Cornelia Gröschel (born December 1, 1987) is a German actress from Dresden.
She is best known for the title role in Heidi (2001) and as kommissarin Winkler in the long-running German crime series Tatort.
Who is Cornelia Gröschel Actress?
Cornelia Gröschel is a German actress who built her career across film, television, and theatre over more than two decades. She first appeared on screen as a child performer and later trained at one of Germany’s most respected drama schools.
Her role as Detective Chief Inspector Leonie Winkler in Tatort brought her national recognition. The Dresden-based episodes of the long-running ARD crime series have aired since 2019, with her 14th episode broadcast in 2026.
Gröschel also gained international attention through her lead role in the 2020 Netflix superhero film Freaks: You’re One of Us. She came from a deeply artistic household, with both parents working as professional performers in music and dance.
Early Life of Cornelia Gröschel Actress
Cornelia Gröschel was born on December 1, 1987, in Dresden, then part of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). She grew up as one of four children in a family defined by the arts.
Her father works as a singer and voice teacher. Her mother served as a ballet répétiteur, coaching dancers in musical repertoire.
At the age of four, Gröschel began training in classical ballet and modern dance. She also enjoys show jumping and dressage riding in her free time.
After finishing secondary school, she spent ten months in South Africa before returning to Germany. She then completed her Abitur at St. Benno Gymnasium in Dresden-Johannstadt.
Cornelia Gröschel Actress Age
Cornelia Gröschel is 38 years old as of 2026, born on December 1, 1987. Her zodiac sign is Sagittarius.
She has remained one of the most active faces in German television drama throughout her late thirties.
Cornelia Gröschel Actress Ethnicity and Nationality
Gröschel holds German nationality and was born in Dresden, in what was then East Germany. She is of German ethnic background, with deep roots in the Saxony region.
Her upbringing in Dresden, a city with a strong cultural and artistic heritage, shaped her early interest in performance.
Cornelia Gröschel Actress Height and Weight
Cornelia Gröschel stands at 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) tall. Her weight is reported at approximately 58 kg (128 lbs).
She trained in classical ballet from the age of four, giving her a physical discipline and stage presence that has carried into her acting career.
Cornelia Gröschel Actress Education
Gröschel studied acting at the University of Music and Theatre “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” Leipzig, beginning her studies in 2007.
During her studies, she made guest appearances at the Neues Theater Halle. In 2010, she played Juliet in Romeo and Juliet at the Hexenkessel Hoftheater in Berlin’s Monbijoupark.
Her formal training combined acting, movement, and voice work, consistent with the conservatory tradition of full-body performer preparation.
By the time she began filming Tatort in autumn 2018, she had already completed her studies and had eleven years of filming experience behind her, alongside credits including Polizeiruf 110, SOKO Leipzig, Honigfrauen, Wilsberg, and Donna Leon.
Cornelia Gröschel Actress Career
Cornelia Gröschel has worked continuously in German film and television since 1998, building one of the most sustained careers among her generation of German actresses.
Career Start and Breakthrough
Gröschel first appeared on screen in 1998 at age nine, playing the orphan Franzi Moers in episodes 2 to 16 of the popular German medical drama In aller Freundschaft. She landed the role as a child after auditioning independently.
In 2001, she took the title role in Markus Imboden’s film adaptation of Heidi. As a 13-year-old, she became known nationwide and appeared as a guest on the Harald Schmidt Show to promote the film — though at the time, she pictured a future doing “something with horses” rather than acting. That role marked her first major film appearance.
After graduating from the University of Music and Theatre Leipzig, she joined the ensemble of the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe. There, she performed the role of Mother in Peter Handke’s play Immer noch Sturm (Still Storm) more than 175 times.
Notable Films and Projects
In 2012, Gröschel received a nomination for the Young Actress of the Year Award for her theatre work in Immer noch Sturm. That same year, she took the title role in the ZDF fairy tale film Die Schöne und das Biest (Beauty and the Beast).
She appeared in the ZDF satirical sitcom Lerchenberg from 2013 to 2015, playing Judith Kleine across eight episodes.
Also in 2015, she appeared in the historical drama Der Staat gegen Fritz Bauer (The People vs. Fritz Bauer), about the German prosecutor who helped bring Adolf Eichmann to trial, playing the role of Charlotte Angermann.
In 2020, Gröschel starred as Wendy Schulze in the Netflix German superhero film Freaks: You’re One of Us, directed by Felix Binder. The film co-starred Wotan Wilke Möhring and Tim Oliver Schultz.
Tatort and Recent Work
Gröschel joined the Dresden cast of Tatort, taking over the role of kommissarin Leonie Winkler from previous lead Alwara Höfels, alongside co-star Karin Hanczewski as Karin Gorniak.
Filming began in autumn 2018, with her first episode airing in 2019 and launching a multi-season run.
She has appeared in 14 Tatort episodes between 2019 and 2026, tackling storylines involving serial killers, political corruption, and psychological drama.
Notable recent episodes included Was ihr nicht seht (2023), Unter Feuer (2024), Siebenschläfer and Herz der Dunkelheit (2025), and Nachtschatten (2026).
Karin Hanczewski’s character departed the Dresden Tatort after her final episode in 2023.
