**Klaus Kinski (1926-1991)** was a German actor whose cinematic career was defined by a magnetic and often unsettling intensity. Specializing in obsessive, tormented, or villainous characters, Kinski managed to infuse his roles with a controlled madness and a surprising vulnerability.

His most celebrated and profound collaboration was with director Werner Herzog, with whom he made five iconic films that defined his fame: *Aguirre, the Wrath of God* (1972), *Nosferatu the Vampyre* (1979), *Woyzeck* (1979), *Fitzcarraldo* (1982), and *Cobra Verde* (1987). In these works, Kinski portrayed extreme and visionary figures, often teetering on the edge of genius and madness.

Beyond his masterpieces with Herzog, Kinski left his mark in numerous Spaghetti Westerns (notably in *The Great Silence*, 1968) and genre films, solidifying his image as an eccentric and unpredictable figure. His visceral acting style and controversial personality made him one of the most recognizable and unique figures in world cinema.