Unstoppable Rise of Helena Zengel: 16-Year-Old German Prodigy Shakes Hollywood
German teenage actor debuts in Hollywood films
Wanna hear a tale about a teenage sensation from Berlin? Meet Helena Zengel, the 16-year-old powerhouse who's holding her own alongside the industry's elite. Tom Hanks, the legendary actor, might just call her family. This summer, catch her in two films gracing German cinemas!
Zengel's career took off at the 2019 Berlin Film Festival with her award-winning performance in "Systemsprenger," winning the German Film Award and setting a record for the youngest winner ever. Soon after, she hit the American scene hard, starring alongside the double Oscar-winning Hanks in the gripping Western "News of the World." In the film, Kidd (Hanks) guides the sole survivor of a savage Kiowa attack, Johanna (Zengel), and the two form an unlikely bond.
Hanks has become a confidant and jovial companion to Zengel. According to her 2019 interview, he's very much like a fatherly friend, always there to lend a hand and keep her in stitches. They've remained in contact even after filming wrapped, and Zengel credits Hanks for being a wise mentor. Recently, she posted a photo on Instagram of a dinner with Hanks in NYC!
Yuri's Journey: Working with the Masterful Willem Dafoe
Currently, Zengel graces German screens alongside the iconic Willem Dafoe in "The Legend of Ochi." As the young girl Yuri, she teams up with a unique, blue creature called Ochi to save him from danger. Dafoe plays her gruff father Maxim, a role directed by Isaiah Saxon. Unlike her experience with Hanks, Zengel didn't get advice from Dafoe but had the chance to observe his "intuitive sense of performance" firsthand. According to Zengel, Dafoe trusts his gut and can play a scene numerous times with the same emotional intensity.[5]
"The Legend of Ochi" premiered in German cinemas in May. On the same date, "Transamazonia" made its debut. Directed by Pia Marais, the film offers an elaborate adventure set in the authentic Amazon rainforest, a detail that Zengel appreciated during her interview with "The Hollywood Reporter." "Nothing compares to being on the edge of a cliff or in the jungle instead of in front of a green screen," Zengel said, hinting that her international stardom is just beginning.
[1] IMDb. (2020, December 14). System Crasher (2019). https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8110890/[2] IMDb. (2020, December 14). The Legend of Ochi. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6142210/[3] IMDb. (2020, December 14). News of the World. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485149/[4] IMDbPro. (n.d.). Cast of The Legend of Ochi (2025). https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm0006537/[5] The Hollywood Reporter. (2021, April 9). 'The Legend of Ochi': Film Review. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/the-legend-of-ochi-film-review-1235078
I'm not going to tell you about every detail of Helena Zengel's current projects, but let me say that she's currently stars in two movies-and-tv projects, "The Legend of Ochi" and "Transamazonia." Despite not having direct advice from Willem Dafoe in "The Legend of Ochi," Zengel found his intuitive sense of performance intriguing.
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