Leonie Benesch

Leonie Benesch is a German actress known for her roles in a variety of film and television productions. Her notable credits include performances in Babylon Berlin, The Crown, Around the World in 80 Days, and The Teachers' Lounge.

Benesch grew up in Tübingen as the oldest of four children. During her education, she attended the Freie Waldorfschule and the Rudolf-Steiner-Schule in Bielefeld-Schildesche. She later trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

In 2009, Benesch appeared as Eva in the film The White Ribbon, which won the Golden Palm. Her performance was praised by film critics as a discovery, earning her the American Young Artist Award and a New Faces Award. The following year, in 2010, she appeared in Philip Koch's drama Picco and Sophie Heldman's film Colors in the Dark (Satte Farben vor Schwarz), working alongside Senta Berger and Bruno Ganz.

Benesch expanded her television career in 2017 with her portrayal of Greta Overbeck in the series Babylon Berlin, a role that earned her the German Acting Prize. That same year, she appeared in the drama series The Crown as Princess Cecilie of Greece and Denmark, the sister of Prince Philip. In 2020, she was cast in the BBC miniseries Around the World in 80 Days, starring alongside David Tennant and Ibrahim Koma.

In 2023, Benesch starred as Carla Nowak, an idealistic teacher, in the German drama film The Teachers' Lounge, directed and co-written by İlker Çatak. For this role, she won the German Film Award for Best Performance in a Leading Role (Best Female Leading Role) and was nominated for a European Film Award. The film subsequently gained global distribution following its premiere in Ireland and received an Oscar nomination for Best International Film the following year.