Claudia Michelsen and Anatole Taubman had an eleven-year relationship
- German actress Claudia Michelsen, widely known for her role as Magdeburger investigator Doreen Brasch in the television series Polizeiruf 110, maintains a career spanning over 100 film and...
- From 1995 to 2001, Michelsen lived in Los Angeles with her then-husband, director and screenwriter Josef Rusnak.
- Following her return to Europe, Michelsen entered an eleven-year relationship with Swiss actor Anatole Taubman, lasting from 2002 to 2013 while they resided in Switzerland.
German actress Claudia Michelsen, widely known for her role as Magdeburger investigator Doreen Brasch in the television series Polizeiruf 110, maintains a career spanning over 100 film and television productions alongside a well-documented personal history within the international film industry. Born in Dresden on Feb. 4, 1969, the Berlin-based actress has balanced high-profile television crime dramas with critically acclaimed historical miniseries.
Early Career and Marriage in Los Angeles
From 1995 to 2001, Michelsen lived in Los Angeles with her then-husband, director and screenwriter Josef Rusnak. Following their divorce, the actress returned to Germany, while Rusnak continued his career spanning Berlin and Los Angeles as a founding member of the Deutsche Filmakademie and owner of an American production company. Michelsen and Rusnak share a daughter, Lina Rusnak, who has followed her parents into the acting profession. Lina Rusnak notably took on the role of ambitious police officer Clara Romero in the Barcelona-Krimi television series.
Partnership with International Actor Anatole Taubman
Following her return to Europe, Michelsen entered an eleven-year relationship with Swiss actor Anatole Taubman, lasting from 2002 to 2013 while they resided in Switzerland. The couple welcomed a daughter, Tara Michelsen, in 2004. Taubman has achieved substantial international recognition, most notably portraying Elvis, the antagonist to Daniel Craig’s James Bond, in the 2008 film James Bond 007: Ein Quantum Trost. His broader filmography includes major motion pictures such as 96 Hours in 2008 alongside Liam Neeson, Captain America: The First Avenger in 2011, The Circle in 2014, and the television series Killing Eve in 2018 with Sandra Oh. Taubman continues to reside in Zurich. Despite their separation, Michelsen and Taubman made a joint public appearance together on the red carpet at the 49th Golden Camera awards ceremony in 2014.
Television and Film Accomplishments in Germany
Beyond her ongoing work in Polizeiruf 110, Michelsen’s extensive television repertoire includes appearances in established German series such as Der Alte and Liebling Kreuzberg, as well as feature films like the 2014 comedy-drama Honig im Kopf. One of her most significant television performances is her portrayal of Caterina Schöllack in the ZDF historical miniseries Ku’damm, broadcast across three seasons between 2015 and 2021 as Ku’damm 56, Ku’damm 59, and Ku’damm 63. Set in 1950s and 1960s Berlin, the narrative centers on a strict mother running a traditional dance school while raising three daughters amidst societal constraints, shifting gender roles, and the pressures of post-war West German society. Critics and audiences praised Michelsen for lending depth and vulnerability to the role of an authoritarian businesswoman dealing with rigid family expectations.