Sven Schelker Biography: Ethnicity, Net Worth, Girlfriend, Age, Height, Movies, Parents

Sven Schelker, professionally recognized as Sven Schelker, has emerged as a compelling Swiss actor whose work spans theater, film, and television with a focus on nuanced portrayals of vulnerability and societal tension.

Best known for his breakout role as the drag performer Röbi Rapp in the 2014 film Der Kreis, which earned him the Swiss Film Prize for Best Actor and a spot as a Berlinale Shooting Star, Schelker brings a quiet intensity to characters navigating identity, loss, and human connection.

Profile

• Full Name: Sven Schelker
• Stage Name: Sven Schelker
• Born: 12, December 1989
• Age: 35 years old
• Birthplace: Basel, Switzerland
• Nationality: Swiss
• Occupation: Actor
• Height: 1.85 m
• Parents: Mr. Schelker and Mrs. Schelker
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Unknown
• Children: None
• Relationship: Not married
• Net Worth: $1 million and $5 million

Early Life and Education

Sven Schelker was born on December 12, 1989, in Basel, Switzerland. He grew up in Reinach, Canton of Basel-Landschaft, where he developed a passion for performance through local theater, joining Theater Basel’s youth ensemble at age ten.

He also learned guitar and violin, shaping his artistic interests. In 2008, he earned his Matura at Gymnasium Münchenstein with a focus on music and received the Basel Matura Award for outstanding artistic commitment.

From 2009 to 2013, he trained in acting at the Otto Falckenberg Schule in Munich, graduating with a Bühnenreifezeugnis. Of Swiss-German descent, he has not publicly disclosed his religious background.

Career

Sven Schelker stepped into professional acting during his final years at the Otto Falckenberg Schule, landing early theater roles that caught the eye of Hamburg’s Thalia Theater.

By 2012, he joined their ensemble, tackling demanding parts like Macduff in Macbeth, Sir Paris in Romeo and Juliet, and the titular character in Chekhov’s Platonov.

These stage experiences sharpened his command of emotional depth and physicality, earning him the Migros Culture Percentage Acting Student Award in both 2010 and 2011.

His film debut came in 2014 with Der Kreis, directed by Stefan Haupt, where his portrayal of Röbi Rapp—a gay man reflecting on love and the AIDS crisis in 1980s Zurich—drew international acclaim, including the Teddy Award and Panorama Audience Award at the Berlinale.

Schelker’s screen career accelerated post-Der Kreis, blending Swiss indies with international projects. He garnered a Best Actor nomination at the 2018 Swiss Film Prize for Goliath, a coming-of-age tale of rural isolation, and took on the lead as environmental activist Bruno Manser in the 2019 biopic Bruno Manser – Die Stimme des Regenwaldes, which premiered at Cannes.

Guest spots like Armand Korzenik in the U.S. series Homeland (2015) expanded his reach, while theater commitments kept him grounded in Hamburg until the 2020/2021 season, when he transitioned to Basel’s resident company. His versatility shone in ensemble dramas like Die neue Zeit (2019), a miniseries exploring post-WWII displacement.

Schelker’s recent output reflects a maturing command of leading roles, from the enigmatic Thanner in the historical thriller series Davos 1917 (2023) to the charismatic cult leader Julian Paradis in the 2025 SRF espionage drama Die Beschatter.

In Stiller (2025), an adaptation of Max Frisch’s novel, he embodies the younger version of a man grappling with fractured identity, earning praise for capturing the story’s themes of reinvention and relational strain. His contributions to Swiss and German cinema emphasize authentic storytelling, positioning him as a bridge between intimate theater traditions and global narratives.

Social Media

• Facebook Handle: Sven Schelker

Personal Life

Sven Schelker maintains a highly private personal life, with no publicly verified details regarding spouses, partners, or children. In interviews, he has occasionally emphasized his preference for privacy, enabling him to portray complex relationships without reflecting his personal experiences.

Residing in Basel, Schelker draws creative inspiration from the region’s rich cultural environment, effectively balancing his demanding professional commitments with interests in music and outdoor activities.

Filmography

• Der Kreis (2014)
• Goliath (2017)
• Homeland (2015)
• Bruno Manser – Die Stimme des Regenwaldes (2019)
• Die neue Zeit (2019)
• Davos 1917 (2023)
• Die Geiseln (2023)
• Stiller (2025)
• Die Beschatter (2025)

Net Worth

Sven Schelker’s net worth has no reliable public estimate, common among actors in European independent films who value artistic fulfillment over high earnings. However, it’s estimated to be between $1 million and $5 million.

His income comes from theater work with prestigious companies like Thalia and Basel, film roles in festival and Swiss productions, and TV contracts with networks such as SRF and ZDF.