Meet the Cast of Amazon Prime’s ‘Drive – The Pretenders’ (with Pictures)

Prime Video expands its slate of high-octane romances with ‘Drive – The Pretenders’, a feature film adaptation inspired by author Tamara Lush. Directed by Sergej Moya and produced by Bavaria Fiction alongside Amazon MGM Studios Germany, the romantic drama explores the competitive and high-pressure world of professional motorsport.

The narrative centers on an ambitious young mechanic who agrees to a public fake engagement with a disgraced racing star, setting off a chain of events that blurs the boundary between calculated pretense and genuine emotion. An ensemble of established German actors and emerging international talents comes together to bring this fast-paced story to the screen.

Lisa-Marie Koroll

In ‘Drive – The Pretenders’, Lisa-Marie Koroll stars as Sarah Jenkins, an ambitious race car mechanic who enters into a fake engagement with a controversial racing star to earn an opportunity behind the wheel. The German actress gained national recognition early in her career for portraying the title character Tina Martin in the film adaptation ‘Bibi & Tina’ in 2014. She made her television debut as a child actress in the long-running series ‘Familie Dr. Kleist’, appearing across multiple seasons of the medical drama. Koroll later expanded into mature dramatic roles with the youth series ‘Wir sind jetzt’ and the science fiction thriller film ‘Paradise’. Her performance in ‘Bibi & Tina’ also earned her a New Faces Award.

Amin Baahmed

Amin Baahmed takes on the leading role of Dante Annunziata in ‘Drive – The Pretenders’, portraying a scandal-plagued racing star attempting to rebuild his public image. The production marks the first major leading feature film role for the German actor, dancer, and journalist who grew up in Bremen. Prior to this feature, Baahmed appeared in the comedy sequel film ‘Kundschafter des Friedens 2’ and played the title character in the short film ‘Petja’. In addition to his screen acting, he has worked as a reporter and podcast host for youth broadcast networks including Bremen NEXT and COSMO. His professional background also encompasses formal dance training with a specialization in breaking.

Gustav Schmidt

Gustav Schmidt appears in the cast of ‘Drive – The Pretenders’ portraying the character Ruben. Born in Magdeburg, Schmidt completed his formal acting education at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin. Following his drama school training, he became a regular ensemble member at Theater Bonn and performed on prominent stages including the Schaubühne Berlin. His screen appearances include the feature drama film ‘Drifter’ as well as television films such as ‘Das Wasser des Lebens’. He has also made guest appearances across German television crime productions, including the procedural franchise ‘Tatort’.

Mišel Matičević

Mišel Matičević plays the role of Bronson in the romantic racing drama ‘Drive – The Pretenders’. The Berlin-born actor of Croatian heritage trained at the Konrad Wolf Film University of Babelsberg before establishing an extensive screen career. Matičević gained international recognition with his starring performance in the crime film ‘Lost Killers’, which won him the Best Actor Award at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. Television audiences know him for portraying mob boss Edgar Kasabian in the critically acclaimed period drama series ‘Babylon Berlin’. He also received the German Television Award for Best Actor in 2008 and headlined the crime thriller film ‘Im Schatten’.

Lucie Heinze

In ‘Drive – The Pretenders’, Lucie Heinze joins the ensemble cast as Tanya. Heinze is widely recognized for her starring role as investigator Anneliese Deckert in the television crime procedural series ‘Professor T.’. On the big screen, she starred alongside Elyas M’Barek in the romantic comedy film ‘Liebesdings’ in 2022. Her earlier cinematic credits include feature films such as ‘Unten Mitte Kinn’ and Sönke Wortmann’s comedy ‘Das Hochzeitsvideo’. In addition to her feature work, she has performed in numerous television films and stage productions across Germany.

Frederic Linkemann

Frederic Linkemann portrays the character Jack in ‘Drive – The Pretenders’. Born in Oberstdorf, Linkemann completed his professional acting studies at the Bavarian Theatre Academy August Everding in Munich. He is known to German filmgoers for his role as Kurt in the popular crime comedy film ‘Dampfnudelblues’. His additional cinematic appearances include the political drama film ‘Wackersdorf’ and Marcus H. Rosenmüller’s coming-of-age feature ‘Beste Chance’. Alongside his on-screen roles, Linkemann has maintained an active career as a voice actor and dubbing artist since 2006.

