The Biography

Katy Karrenbauer (born December 31, 1962, in Duisburg) is a German actress, voice-over artist, singer, and author. She rose to widespread public prominence through her role as Christine "Walter" in the television series *Hinter Gittern – Der Frauenknast*. Her acting career initially began in the theater—including at the Urania Theater in Cologne—as well as on various stages throughout Germany. She made her on-screen debut in 1994, playing the paramedic Karo Kaiser in the RTL series *Notaufnahme*. This was followed by numerous guest appearances in series such as *Verbotene Liebe*, *Balko*, *Die Wache*, and *Nikola*. Karrenbauer achieved her breakthrough in 1997 with her role as Christine Walter in *Hinter Gittern – Der Frauenknast*, a character she portrayed across a total of 16 seasons, continuing until 2007. For her performance, she was nominated for the German Television Award in 1999. In addition to numerous television films, she also appeared in feature film productions such as *7 Zwerge – Der Wald ist nicht genug*, *Zettl*, and *Cloud Atlas*. Furthermore, she collaborated on several occasions with director Rosa von Praunheim, including on the films *Härte* and *Darkroom – Tödliche Tropfen*. Karrenbauer also remained active on the theater and musical stages, appearing in productions such as the Karl May Festivals in Elspe and Bad Segeberg. Moreover, she works as a voice-over artist, lending her voice to projects such as the series *Glee*.