Rutger Hauer
Born
January 23, 1944
Died
July 19, 2019 (75 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Breukelen, Utrecht, Netherlands
Rutger Oelsen Hauer was a Dutch film actor. He was well known for his roles in Flesh + Blood, Blind Fury, Blade Runner, The Hitcher, Nighthawks, Sin City, Ladyhawke, The Blood of Heroes and Batman Begins.
Hauer was born in Breukelen, Netherlands, to drama teachers Arend and Teunke, and grew up in Amsterdam. Since his parents were very occupied with their careers, he and his three sisters (one older, two younger) were raised mostly by nannies. At the age of 15, Hauer ran off to sea and spent a year scrubbing decks aboard a freighter. Returning home, he worked as an electrician and a carpenter for three years while attending acting classes at night school. He went on to join an experimental troupe, with which he remained for five years before he was cast in the lead role in the very successful 1969 television series Floris, a Dutch Ivanhoe-like medieval action drama. The role made him famous in his native country.
Hauer's career changed course when director Paul Verhoeven cast him as the lead in Turkish Delight (1973) (based on the Jan Wolkers book of the same name). The movie found box-office favour abroad as well as at home, and within two years, its star was invited to make his English-language debut in the British film The Wilby Conspiracy (1975). Set in South Africa and starring Michael Caine and Sidney Poitier, the film was an action melodrama with a focus on apartheid. Hauer's supporting role, however, was barely noticed in Hollywood, and he returned to Dutch films for several years. Hauer made his American debut in the Sylvester Stallone vehicle Nighthawks (1981), cast as a psychopathic and cold-blooded terrorist named "Wolfgar" (after a character in the Old English poem Beowulf). The following year, he appeared in arguably his most famous and acclaimed role as the eccentric, violent, yet sympathetic replicant Roy Batty in Ridley Scott's 1982 sci-fi thriller, Blade Runner.
Hauer was a dedicated environmentalist. He fought for the release of Greenpeace's co-founder, Paul Watson, who was convicted in 1994 for sinking a Norwegian whaling vessel. Hauer has also established an AIDS awareness foundation called the Rutger Hauer Starfish Foundation. He married his second wife, Ineke, in 1985 (they had been together since 1968); and he has one child, actress Aysha Hauer, who was born in 1966 and who made him a grandfather in 1988. In April 2007, he published his autobiography All Those Moments: Stories of Heroes, Villains, Replicants, and Blade Runners (co-written with Patrick Quinlan) where he discussed many of his movie roles. Proceeds of the book go to Hauer's Starfish Foundation.
Known For
Portable Life
Antonio
2011
The 5th Execution
Khant
2011
Happiness Runs
Insley
2010
Barbarossa
Federico Barbarossa
2009
Fashion Forward: Wardrobe and Styling
Self
2007
Dead Tone
Det. John Criton
2007
Goal II: Living the Dream
Rudi van der Merwe
2007
The Hunt for Eagle One: Crash Point
Gen. Frank Lewis
2006
The Poseidon Adventure
Bishop August Schmidt
2005
Batman Begins
Earle
2005
Sin City
Cardinal Patrick Henry Roark
2005
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Keeler
2002
Scorcher
US President Nelson
2002
Wilder
Dr. Sam Dennis Charney
2000
New World Disorder
David Marx
1999
Tactical Assault
Capitaine John 'Doc' Holiday
1998
Hostile Waters
Cap. Britanov
1997
Deathline
John Wade
1997
Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Curtiz
1997
Omega Doom
Omega Doom
1996
Precious Find
Armond Crille
1996
Crossworlds
A.T.
