Udo Kier Dies At 81, With Kojima Honoring The Red Alert Icon And OD Actor

Udo Kier, a celebrated German actor known for his prolific career, has passed away at 81. His partner, Delbert McBride, confirmed the news to Variety.

Kier has an extensive career in film and television, with appearances in hundreds of projects over many years. He first became well-known in the 1970s for his work in horror films like Mark of the Devil, Flesh for Frankenstein, and Blood for Dracula. He gained wider recognition in Hollywood with his role in the 1991 film My Own Private Idaho, and later appeared in popular movies such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Johnny Mnemonic, and Armageddon, as well as several of Madonna’s music videos.

Kier was previously cast in Hideo Kojima’s new horror game, OD. Kojima announced plans to film additional scenes with the actor in 2026, and shared that they’ve been in consistent communication.

Kojima shared on social media that he was shocked by the news. The filming of ‘OD’ had been delayed for a long time due to the strike, forcing a postponement until next year. Throughout the delay, he and actor Udo Kier kept in touch regularly by email. When they met in Milan in late September, Kier expressed his excitement about the shoot resuming next year.

I’m completely shocked by how quickly things changed. The strike delayed filming of “OD” for months, forcing us to postpone it until next year. Throughout the delay, Udo and I kept in regular contact via email. We made sure to stay connected. When we finally met…

— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) November 24, 2025

Okay, so a lot of us gamers probably recognize Kier’s voice! He was the guy who played Yuri in the live-action bits for Red Alert 2 and Yuri’s Revenge – he really nailed that villain! Plus, I realized I’d also heard him in Call of Duty: WWII and even the creepier game, Martha is Dead. He’s got a really memorable voice, and it’s cool to see all the different games he’s been a part of.

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2025-11-24 13:39