Franka Potente Movies and Career Information

Franka Potente (born July 22, 1974) is a German film actress. She first appeared in the comedy After Five in the Forest Primeval (1995) and gained critical recognition in the action thriller Lola rennt (released in English as Run Lola Run) (1998). Potente received Germany's highest film and television awards for her performances in Run Lola Run and Opernball. After half a decade of critically acclaimed roles in German films, Potente gained Hollywood's attention by playing the role of Barbara Buckley in Blow (2001) and the female lead with Matt Damon in The Bourne Identity (2002). Potente has performed leading and supporting roles in a variety of low-budget and major studio films, ranging from romantic comedies and drama to science fiction and action thrillers. The elder of two children, Potente was born in Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, and raised in nearby Dülmen. Her mother, Hildegard, is a medical assistant, and her father, Dieter Potente, is a teacher. Her Italian surname stems from her great-grandfather, a Sicilian slate mason who emigrated to Germany during the 19th century. At age 17, she spent some months as an exchange student in Humble, Texas, United States. After