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Helena Zengel

Acting Born Jun 10, 2008 Berlin, Germany 21 credits

Biography

Helena Zengel is a German actress known for her roles in the films System Crasher and News of the World. She played a leading role in the American Western film News of the World, directed by Paul Greengrass, which was her first international film. In News of the World, Zengel stars as a 10-year-old German orphan named Johanna Leonberger, who was raised by the Kiowa, and most of her performance is in the Kiowa language. She was cast by Universal Pictures for this role after System Crasher won several international awards.

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Known for

Film

The Legend of Ochi

as Yuri
Film

News of the World

as Johanna Leonberger
Film

System Crasher

as Benni

Wer weiß denn sowas?

as Self

Inga Lindström

as Milla

Riverboat

as Self

NDR Talk Show

as Self

Frequent co-stars

Willem Dafoe 1 shared title
Emily Watson 1 shared title
Finn Wolfhard 1 shared title
Carol Bors 1 shared title
Andrei Antoniu Anghel 1 shared title
Razvan Stoica 1 shared title
David Andrei Baltatu 1 shared title
Eduard Mihail Oancea 1 shared title
Tomas Otto Ghela 1 shared title
Eduard Ionut Cucu 1 shared title

Career timeline

Bloody Tennis
The Legend of OchiTransamazonia
Sebastian Fitzek's TherapyINTIMATE.
A Christmas Number One
News of the WorldBaby Bitchka
System Crasher
Dark Blue GirlDer gute BulleSommermärchen
Never Too Late for JusticeNever Too Late for JusticeLoopingRoute B96
Wer weiß denn sowas?
Inga Lindström
Riverboat
NDR Talk Show

Full filmography

  • Bloody Tennis (2026) as Heidi
  • The Legend of Ochi (2025) as Yuri
  • Transamazonia (2025) as Rebecca Byrne
  • Sebastian Fitzek's Therapy (2023) as Josy Larenz
  • INTIMATE. (2023) as Nyla
  • A Christmas Number One (2021) as Nina Cutter
  • News of the World (2020) as Johanna Leonberger
  • Baby Bitchka (2020) as spielendes Mädchen
  • System Crasher (2019) as Benni
  • Dark Blue Girl (2017) as Luca
  • Der gute Bulle (2017) as Fabienne
  • Sommermärchen (2017) as Lilly Weyer
  • Never Too Late for Justice (2016) as Anja Rothmann (jung)
  • Never Too Late for Justice (2016) as Lilly Weyer
  • Looping (2016) as Lilly
  • Route B96 (2016) as Karlotta
  • Wer weiß denn sowas? (2015) as Self
  • Inga Lindström (2004) as Milla
  • Riverboat (1992) as Self
  • NDR Talk Show (1979) as Self
  • Exploding Ducks