A former road-builder who entered the performing arts in the early 1980s, Nickel joined the Theaterpathologisches Institut in Hattingen and Lünen, remaining with the troupe until 1987 before moving to screen work. His television debut arrived in 1988 with the production “Breakfast for Enemies,” and three years later he gained wider recognition through two high-profile films: Joseph Vilsmaier’s ant…
