Gesine Cukrowski Biography: Height, Net Worth, Parents , Age, Films, Siblings, Awards
Gesine Cukrowski is a German actress, author, and activist who became widely known through major television roles in German film and television.
She first gained national recognition as Petra Rentrop in the RTL series Und tschüss! before establishing herself as Dr. Judith Sommer in the long-running ZDF crime series Der letzte Zeuge.
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Her work as a forensic pathologist alongside Ulrich Mühe made her a familiar face of German television in the late 1990s and 2000s.
Beyond acting, Cukrowski has become an outspoken advocate for greater visibility of women over 47 in the German entertainment industry through the Let’s Change the Picture initiative.
She has also worked in theatre, film, humanitarian advocacy, and literature.
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| Wiki Facts & About Data | |
| Name: | Gesine Cukrowski |
| Born: | October 23, 1968 (age 57 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | West Berlin, West Germany |
| Nationality: | German |
| Ethnicity: | German |
| Height: | 171 cm |
| Religion: | Christianity |
| Parents: | Georg Cukrowski, Jutta Cukrowski |
| Siblings: | Three siblings |
| Relationship: | Separated |
| Children: | Lina Carlotta Helfrich |
| Occupation: | Actress, author, activist |
| Net Worth: | $3 million |
Early Life and Education
Gesine Cukrowski was born on October 23, 1968, in West Berlin and is currently 58 years old.
She spent her early childhood in Berlin-Halensee before her family moved to Berlin-Marienfelde when she was five.
Her father, Georg Cukrowski, was a graduate engineer who later operated an art gallery, while her mother, Jutta Cukrowski, was a trained nurse who also worked as a freelance artist.
Gesine grew up with three siblings and attended Gymnasium St. Marien in Berlin-Neukölln. Her family background also included Polish ancestry.
After completing secondary school, Cukrowski initially studied at the Free University of Berlin, where she pursued German literature and theatre studies and also took courses in religious studies and psychology.
She eventually left university after receiving an acting opportunity and turned her full attention to professional performance.
She trained at the Maria Körber Acting School from 1992 to 1994 and later broadened her artistic training through a chanson masterclass at the Academy Graz in Austria under singer Gisela May.
Personal Life
Gesine Cukrowski was in a long-term relationship with screenwriter and producer Michael Helfrich for approximately 25 years.
The couple never married but had one daughter, Lina Carlotta Helfrich, who was born in September 2001. Their relationship ended after many years together, with their separation becoming public in 2026.
Cukrowski and Helfrich also became legal guardians of one of the children of actors Ulrich Mühe and Susanne Lothar following Lothar’s death in 2012.
Cukrowski had worked closely with Mühe for many years on Der letzte Zeuge. She has maintained a private family life in Berlin while remaining publicly active through her acting and social advocacy.
Career
Gesine Cukrowski began appearing on television in the late 1980s, with one of her earliest credited appearances coming in Praxis Bülowbogen.
After completing her formal acting training, she continued developing her career through theatre engagements in Berlin and other German-speaking cities.
Her major television breakthrough arrived in 1995 when she was cast as Petra Rentrop in the RTL series Und tschüss!. The role brought her significant public attention and established her as a rising television actress.
Her defining career role came in 1998 when she joined the ZDF crime series Der letzte Zeuge as forensic pathologist Dr. Judith Sommer. She starred alongside Ulrich Mühe and remained with the series until 2007, appearing in 71 episodes.
The role became one of the most recognizable performances of her career and helped establish her as a leading figure in German television drama.
Cukrowski continued working extensively in television and film after Der letzte Zeuge. Her credits include Rosa Roth, Die Schläfer, Kilimanjaro: How to Spell Love, FearDotCom, Das Wunder von Berlin, Zwischen heute und morgen, Nemesis, Die Spiegel-Affäre, Freaks – Du bist eine von uns, and Mission Ulja Funk. In Die Spiegel-Affäre, she portrayed Katharina Augstein, the first wife of Spiegel founder Rudolf Augstein.
She also became associated with the Katie Fforde television adaptations and appeared in numerous other television productions.
In Hotel Mondial, which premiered in 2023 after filming in 2022, she played hotel director Eva de Vries. The character became particularly significant for portraying an older woman in a senior professional position and for its same-sex relationship storyline.
Cukrowski’s work increasingly expanded beyond acting into social advocacy. In 2023, she co-founded Let’s Change the Picture with journalist Silke Burmester, a campaign dedicated to improving the representation of women aged 47 and older in German film and television and challenging age discrimination in the industry.
Their work received the Inspiration honorary award at the German Actors Awards in 2023. In March 2025, Cukrowski was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit for her long-standing commitment to women’s rights and equality.
Awards
- Hans-Rosenthal Honorary Prize for social and humanitarian commitment (2012)
- Askania Award for Best Actress (2019)
- German Actors Award, Inspiration Honorary Prize for Let’s Change the Picture (2023)
- Impact of Diversity Award, Best Diversity Campaign for Let’s Change the Picture (2023)
- Federal Cross of Merit for her commitment to women’s rights and equality (2025)
Net Worth
Gesine Cukrowski has an estimated net worth of approximately $3 million.
She has built her wealth through more than three decades of work in television, film, theatre, writing, public appearances, and other entertainment-related activities.
Social Media
- Instagram: @gesine_cukrowski
Filmography
- Praxis Bülowbogen (1989)
- Wolffs Revier (1992)
- Und tschüss! (1994)
- Rosa Roth (1995)
- Der letzte Zeuge (1998–2007)
- Die Schläfer (1999)
- Kilimanjaro: How to Spell Love (2001)
- FearDotCom (2002)
- Das Wunder von Berlin (2008)
- Zwischen heute und morgen (2009)
- Nemesis (2010)
- Die Spiegel-Affäre (2013)
- Das Traumschiff (2014)
- Katie Fforde: Hexensommer (2016)
- Freaks – Du bist eine von uns (2020)
- Mission Ulja Funk (2021)
- Hotel Mondial (2023)
Books
- Sorry Tarzan, ich rette mich selbst! – Raus aus der Klischeefalle (2025)
What People Ask
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