German actor Benno Fürmann has enjoyed success in television and film, in both his homeland as well as the United States Born in Berlin, Fürmann had a traumatic childhood, which included losing both his parents, as well as enduring serious physical injuries while attempting to "train surf" (which resulted in an extended hospital stay). After relocating to New York in 1991, Fürmann enlisted in the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, and soon after began appearing in a variety of television shows and movies (mostly German-based). Fürmann began racking up award wins and nominations for his work, including a German Television Award in 1999 (for "Die Bubi Scholz Story"), a Bavarian Film Award in 2001 (for "Friends"), and an Adolf Grimme Award in 2005 (for "Wolfsburg"). In fact, Fürmann had become such a fixture and leading man in German cinema, that he was nominated for a Golden Camera Award in 2005 for "Best German Actor."