1996
Fatherland
SS-Sturmbannführer Xavier March
1994
Surviving the Game
Thomas Burns
1994
Blind Side
Jake Shell
1993
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Lothos
1992
Split Second
Stone
1992
Wedlock
Frank Warren
1991
The Blood of Heroes
Sallow
1989
On a Moonlit Night
John Knott
1989
Escape from Sobibor
Alexander 'Sasha' Pechersky
1987
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Nick Randall
1987
The Hitcher
John Ryder
1986
Flesh + Blood
Martin
1985
Ladyhawke
Captain Etienne Navarre
1985
The Osterman Weekend
John Tanner
1983
Eureka
Claude Maillot Van Horn
1983
Blade Runner
Batty
1982
Nighthawks
Wulfgar
1981
Spetters
Gerrit Witkamp
1980
Soldier of Orange
Erik Lanshof
1977
Cold Blood
Cris
1975
Katie Tippel
Hugo
1975
The Wilby Conspiracy
Blane Van Niekirk
1975
Turkish Delight
Eric Vonk
1973
Isip the Warrior
Catholic Priest
Tonight at Noon
Diego
Like Tears in Rain
Self (archive footage)
2024
Iron Mask
English Ambassador
2019
Corbin Nash
Stranger
2018
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
President of the World State Federation
2017
Gangsterdam
Dolph
2017
Genderness
2016
Beyond Valkyrie: Dawn of the 4th Reich
Oskar Halminski
2016
Wax - We Are The X
Aron Mulder
2016
The Worlds of Philip K. Dick
Self - Actor
2016
Behind the White Glasses
Self
2015
Unity
Narrator (voice)
2015
Clones
Dr. Richards
2015
Admiral
Maarten Tromp
2015
The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power
King Zakour
2015
Francesco
Padre di Francesco
2014
2047: Sights of Death
Colonel Asimov
2014
Spoon
Victor Spoon
2011
Requiem 2019
2011
3
Father (voice)
2009
Dazzle
2009
The Prince of Motor City
William Hamilton
2008
Blond, Blue Eyes
Self
2006
Mentor
Sanford Pollard
2006
Mirror Wars: Reflection One
Mysterious Man
2005
Dracula III: Legacy
Dracula
2005
Warrior Angels
Grekkor
2002
Turbulence 3: Heavy Metal
Copilot MacIntosh
2001
On the Edge of 'Blade Runner'
Self
2000
Bone Daddy
Palmer
1998
The Ruby Ring
Patrick Collins
1997
Eating Pattern
Bog
1997
Blast
Leo
1997
Paul Verhoeven: From Holland to Hollywood
Himself
1996
Mr. Stitch
Doctor Rue Wakeman
1995
The Beans of Egypt, Maine
Rueben Bean
1994
Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight
Fred Noonan
1994
Blood of the Innocent
Dr. Lem
1994
The Revenge of the Dead Indians
Himself
1993
Desert Law
Tom Burton
1991
Inside the Third Reich
Albert Speer
1982
Es begann bei Tiffany
Ryder
1979
Naked and Lustful
1976
Max Havelaar
Duclari
1976
Cancer Rising
Pierre
1975
Dandelions
Rick
1974
Rond Floris
Self
1969
Starfish Tango
Self
Emperor
John The Constant
2026
Albert Speer und der Traum von Hollywood
Himself (archive footage)
2021
Break
Ray
2020
The Sonata
Richard Marlowe
2018
The Sisters Brothers
The Commodore
2018
Samson
Manoah
2018
Drawing Home
Carl Rungius
2017
The Broken Key
Professor Moonlight
2017
24 Hours to Live
Frank
2017
Porters
Tillman · (7 episodes)
2017
Mata Hari
Стольбаккен · (12 episodes)
2017
Uncle Howard
Self (archive footage)
2017
Channel Zero
Joseph Peach · (6 episodes)
2016
The Last Kingdom
Ravn · (8 episodes)
2015
Fifty Shades of Erotica
