Nastassja Kinski

Lore & Background

Nastassja Aglaia Kinski was born in West Berlin to German actor Klaus Kinski and actress Ruth Brigitte Tocki. Her parents divorced in 1968, and after age 10 she rarely saw her father. She later stated that her father was abusive and that she was terrified of him. Kinski began modeling as a teenager and made her film debut at age 13 in Wim Wenders' The Wrong Move (1975), in which she appeared topless. She later said she felt exploited by the industry regarding nudity in her early films.

Her breakthrough came with the Italian romance Stay as You Are (1978), followed by the title role in Tess (1979), for which she won a Golden Globe. In 1981, a photograph of Kinski nude with a Burmese python coiled around her body became a best-selling poster. She starred in Francis Ford Coppola's One from the Heart (1982) and Paul Schrader's Cat People (1982). She also appeared in Wim Wenders' Paris, Texas (1984) and Faraway, So Close! (1993).

Kinski has three children from different relationships, including a daughter with musician Quincy Jones. In 2026, following her campaigning, Wim Wenders agreed to withdraw The Wrong Move from distribution and apologized for the sexualized scene filmed when she was 13.

Reader's Guide

Nastassja Kinski's significance lies in her rapid rise to international stardom in the late 1970s and early 1980s, marked by a Golden Globe-winning performance in Tess and an iconic photographic image that cemented her status as a sex symbol. Her career spans European and American cinema, with collaborations with directors such as Roman Polanski, Francis Ford Coppola, and Wim Wenders. Despite early exploitation in the film industry, which she later spoke about, Kinski maintained a prolific career with over 60 films. Her legacy also includes her advocacy regarding the sexualized depiction of her as a minor in The Wrong Move, leading to the film's withdrawal in 2026. Her personal life, including relationships with older directors and her father's abuse, has been a subject of public discussion.

Did You Know?

• Kinski was born Nastassja Aglaia Nakszynski and is of partial Polish descent.
• She won a Golden Globe for her role in Tess (1979), directed by Roman Polanski.
• A 1981 photograph of Kinski nude with a Burmese python became a best-selling poster.
• In 2026, Wim Wenders withdrew The Wrong Move from distribution and apologized to Kinski for a sexualized scene filmed when she was 13.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Nastassja Aglaia Kinski (born January 24, 1961) is a German-born American actress. She is the daughter of Klaus Kinski." — Nastassja Kinski "I have never met a man like my father. He is so mad, terrible and vehement at the same time. Because of him, I never knew anything other than passion. When I began to meet other people I saw that it wasn’t normal." — Nastassja Kinski "As quoted in Denise Worrell (1989), Icons: Intimate Portraits." — Nastassja Kinski "As quoted in Denise Worrell (1989), Icons: Intimate Portraits." — Nastassja Kinski