Diana Amft

The Rise of Raunchy Comedy

Diana Amft worked in a library before the movies came calling. She had no master plan to dominate the German box office. But in 2001, everything changed with the release of Mädchen, Mädchen. That film about teenage sexual awakening raked in millions and put her on the European map overnight.

And the industry took notice.

That movie worked because Amft brought a natural clumsiness that audiences adored. She wasn't trying to be the official beauty of the class (even though she was). She went for physical comedy and awkward gags. In 2004, she repeated the formula with a sequel that confirmed her drawing power in commercial theaters in Berlin and Munich.

Before filming dangerous scenes, she prefers to rehearse the exact hand movements. She is a methodical actress who hides her technique behind an appearance of total improvisation. That's how she caught the attention of television producers for long-running projects.

The Dictatorship of Gretchen Haase

Television gave her the role that would define her public image for years. In 2008, she agreed to play Gretchen Haase in the series Doctor’s Diary. She was a mix of Bridget Jones and a surgeon in trouble. The series reached screen ratings above 20% in Germany and was successfully exported to several countries.

It was a time of constant awards.

He won the Adolf-Grimme-Preis and the Bayerischer Fernsehpreis for his ability to handle the rhythm of romantic comedy without slipping into cheap parody. But the shoot was exhausting. They filmed twelve-hour days to meet RTL's deadlines. The series ended in 2011 after three seasons that keep returning in cycles on digital platforms.

Despite her international fame, she has kept her home in a quiet area. She avoids unnecessary social events and red carpets that aren't directly related to her work. For her, acting is a nine-to-five job that ends when the set lights go off.

From Voice Acting to Children's Literature

Amft decided she didn't want to be stuck in romantic comedies forever. In 2012, she lent her voice to the German version of Brave, voicing the character Merida. That job opened the door to voice acting for major animation studios.

And then the books arrived.

In 2011, she published Die kleine Spinne Widerlich, a children's story about a spider who is afraid of humans. What started as a small project became a literary franchise with more than ten volumes published by 2024. She has sold over a million copies of her children's stories in the German market.

On television, she settled into the TV movie series Meine Mutter…, which began in 2018. She plays Toni, the owner of a country restaurant. In 2021, she shot Meine Mutter und die 5. Jahreszeit under the direction of John Delbridge. Filming for these productions usually takes place in the Eifel region during the summer months to make the most of the natural light in the valleys.

In 2023, she appeared in the series Die Quellen des Bösen, a thriller that completely departs from her comedic roots. The production was supported by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW and was shot on location in Saxony-Anhalt.