Sandra Hüller is currently experiencing a career surge that sees her starring in four high-profile films this year, with a potential fifth rumored. The 48-year-old actor, based in Leipzig, balances her professional momentum as a co-founder of the experimental Farn Kollektiv theatre group and a single mother to a teenage daughter. Among her 2026 releases are the black-and-white arthouse films Fatherland and Rose, alongside the Hollywood cautionary tale Digger and the massive $684 million hit Project Hail Mary. And it feels very strange, s andra Hüller is crying. The subject is doubly unavoidable in light of Fatherland. The latter saw her Oscar-nominated. The air of ultra-competence was very Sandra Hüller for Beginners.
In Paweł Pawlikowski’s latest film, Fatherland, Hüller portrays Erika Mann, a German polymath tasked with driving her novelist father, Thomas Mann, through the landscape of a newly divided postwar Germany. The role clearly resonates with her emotionally. During an interview, Hüller became visibly moved, noting, “This is really hard for me,” before explaining that the film captures a sense of grief distinctly associated with the East. She expressed gratitude for the director’s willingness to explore socialist ideals that failed to persist in Germany but remain relevant for contemporary thought. Where Hüller grew up. (She still lives in what was once the GDR.) I tell her I’ve never before seen a film that acknowledged the utopian dreams of that place and time, however damaged they became, the Nazi past shadows everything – but the movie is also tied up with the birth of East Germany. Yes, she replies: German directors don’t know how to approach it. And she cries, and then her voice cracks. But is one maybe people can still think about, we reflexively apologise to each other. “I’m just grateful Pawel gave space to this political idea that didn’t survive in Germany. Finally, she laughs. “You’re going to say I cried, aren’t you. “OK, so what is happening is that I made very different movies at different times, but they’re all coming out together. The film even harked back to her 2016 breakthrough in skewed German comedy Toni Erdmann. She gives an impish tilt of the head. A Marvel film might feel unexpectedly non-hierarchical? “I heard that as well, but in theory. Then, she karaoked Whitney Houston’s Greatest Love of All.
Hüller remains politically engaged and has been open about the nuances of her childhood in East Germany, arguing it was a place defined by more than just cold war tropes. In little doses, it gets here slowly.
This awareness informs her view of modern politics, specifically the rise of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). I wonder aloud if that’s true. “Me too.
With Fatherland filmed in Saxony-Anhalt, where the party secured 43.8% of the vote in September, she draws parallels to the climate surrounding the Mann family’s exile in 1933. “It’s no secret there are similarities now,” she stated, adding, “Fascism doesn’t arrive overnight. The question is what we do about it.” She can convey every human emotion there is, a wildly gifted actor. She apologises again; I’m not sure why. “It is this situation we live in now. Which would show having a lot of money available doesn’t have to mean abusing your power.
Regarding her packed schedule, Hüller maintains that her film releases clustering in 2026 is a coincidence rather than a strategic design. She expressed appreciation for how these varied projects, through her involvement, allow Hollywood marketing budgets to spotlight diverse, challenging narratives. While she is known for her intense performances in films like 2024’s The Zone of Interest and Anatomy of a Fall, she demonstrated comedic timing and a deadpan wit in person, even joking that a story about her clean driving record should be a headline. Even doing karaoke, Hüller is in control. An account of her excellent safety record as a driver is a comic treasure. “ That should be your headline. ‘Sandra Hüller – a clean licence.’”. In 2024, she astonished twice over as the wife of the commandant of Auschwitz in The Zone of Interest and a woman suspected of murdering her husband in Anatomy of a Fall.
Her experience on big-budget sets, such as Project Hail Mary, provided a shift in perspective. Playing mission controller Eva Stratt alongside Ryan Gosling, she enjoyed the collaborative environment fostered by directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. While she noted that some viewers found the character of Stratt uncomfortable—citing the rarity of seeing a woman in total governance—she appreciated the production’s lighter tone. However, she remains grounded about the industry, noting that she has no interest in moving to the US, viewing it strictly as a workspace.
When asked about the critical and commercial struggles of the Iñárritu-directed Digger, in which she starred alongside Tom Cruise, Hüller remained optimistic. She suggested that while the film faced harsh reviews and box-office challenges, it would eventually be viewed as a significant “document of our times.” She did express some frustration regarding the limited screen time for her character, the sister of Cruise’s protagonist, noting that more scenes were originally filmed.
The actor also shared a humorous anecdote from a royal gala premiere in London, where she found herself standing in a red-carpet dress while the audience watched the arrival of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales. Despite her status, she admitted to “fangirling” since she had never met royalty before, though she confessed her feet were hurting throughout the ordeal.
Speculation persists regarding her involvement in the Marvel blockbuster Avengers: Doomsday. Hüller expressed curiosity about the potential for an egalitarian set culture in such large-scale productions, suggesting that high budgets do not necessarily require the abuse of power. Her year will conclude with the release of Rose, a 17th-century fable that returns her to the subject of German history, where she portrays a war veteran disguising her gender. Through it all, Hüller remains notably self-deprecating, admitting, “I struggle to see myself as someone special.” That is actually the highest praise I can give myself.”. They have a reputation for an oddly egalitarian vibe on set, whatever else Marvel movies represent.
