Udo Kier, German Actor Known for ‘Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,’ ‘Blade,’ Dies at 81

The prolific actor died on Nov. 23; an official cause of death has not yet been released.

Udo Kier attends the 36th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards in Palm Springs, Calif., on Jan. 3, 2025. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Udo Kier, a prolific German actor who rose to fame in Hollywood in the 1990s with roles in “Blade,” “Armageddon,” and “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” among other films, has died at the age of 81.

Kier died on Nov. 23 at the Eisenhower Health hospital in Southern California, his longtime friend, Michael Childers, shared in an online statement.