Born on August 13, 1971, in Düsseldorf, Germany, as the daughter of former German national ice hockey keeper Rainer Makatsch.
After studying politics and sociology at the University of Düsseldorf for two years and completing an apprenticeship as a dressmaker, she was hired by the newborn TV music channel VIVA in 1993.
She hosted popular shows such as Interaktiv (1996),presenting the charts show Bravo TV (1985),and was considered the prototype of a "girlie girl" by the media.
Her first appearance in a movie, Jailbirds (1996),surprised critics and slowly changed her image.
In the following years, she played leading characters in successful projects such as Am I Beautiful? (1998) and Gripsholm (2000).
Living in London from 1999 to 2005, she also appeared in English language movies, most prominently Love Actually (2003).
After another convincing performance in Margarete Steiff (2005),she is considered a respected actress anyway.
In 2009, she played the main role in 'Hilde', the biographical movie about the famous German actress/singer Hildegard Knef.
Her performance in 'Hilde' was a tour de force, solidifying her reputation as a talented actress.
