Have you ever wondered who is behind the well-known German dubbing voices of the great Hollywood stars? GALA explains. But first you guess: Which world-famous actors do you think this voice actor speaks?
Tip: First click and guess, then read on!
And do you have one of the most attractive men in the world in mind? Then you are correct. The voice is known from films such as “Up in the Air”, “Gravity” and “The Midnight Sky”, because the voice actor he is looking for lends his voice to Hollywood megastar George Clooney, among others: It is Detlef Bierstedt.
Find out who the man is who is likely to be associated with Mister Clooney for the rest of his life.
Who is Detlef Bierstedt?
Detlef Bierstedt went the classic route of a voice actor in the 1970s. Because just like a lot of other successful speakers, the Berliner is actually an actor and still works as such. He completed his training at the renowned “Ernst Busch” Academy of Dramatic Arts in East Berlin.
Detlef Bierstedt with his daughter Marie Bierstedt
© Picture Alliance
Before moving to West Germany in 1984, he played at several Berlin theaters, but with the new freedom he switched to film and television. This was followed by roles in series such as “Edel & Starck”, “Alarm für Cobra 11 – Die Autobahnpolizei”, “Praxis Bülowbogen”, “Anna und die Liebe” and most recently as mayor in “Babylon Berlin”. At the same time, Detlef Bierstedt built up a career as a speaker in film dubbing, in audio books, documentaries and commercials.
By the way: Detlef Bierstedt’s daughter Marie Bierstedt is also a well-known radio play and voice actor and lends her voice to many Hollywood stars such as Kate Beckinsale, Anne Hathaway, Kirsten Dunst, Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson.
“I’m at home in the dubbing studio”
Bierstedt now sees himself more as a speaker than a player. “I don’t like film that much. I’m really more at home in the dubbing studio, because I feel good and know what to do”. His distinctive voice has meanwhile been used over 1500 times.
Bierstedt has a rather uncomfortable feeling about acting, especially because the industry is often too superficial. He already has the desire to prove to people that he is not only a good speaker but also a good actor, but mostly he is only offered roles as “idiot or stupid sinister”, he explains in an interview with “Audible Germany “.
Career start with “Emergency Room”
© imago images
At that time, Bierstedt got what is probably his greatest dubbing role, George Clooney, by pure chance, as he said in an interview with his voice agency “Media godparents“says:” The dubbing director Michael Richter, who was in charge of the first episodes of ‘Emergency Room’, cast me simply because he knew me and said that my voice matched the face of George Clooney. That’s how I started with ‘Emergency Room’. ”
The first films in which Bierstedt gave George Clooney his voice followed.
Another spokesperson for the “Ocean’s” films
But it is hard to believe, even with dubbing, Bierstedt’s “normal” appearance occasionally causes problems: “When the first films came – I think they were ‘days like this’ and ‘Batman’ – I was attacked by some supervisors who control dubbing in Europe because I don’t look like George Clooney. If some people just look and not hear, it can happen that they say ‘he sounds like Clooney’ “.
So it is that Clooney is spoken of in the successful film series “Ocean’s Eleven”, “Ocean’s 12” and “Ocean’s 13” not by Detlef Bierstedt, but by dubbing colleague Martin Umbach. “The director of the film, Steven Soderbergh, found my voice too bright for George Clooney. […] So he was looking for a German actor who could get closer to Clooney in terms of voice. Which he also succeeded in doing. But there is a lack of charm and lightness. That’s why they ordered me back, because it doesn’t sound as easy and casual as Clooney needs it to be. ”
From George Clooney to Bill Pullman and Stellan Skarsgård to Jason Alexander
Jason Alexander in “Seinfield”
© imago images
Of course, George Clooney is by no means the only Hollywood actor for whom Bierstedt is now responsible. He has also been dubbing Bill Pullman for many years, but for whom he has to lower his voice significantly. Bill Pullman’s speech as US President in “Independence Day” from 1996 is particularly indicative of this.
Another very famous role is George Constanza in the sitcom “Seinfield” played by Jason Alexander. Detlef Bierstedt is also the main speaker for Jonathan Frakes and Stellan Skarsgård.
A selection of Detlef Bierstedt’s synchronized roles
George Clooney in
Monuments Men – Unusual Heroes (2014)
Gravity (2013)
The Descendants – families and other affairs (2011)
Up in the air (2009)
Emergency Room – The emergency room (1994-1999)
Bill Pullman in “Independence Day”
© imago images
Bill Pullman in
Battle of the Sexes – Against every rule (2017)
Independence Day 2 recurrence (2016)
Independence Day (1996)
Stellan Skarsgård
© imago images
Stellan Skarsgård in
Mamma Mia! Her We Go Again (2018)
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Cinderella (2015)
Marvel’s The Avengers (2012)
Jonathan Frakes
© imago images
Jonathan Frakes in
X-Factor – the incomprehensible (1998-2002)
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
Star Trek: The Uprising (1998)
Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
Star Trek: Generations Meetings (1994)
Starship Enterprise – The Next Century (1987-1994)
And finally…
Three GALA questions for Detlef Bierstedt
1. Mr. Bierstedt, is your voice often recognized on the street? What was the most absurd situation you have come across in that regard?
I am very rarely approached in public about my voice. If so, then only from downright film fans. The craziest thing was that my voice encouraged a woman to part with her husband. Don’t ask me what went on inside the lady, I thought it was pretty weird.
2. Do you sometimes receive preferential treatment because people think that the voice is a Hollywood star, that is, George Clooney, standing in front of them?
I have never been given preferential treatment, at least I never realized that.
3. You have spoken to George Clooney for a long time. How much do you feel connected to him after all these years, even though you probably don’t know him personally?
I have no different relationship with George Clooney than with other colleagues whom I vote for. Even if after all these years I can adjust to Clooney more quickly than to others.
Sources used: media-paten.com, YouTube Interview “Die Media-Paten”, YouTube Interview “Audible Germany”