2015
Galavant
Kingsley · (3 episodes)
2015
Francesco
Padre di Francesco · (2 episodes)
2014
The Real History of Science Fiction
Himself · (2 episodes)
2014
The Letters
Benjamin Praagh
2014
The Fire Rises: The Creation and Impact of The Dark Knight Trilogy
Self (archive footage)
2013
The Future
Maciste
2013
Real Playing Game
Steve Batier
2013
Flight of the Storks
Sonderman · (2 episodes)
2013
Dracula 3D
Abraham van Helsing
2012
Michelangelo: The Heart and the Stone
Michelangelo
2012
Metal Hurlant Chronicles
Kerm · (7 episodes)
2012
Agent Ranjid Saves the World
Freek van Dyk
2012
The Heineken Kidnapping
Alfred Heineken
2011
The Cardboard Village
Sacristan
2011
The Reverend
The Withstander
2011
More Blood, More Heart: The Making of Hobo with a Shotgun
Himself
2011
Hobo with a Shotgun
Hobo
2011
The Mill and the Cross
Peter Bruegel
2011
All for One
Niemeyer
2011
Black Butterflies
Abraham Jonker
2011
The Rite
Istvan Kovak
2011
Life's a Beach
Jean-Luc
2010
Bride Flight
Old Frank
2008
True Blood
Niall Brigant · (6 episodes)
2008
Magic Flute Diaries
Dr. Richard Nagel
2008
Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner
Self
2007
Starting Over
Peter Rossen
2007
Moving McAllister
Maxwell McAllister
2007
Zomer Draait Door, De
(1 episode)
2007
Minotaur
Cyrnan
2006
The Hunt for Eagle One
Gen. Frank Lewis
2006
De Wereld Draait Door
Self · (1 episode)
2005
Never Enough
Sebastian
2004
Salem's Lot
Kurt Barlow · (2 episodes)
2004
Tempesta
Van Beuningen
2004
Alpha to Omega: Exposing 'The Osterman Weekend'
Self
2004
The Hitcher: How Do These Movies Get Made?
2003
V Graham Norton
Self · (1 episode)
2002
The Bankers of God: The Calvi Affair
Paul Marcinkus
2002
Flying Virus
Ezekial
2001
Smallville
Morgan Edge · (2 episodes)
2001
Alias
Anthony Geiger · (1 episode)
2001
The Room
2001
Lying in Wait
Keith Miller
2001
The 10th Kingdom
Huntsman · (5 episodes)
2000
Partners in Crime
Gene Reardon
2000
Simon Magus
Count Albrecht, the Squire
1999
Merlin
Roi Vortigern
1998
Merlin
King Vortingern · (2 episodes)
1998
Bleeders
Dr. Marlowe
1997
The Call of the Wild: Dog of the Yukon
John Thornton
1997
Lexx
Bog · (1 episode)
1997
Mariette in Ecstasy
Chaplan
1996
Nostradamus
The Mystic Monk
1994
Voyage
Morgan Norvell
1993
Arctic Blue
Ben Corbett
1993
Beyond Justice
Tom Burton
1992
Past Midnight
Ben Jordan
1992
Bloodhounds of Broadway
The Brain
1989
The Edge
Sheriff Emil Abel
1989
Blind Fury
Nick Parker
1989
The Legend of the Holy Drinker
Andreas Kartak
1988
The Best of Max Headroom
Self
1987
The Max Headroom Show
Self · (1 episode)
1985
A Breed Apart
Jim Malden
1984
Chanel Solitaire
Etienne de Balsan
1981
Duel In De Diepte
John van der Velde · (4 episodes)
1979
Fatal Error
Rinus de Gier
1979
Woman Between Wolf and Dog
Adriaan
1979
For Queen and Country
Erik Lanshof · (4 episodes)
1979
Mysteries
Johan Nagel
1978
Pastorale 1943
August Schultz
1978
Heilige Jeanne
Dunois
1978
Cyrano de Bergerac
de Valvert
1975
Floris von Rosemund
Floris · (19 episodes)
1975
Floris
Floris · (13 episodes)
1969
Omnibus
Narrator (voice) · (1 episode)
1967