RIP Peter Simonischek

I just learned that Austrian actor Peter Simonischek died on May 29th at age 76. He is probably best known as playing the "title role" in the brilliant 2016 movie "Toni Erdmann" (his real name in the movie is Winfried Conradi, but he invents his alter ego Toni Erdmann with false teeth and a wig) by Maren Ade. If you haven't seen that movie I highly recommend it; both Simonischek and female lead Sandra Hüller as his daughter Ines Conradi do a great job. Lots of hilarious scenes, but don't expect witty one-liners; it's not that kind of humor. The movie is a comedic drama about a difficult father/daughter relationship. You will never look at a petit four the same way after watching this movie!

Simonischek was a member of the famous Burgtheater in Vienna and played the role of "Jedermann" ("Everyman") in the famous play "Jedermann. Das Spiel vom Sterben des reichen Mannes" ("Everyman. The play of the rich man's death)" by Hugo von Hofmannsthal more often than anyone else.