Franziska Weisz was born in Vienna in 1980. She received a master"s degree in development aid and environmental politics, but then turned to acting, making her screen debut in Ulrich Seidl"s "Hundstage". This was followed by appearances in Michael Haneke"s "Die Klavierspielerin" and "C(r)ook", directed by Pepe Danquart. At the same time, Franziska Weisz also worked in popular TV programs like "Tatort" and "Soko Kitzbühl". Her first starring role came with "Hotel", and in 2005 Weisz was named a "Shooting Star" at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Two years later, Weisz returned to the Berlinale with two memorable films: She starred alongside Ken Duken in "Distanz", which was the opening film for the "Perspektive Deutsches Kino" section, and also appeared in Michael Glawogger"s gloomy drama "Vaterspiel".

Playing the female lead in Benjamin Heisenberg"s character-driven thriller "Der Räuber", Franziska Weisz again proved her penchant for unusual and ambitious roles: Based on true events, she portrays the romantic partner of a serial bank robber. In 2010, Heisenberg"s film premiered in the competition of the Berlin IFF.

Weisz then joined the cast of "Habermann", starring alongside Hannah Herzsprung, Ben Becker and Wilson Gonzalez Ochsenknecht. The film by director Juraj Herz depicts the fate of the German minorities in Prague during WWII and afterwards.

Since 2007, Franziska Weisz lives in Berlin. Apart form her acting career, the studied expert on foreign aid issues also campaigns for a more responsible and sustainable use of natural resources in third world countries.