Verena Altenberger is an Austrian actress born and raised in the federal state of Salzburg. After earning a degree in communication studies, she studied acting in Vienna and graduated in 2015 from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Altenberger gained early stage experience at the Burgtheater and later performed at major theaters such as the Vienna Volkstheater and the Salzburg Festival, where in 2021 and 2022 she played the role of Bullschaft in the production "And Every One." International recognition came with her award-winning leading role in Adrian Goiginger's film "The Best of All Worlds" (2017), for which she received several acting awards.

Altenberger is also widely known for her television work, including "CopStories," "Magda Makes Order!," "Polizeiruf 110," and numerous film and television projects in Austria and Germany. In addition to acting, since 2021 she has served as president of the Austrian Film Academy, and in 2025 she became an ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme.