Verena Altenberger is an Austrian actress born and raised in the federal state of Salzburg. She studied acting in Vienna after completing a degree in Communication Studies and graduated from the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna in 2015. Altenberger gained early stage experience at the Burgtheater and later appeared at major theaters such as the Volkstheater Vienna and the Salzburg Festival, where she played the role of the Buhlschaft in Jedermann in 2021 and 2022. She rose to international attention with her award-winning lead performance in Adrian Goiginger’s film The Best of All Worlds (2017), which earned her several acting awards. Altenberger is also widely known for her television work, including CopStories, Magda Makes It Work!, Polizeiruf 110, and numerous film and TV productions across Austria and Germany. Beyond acting, she has served as President of the Austrian Film Academy since 2021 and became a UN World Food Programme ambassador in 2025.