Jochen Schropp

Jochen grew up in a small town near Giessen. Already as a young boy, he starts realizing his talents, performing his own skits, plays and musical pieces at family parties or taping his own "radio shows." Jochen has his first encounter with professional TV at the age of 15 while participating in a school internship at children's news show "LOGO", airing on German TV channel ZDF in Mainz. Through experience gained by performing in choir and as an extra at the Giessen City Theater, he discovers his love for the performing arts. During his high school exchange year in Visalia, California, Jochen is able to build on this passion by competing in the school's choir at a national level and performing in school plays and musicals. Jochen is fascinated by the high production standards and his enthusiasm grows. Back in Giessen, he begins acting at an American theater, takes speech training at Hessen Public Radio in Frankfurt and singing classes with a former Broadway diva. He is an active member in his school's radio station and presents a teen show on Giessen Public Television. After several successful auditions in Germany, New York and England, he decides to attend Paul McCartney's "Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts" (LIPA). Jochen gets to know Northern England and escapes to London and Wales on the weekends, depending on whether he is in the mood for big city life or the countryside. He discovers a love for opposites - the English traditions versus the trashy pop culture and British black humor. Alongside his acting classes, Jochen takes additional courses in song and dance. In his first semester break in 2000, he presents the Love Parade for German channel RTL2 and takes on smaller parts in TV and commercials. His agent sends him to Berlin for his first casting in March, 2001, where production company teamworx is looking for the lead role for teen series "Sternenfaenger" (Star Catchers). Jochen lands the part and gets the chance to introduce himself to the wider public and the entertainment industry. During filming at Lake Constance in Southern Germany, he is able to combine his classical theater background with the technique of camera acting. Since then, Jochen is seen in front of the camera time and again for various productions, takes part in readings, makes music, works as a voice actor and presenter, such as a for the Filmfestival Max Ophuels Preis in Saarbruecken, which he has been presenting for several years running now and continues to work on his craft with various coaches. His distinctive talent as a comedian has enabled him to shine in untypical parts, as well. Naturally having an athletic physique, he had to put on 12 kilos within 5 weeks for his part in 2004's "Popp Dich schlank!" (The Sex Diet). The romantic and fast-paced comedy went down a storm with the audience and made the audience numbers soar for German TV channel Pro7. In 2006, Jochen stars in the Grimme-Award nominated ARD series "Zwei Engel fuer Amor" (Amor's Angels), by the creators of Emmy Award-winning series "Berlin, Berlin". Jochen kicks off 2007 on the big screen in American director Barbara Stepansky's "Aussergewoehnlich" (Exceptional), which featured as the opening film of the 28th Filmfestival Max Ophuels Award. In November 2007 Jochen takes part in the cooking show "Das perfekte Promi Dinner" (Come Dine With Me - Celebrity special) and finishes up a successful year by scoring the ongoing role as new pathologist Dr. Stabroth on the popular crime show "Polizeiruf 110". His refreshing acting style also wins over fans of romantic love stories. In 2008 and 2009 he played leading men in various Sunday night movies for the German channel ZDF, including adaptations of novels by renowned British author Rosamunde Pilcher. In addition to acting Jochen is getting more and more into presenting and hosting galas for various business clients and also the Shorts Award of the International Film Festival in Berlin. Increasingly he is invited to audition for TV shows and present pilot productions. Jochen is also a favored guest on talk- and gameshows. His second "Promi Dinner", a sleepover-special, attracts wide attention in the industry due to its humorous and authentic cast. In summer 2010 Jochen will host "The X Factor", the German version of the popular UK singing competition to be aired on German network VOX. Jochen will also continue to film for "Polizeiruf 110" and is looking forward to other exciting acting and presenting projects!