Gröschel and her co-star Martin Brambach (who plays Bernd Michael Schnabel) have continued as an investigative duo, with Gröschel expressing hope for a new colleague to eventually join the team.
As of an episode filmed under the working title “Schwesternliebe” (expected to air in 2026), newcomer Emilie Neumeister was set to make her Tatort debut, alongside guest star Nina Kunzendorf.
In 2024, she starred as Maike Langer in the TV movie Erzgebirgskrimi – Mord auf dem Jakobsweg. In April 2025, she appeared in the ZDF Herzkino TV movie Verhängnisvolle Leidenschaft Sylt, playing Nina.
Gröschel returned to live in her hometown of Dresden, where as of 2024 she had been based again for nearly three years.
Cornelia Gröschel Actress Filmography
- 1998–2013 – In aller Freundschaft (TV series, as Franzi Moers and other roles)
- 1999 – Das Geheimnis (short film, as Janina)
- 2001 – Heidi (film, title role as Heidi Caduff)
- 2006 – Polizeiruf 110: Schneewittchen (TV episode)
- 2012 – Die Schöne und das Biest (ZDF TV film, title role)
- 2013–2015 – Lerchenberg (ZDF TV series, as Judith Kleine)
- 2015 – Der Staat gegen Fritz Bauer / The People vs. Fritz Bauer (film, as Charlotte Angermann)
- 2015 – Planet Ottakring (film, as Valerie)
- 2018 – The Undesired Job (short film, as Alexandra)
- 2019–2026 – Tatort (ARD TV series, as Leonie Winkler, 14 episodes)
- 2020 – Freaks: You’re One of Us (Netflix film, as Wendy Schulze)
- 2022 – Die Toten vom Bodensee: Unter Wölfen (TV film, as Melanie Bodenbach)
- 2023 – Einspruch, Schatz! – Ein Fall von Liebe (TV film, as Christina Sprenger)
- 2024 – Erzgebirgskrimi – Mord auf dem Jakobsweg (TV movie, as Maike Langer)
- 2025 – Verhängnisvolle Leidenschaft Sylt (ZDF TV film, as Nina)
Cornelia Gröschel Actress Awards and Recognition
In 2012, Gröschel earned a nomination for the Young Actress of the Year Award for her stage work in Peter Handke’s Immer noch Sturm at the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe. The award recognises outstanding young talent in the German-speaking theatre world.
According to her IMDb profile, she has received two career award nominations in total as of 2026. Her performances in Tatort earned consistent critical recognition in German television coverage.
Her role in Freaks: You’re One of Us expanded her profile beyond German-speaking audiences by placing her at the centre of a Netflix original production.
Cornelia Gröschel Actress Net Worth
Cornelia Gröschel’s estimated net worth is $3 million as of 2026. She has accumulated her income through a career spanning more than 25 years across film, television, and stage productions.
Her long-running role in Tatort, a flagship ARD production, and her lead credit in a Netflix feature film represent her most significant commercial engagements. Beyond screen work, her years with the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe added to her professional earnings.
Gröschel’s official website is corneliagroeschel.com, where she maintains her professional presence.
Cornelia Gröschel Actress Social Media
Gröschel is active on Instagram under the handle @corneliagroeschel, where she shares updates on her professional work and personal life. She also maintains a presence on Facebook at the same name, where she has engaged fans on news about Tatort Dresden.
Her management is listed as Ahoi Agency. She describes show jumping and dressage riding as ongoing passions alongside dance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cornelia Gröschel Actress’s net worth?
Cornelia Gröschel’s estimated net worth is $3 million, built through a career in German film, television, and theatre since 1998.
How old is Cornelia Gröschel Actress?
Cornelia Gröschel is 38 years old as of June 19, 2026, born on December 1, 1987.
Who is Cornelia Gröschel Actress dating or married to?
Reports on this differ: some sources describe her as living with her husband in Karlsruhe, while her own move back to Dresden around 2021 has led to speculation about her relationship status. Gröschel keeps her personal life largely private, and her current relationship status is not definitively confirmed.
What is Cornelia Gröschel Actress’s height?
Cornelia Gröschel stands at 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) tall.
What movies or projects has Cornelia Gröschel Actress been in?
Gröschel is best known for Heidi (2001), Tatort (2019–2026), Freaks: You’re One of Us (2020), and Lerchenberg (2013–2015). Her most recent Tatort episode, Nachtschatten, aired in 2026, and her 2025 TV film was Verhängnisvolle Leidenschaft Sylt on ZDF.
Where was Cornelia Gröschel Actress born?
Cornelia Gröschel was born in Dresden, East Germany on December 1, 1987.
The Bottom Line
Gröschel has played Kriminalhauptkommissarin Leonie Winkler across 14 episodes of Tatort Dresden between 2019 and 2026, making the role one of the most sustained performances of her career.
She grew up as one of four children in an artistic household in Dresden, trained at conservatory level in Leipzig, and built her skills across stage, film, and television simultaneously.
Her background in classical ballet and equestrian sports gave her physical range that extended well beyond conventional acting training.
In 2026, she continued her work in Tatort with the episode Nachtschatten, following her 2025 appearances in the ZDF TV movie Verhängnisvolle Leidenschaft Sylt and the Tatort episode Herz der Dunkelheit.
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