Marthe Keller

Biography

Marthe Keller, born on January 28, 1945, in Basel, Switzerland, is a distinguished Swiss actress and opera director. Initially trained in ballet, her career shifted to acting after a skiing accident at the age of 16. She gained early experience at Berlin's Schiller Theatre and the Berliner Ensemble.

Keller made her film debut in "Funeral in Berlin" (1966, uncredited) and appeared in the German movie "Wilder Reiter GmbH" (1967). Throughout the 1970s, she starred in several French films, including "Un cave" (1971), "La raison du plus fou" (1973), and "Toute une vie" (1974). Her breakout roles in American cinema include her Golden Globe-nominated portrayal of Dustin Hoffman’s girlfriend in "Marathon Man" and her chilling performance as a femme fatale terrorist in "Black Sunday." She also worked with William Holden in Billy Wilder's "Fedora" (1978) and had a romantic involvement with Al Pacino during their collaboration in "Bobby Deerfield."

Keller later turned to theater, earning a Tony Award nomination for her role in the Broadway adaptation of Abby Mann's "Judgment at Nuremberg" in 2001. Additionally, she has ventured into classical music, serving as a speaker and opera director. Her directorial career began with "Dialogues des Carmélites" at Opéra National du Rhin in 1999, and she has since directed notable productions at major opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera.

Keller has a son, Alexandre, born in 1971, from her relationship with Philippe de Broca.