Mueller-Stahl won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the 42nd Berlin International Film Festival for his performance in "Utz" (1992). Mueller-Stahl was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the abusive father of pianist David Helfgott in the 1996 film "Shine". Mueller-Stahl was also in "A Pyromaniac's Love Story" (1995) and the 1997 remake of the film "12 Angry Men". "Conversation with the Beast" (1996) was his first film as director. In 1998, he played the German scientist and syndicate member, Conrad Strughold, in the feature film "The X-Files". In 1999 he played the mastermind of a criminal gang opposite Ray Liotta and Gloria Reuben in "Pilgrim", also distributed under the title "Inferno".