Henrike Hahn

Henrike Hahn leads a life in the arts, spanning theatre, film and television. From the successful stage play ‘Sophie Scholl – Love in Times of Resistance’, directed by Jonathan Hutter, through various feature films such as ‘The Last Tenant’, directed by Gregor Erler, to the hit television series ‘Betty Diagnose’, which brought Henrike Hahn to the attention of a wide audience, the Hamburg-born actress covers the entire spectrum of acting.

Henrike Hahn grew up in Hamburg as the daughter of a Hanseatic father and a Catalan mother. Cultural diversity was a way of life in her family and shaped her; however, there were no acting role models in the family. After completing her A-levels, she began working in the props department at the Thalia Theatre; it was only later that she decided to study acting at the Stuttgart University of Music and Performing Arts (2009–2013). During her studies, she appeared in various productions at venues including the Theater Freiburg and the Baden State Theatre in Karlsruhe, gaining valuable experience. This was followed by engagements at the Deutsches Theater Göttingen, the Nationaltheater Mannheim, the Volkstheater München, the Staatstheater Kassel and the Schauspiel Essen.

Since 2016, Henrike Hahn has also been appearing more frequently on screen – in leading roles in episodes of high-viewership TV programmes such as *Nord Nord Mord*, *Helen Dorn*, the well-known *SOKO* series, and the ZDFneo comedy series *Vierwändplus*. She has worked with renowned directors such as Thomas Berger, Peter Gersina, Lars Becker, Josef Rusnak and Marcus O. Rosenmüller.

In 2023, she decided to take on the title role in the well-known hospital drama “Betty Diagnose”.

“I received an invitation to a casting, in the traditional way,” says Henrike Hahn. The casting was fun, and the role was a good fit. “Ward manager Betty is a woman who likes to roll up her sleeves and get stuck in. I liked that straight away. What’s more, she inspires me anew every single day because she has such a wonderful energy. In this day and age, it’s marvellous to be able to play a character who gives people courage and isn’t afraid to bring optimism into their lives.”

For Henrike Hahn, the role is a major challenge; she feels the responsibility that comes with a programme of this kind. “In every episode, I try to engage the audience and – alongside the entertainment – also convey values such as responsibility, compassion and social skills for oneself and for society. That isn’t always easy in the day-to-day reality of production. But it’s very important to me.”

As well as directing, Henrike Hahn continues to devote herself to theatre work. She has also developed the audio walk ‘Traces of a City’. It is a walk through Berlin following in the footsteps of the Jewish resistance fighter Herbert Baum.

“I came across this topic through the play ‘Sophie Scholl – Love in Times of Resistance’. Sophie Scholl, Stauffenberg – these are the classic figures who occupy a great deal of space in our culture of remembrance, even more so today. I know the neighbourhood where the audio walk takes place very well. I found it absurd that people walk these very paths so often, writing their own stories, yet know nothing of the events that these very streets and walls have witnessed – even though there might have been a Stolperstein or an information panel there at some point. It’s like a story that hasn’t yet been told, and one that I wanted to bring to light.”

She has just finished filming a guest role in the ZDF crime series “Friesland”. It was a lovely experience, because “in 90 minutes, you can tell stories that are different in terms of narrative structure. It was great fun”.

Henrike Hahn lives in Berlin with her family.

(8/2026)