Austrian actor Christoph Waltz will celebrate his 70th birthday on October 4, 2026, and public broadcaster ORF is marking the milestone with a multi-day programming block spanning its television networks and streaming platform, ORF ON. The celebration highlights the career of the Vienna-born performer who became one of the few Austrian actors to achieve major recognition in Hollywood as a two-time Oscar winner, according to announcements from ORF and OTS.at.
ORF Programming Schedule and Birthday Broadcasts
The broadcast tribute begins on Friday, October 2, 2026, with a dedicated film evening on ORF III. The network will air the biographical television drama Du bist nicht allein – Die Roy Black Story at 20:15, featuring Waltz in the title role. That screening is followed by the comedy Das merkwürdige Verhalten geschlechtsreifer Großstädter zur Paarungszeit at 21:55, and Roman Polanski’s black comedy God of Carnage (Gott des Gemetzels) at 23:25. The latter film features an ensemble cast including Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, and Waltz, portraying two sets of parents whose civilized demeanor dissolves following a dispute between their children.
Weekend Screenings and Documentary Focus
On Saturday, October 3, 2026, ORF 2 will broadcast the alpine drama Die Verzauberung at 11:00, starring Waltz alongside Katharina Müller-Elmau, Heio von Stetten, and Katharina Abt. The plot centers on two families whose holiday accommodations are mistakenly swapped in a mountain region, leading the adults to drift apart from their spouses while their neglected children venture out and lose their way. Later that day at 11:55, ORF 1 will air a Kommissar Rex episode titled “Der Puppenmörder,” featuring Tobias Moretti alongside the canine investigator and Waltz.
The main television tribute takes place on Sunday, September 27, 2026, across ORF 1 and ORF ON. Quentin Tarantino’s Western epic Django Unchained will air at 20:15, showcasing Waltz in his role as German bounty hunter—a performance that earned him his second Academy Award and Golden Globe. Following the feature at 22:54 is the documentary Christoph Waltz – Der Charme des Bösen (2020), which explores the actor’s artistic journey through interviews with professional colleagues and personal acquaintances. The evening concludes on ORF 1 at 23:49 with the adventure film The Legend of Tarzan (2016), in which Waltz plays a ruthless villain opposite the jungle hero.
Worth a look