Inka Friedrich

Inka Friedrich appears as Irene Jenkins in the Prime Video feature ‘Drive – The Pretenders’. The Freiburg-born actress studied drama at the Berlin University of the Arts before achieving acclaim on prominent German theater stages. She reached widespread cinematic prominence with Andreas Dresen’s 2005 film ‘Sommer vorm Balkon’, which earned her the Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress at the Chicago International Film Festival. Her filmography includes roles in Caroline Link’s drama ‘Im Winter ein Jahr’ and the romantic comedy ‘Groupies bleiben nicht zum Frühstück’. Friedrich is also a frequent face on German television, appearing in high-profile dramas such as ‘Zeit der Helden’.

Jeanette Hain

Jeanette Hain takes on the role of Sofia Annunziata in ‘Drive – The Pretenders’. Originally a student of directing at the University of Television and Film Munich, Hain transitioned into acting after being cast in the television film ‘Die Cellistin’. She has accumulated credits in more than ninety productions, including prominent appearances in international films such as ‘The Reader’ and ‘The Young Victoria’. Hain received a Grimme Prize for her performance in the television crime drama ‘Kommissar Süden und der Luftgitarrist’. Modern streaming audiences have also seen her in the Netflix post-apocalyptic science fiction series ‘Tribes of Europa’.

Philippe Brenninkmeyer

Philippe Brenninkmeyer plays the character Richter in ‘Drive – The Pretenders’. Born in London and holding Dutch citizenship, Brenninkmeyer trained at the William Esper Studio in New York City and the Lee Strasberg Studio in London. He achieved widespread popularity on German television as Christian Dolbien in the long-running drama series ‘girl friends – Freundschaft mit Herz’. In American entertainment, he collaborated with the comedy troupe Broken Lizard on films such as ‘Super Troopers’ and ‘Beerfest’. His television resume includes appearances in acclaimed American series including ‘Sex and the City’ and ‘Mad Men’.

Leslie Malton

In ‘Drive – The Pretenders’, Leslie Malton portrays the character Eva Maria Fischer. The American-German actress began her career on prestigious theater stages, including a tenure at the Vienna Burgtheater where she performed under director George Tabori. She achieved her major German screen breakthrough in the 1992 television miniseries ‘Der große Bellheim’, earning the Bavarian TV Award for her performance. Her early cinematic projects include the international motorsport drama film ‘Races’ in 1984. In addition to her extensive filmography, Malton serves as the chair of the German federal acting association Bundesverband Schauspiel.

Pati Valpati

Pati Valpati appears in ‘Drive – The Pretenders’ in the role of Verkäuferin. Primarily recognized as a prominent German digital creator and media personality, Valpati has built a substantial public following through online entertainment. She has frequently worked as an event host and red-carpet interviewer, covering major music and cultural ceremonies. She has also contributed to podcast programs discussing lifestyle and culture, including the series ‘UNMATCHED’. Her participation in ‘Drive – The Pretenders’ represents a venture into mainstream feature film acting.

Steven Gätjen

Television host and entertainer Steven Gätjen makes a guest appearance as himself in ‘Drive – The Pretenders’. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Gätjen moved to Germany in his childhood and studied media in both Europe and the United States. He is widely recognized for hosting popular broadcast formats, including the prime-time game show ‘Schlag den Raab’. For decades, Gätjen has served as the primary German-language television host covering the red carpet at the annual Academy Awards. He has occasionally crossed over into screen acting, making cameo appearances in comedy series such as ‘Intimate.’.

Alexander Prince Osei

Alexander Prince Osei appears in ‘Drive – The Pretenders’ portraying a reporter covering the central motorsport racing storyline. Born in Saarbrücken, Osei trained as a hip-hop dancer before graduating with an acting degree from the Mozarteum University Salzburg in 2018. He began his professional career on stage as an ensemble member at the Oldenburgisches Staatstheater, headlining a production of Cyrano de Bergerac. His screen credits include appearances in the historical media thriller film ‘September 5’ and the drama ‘Limonov: The Ballad of Eddie’. On German television, he has appeared in recurring series roles such as the drama ‘Love Sucks’ and episodic installments of ‘Tatort’.

Sára Korbelová

Czech actress Sára Korbelová appears in ‘Drive – The Pretenders’ as Gabriella Annunziata, the sister connected to Dante’s racing past. Born in Prague, Korbelová started her acting career at a young age on Czech television and theater stages, including performances at the Vinohrady Theatre. She gained prominence for her long-standing role as Kristýna Voláková in the popular daily television series ‘Ulice’. International audiences may recognize her from the cyberbullying thriller series ‘#martyisdead’, which won an International Emmy Award in 2020. She has also starred in the television crime drama series ‘Oktopus’ and the fantasy feature film ‘Klíč svatého Petra’.

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