Louis Hofmann
A German actor of startling emotional depth, he became the haunted, time-traveling heart of the global Netflix phenomenon 'Dark'.
Born 1997 (age 29)·German actor·Birthday: June 3·Generation Z
Biography
Louis Hofmann emerged as one of Germany's most compelling young actors by embodying a preternatural old-soul quality. His breakthrough as the lead in a German 'Tom Sawyer' adaptation hinted at his charisma, but it was his chilling, empathetic turn as a teenage POW in the Danish film 'Land of Mine' that announced his serious talent, winning him major awards while still a teenager. International fame arrived with the mind-bending Netflix series 'Dark', where Hofmann, as Jonas Kahnwald, shouldered the immense complexity of a time-travel narrative with a palpable mix of anguish, determination, and vulnerability. He made the show's philosophical and emotional weight feel intensely personal. Hofmann continues to choose challenging roles in European cinema, avoiding easy typecasting and building a filmography marked by sensitive, intelligent performances that bridge commercial appeal with artistic rigor.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Louis was born in 1997, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Louis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1997
#1 Movie
Titanic
Best Picture
Titanic
#1 TV Show
ER
Louis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1997Born
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2002Started school
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2010Became a teenager
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2013Could drive
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2015Could vote
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2018Turned 21
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 29 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Bodil Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the Danish post-war drama 'Land of Mine' (2015).
- Played the central role of Jonas Kahnwald across all three seasons of the critically acclaimed Netflix series 'Dark' (2017-2020).
- Received the Bavarian Film Award for Best Young Actor for his performance in 'Center of My World' (2016).
- Starred as the lead in the German film adaptation of 'Tom Sawyer' (2011), his first major role.
Did You Know?
He taught himself to play the piano for his role in the film 'The Piano' (2018).
He is fluent in German, English, and French.
He was only 14 years old when he landed his breakthrough role in 'Tom Sawyer'.
He performed many of his own stunts in the series 'Dark'.
“I am not a fan of the word 'talent'; it's more about the work you put in.”
