antoinette in the French drama "L'Autrichienne"--in addition to performing in the iconic concert "The Wall--Live in Berlin," which celebrated the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. In 1992, the emerging ingénue drew praise for her portrayal of Anna, a cabaret singer, in the Russian period piece "Prorva," which earned her a Nika Award nomination for Best Actress. The next year, she won the Best Ensemble award from American National Board of Review for American director Robert Altman's sultry dramedy "Pr't-à-Porter." Two years later, she performed on Broadway, winning more awards for her portrayal of the vixen Velma Kelly in the scandalous musical "Chicago." Since then, Lemper has largely abandoned her film career, appearing in only a handful of productions. Her main focus now is on her music.