Cosma Shiva Hagen is a multilingual German-American actress born on May 17, 1981, in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of renowned new wave/punk singer Nina Hagen and musician Ferdinand Karmelk. Her maternal grandmother, Eva-Maria Hagen, was a talented actress, while her step-grandfather, Wolf Biermann, was an East German dissident writer. Notably, Eva-Maria Hagen was granted permission to emigrate to West Germany during the 1970s.
Cosma Shiva's unique name was chosen by her mother, Nina Hagen, who claimed to have seen a UFO while pregnant. The name "Cosma" is derived from the word "Cosmos," while "Shiva" is a reference to the Hindu God Shiva. Despite her American birthplace, Cosma Shiva is relatively unknown outside of German-speaking countries.
Although she is fluent in English, her acting career has primarily focused on German-language films and television productions. One notable exception is her role in the Irish film Short Order, released in 2005. Cosma Shiva's linguistic abilities extend to German, English, French, and Spanish, reflecting her multicultural upbringing.
As a child, Cosma Shiva resided in various cities, including London, Berlin, Paris, Ibiza, a boarding school in Lüneburg, and her current home in Hamburg. Her diverse upbringing has undoubtedly influenced her artistic pursuits and worldview.
