Max Schimmelpfennig, born in Berlin in 1996, gained his first stage experience as a teenager. He made his television debut in the "Tatort" episode "Der Maulwurf" (2014) as the son of a suspect, followed by a leading role as a bullied victim-turned-perpetrator in "Kommissarin Heller: Querschläger" (2015).

From 2016 to 2020, he studied acting at the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK) while appearing in several TV productions. He played a naval cadet in "Tod einer Kadettin" (2017), the title role in "Der Zauberlehrling" (2017), and a U-boat crew member in "Das Boot" ("The Boat", 2018). Schimmelpfennig also appeared in smaller roles, such as a young stranger in the mystery series "Dark" (2019) and supporting characters in the films "LOMO – The Language of Many Others" (2017), "7500" (2019), and "Lindenberg! Mach dein Ding" (2019).

After graduating, Schimmelpfennig took on significant roles, including an extroverted schoolmate in the thriller "Trübe Wolken" ("Cloudy Clouds", 2020) and a student teacher in the TV comedy "Für immer Eltern" (2021). In the Netflix horror thriller "Das Privileg - Die Auserwählten" ("The Privilege", 2022), he played a student investigating his school's dark secrets. He also appeared as a guest in several series, including "SOKO Leipzig" (2022), "Babylon Berlin" (2022) and "Sam – Ein Sachse" (2023). In "Loving Her" (2023), he had a recurring role as an editor for a Berlin queer magazine.

In 2024, following a supporting role in "Stella. Ein Leben." ("Stella. A Life.", 2023), about the Jewish Nazi informant Stella Goldschlag, Schimmelpfennig starred in "Cranko," portraying Dieter Gräfe, the close friend and collaborator of ballet choreographer John Cranko.