Actor Michael Mendl dies at 82

Michael Mendl, the German actor known for roles in "Downfall," "Barefoot" and the Netflix series "Dark," has died at the age of 82. His agent told the dpa news agency that he had "passed away peacefully."

Mendl also appeared in television films for ARD and ZDF. He frequently played historical figures, including former Chancellor Willy Brandt in "In the Shadow of Power," a role that earned him a Goldene Kamera.

In the docudrama "Karol Wojtyła," Mendl portrayed Pope John Paul II. He played a captain in the drama "The Sinking of the Gustloff."

Mendl was born in 1944 in Lünen, Westphalia, as the illegitimate son of a Catholic priest. He initially grew up in the Ruhr region, briefly studied in Vienna and later attended the Folkwang School in Essen. He spent years performing on theater stages before moving into film relatively late in his career.

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passed away peacefully