Josef Brandmaier

Man, Josef Brandmaier’s got one of those careers where you blink and suddenly he’s popped up in the wildest places. Born back in ‘71 in tiny Murnau am Staffelsee—Bavaria, you know, the land of beer and castles—he probably didn’t grow up thinking, “Yeah, I’ll end up working on a film about Nazis on the moon.” Yet here we are. The guy’s a producer and actor who’s dipped his toes into some seriously wild projects. Iron Sky: The Coming Race? Absolutely bonkers film, and he’s right there in the thick of it. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you mix lizard people, moon Nazis, and a whole lot of B-movie energy, well, you’ve got your answer. But that’s not even the end of it. He had a hand in Mission: Impossible II. Not exactly a small potatoes gig, right? That sequel might not be everyone’s favorite, but man, it had Tom Cruise doing wild stunts before it was cool, and Josef was part of the magic behind the curtain. And then there’s There’s a Hole in My Bucket, which—let’s be honest—sounds like the title of a fever dream, but it’s real, and he’s in it. Honestly, the dude’s resume is all over the place, but in the best way. He’s got that German precision mixed with a dash of “let’s just see what happens.” Whether he’s wrangling chaos behind the scenes or stepping in front of the camera, Josef Brandmaier’s that guy who just keeps showing up in cult classics and big budget madness alike. Kind of makes you wonder where he’ll pop up next.