{"id":195087,"date":"2019-02-17T10:30:14","date_gmt":"2019-02-17T09:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/berlin030.de\/?p=195087"},"modified":"2019-02-17T10:30:14","modified_gmt":"2019-02-17T09:30:14","slug":"ich-habe-einfach-ein-vertrauen-ins-leben-interview-mit-schauspieler-damian-hardung-zu-club-der-roten-baender","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/berlin030.de\/en\/2019\/02\/17\/ich-habe-einfach-ein-vertrauen-ins-leben-interview-mit-schauspieler-damian-hardung-zu-club-der-roten-baender\/","title":{"rendered":"I simply have trust in life | Interview with actor Damian Hardung about \u201cClub of the Red Bands\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Things are going well for Damian Hardung. With the TV series \u201cClub of the Red Bands\u201d, he starred in a ratings hit that even won an Emmy award. Last year, he appeared in Aron Lehmann\u2019s highly acclaimed teen drama \u201cThe Most Beautiful Girl in the World\u201d as the somewhat awkward heartthrob Rick. <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m completely skint up here!\u201d he exclaims in that script. In real life, Hardung was awarded a scholarship for gifted students at a private school in New York City when he was fourteen. Before he appears shortly in the TV remake of \u201cThe Name of the Rose\u201d alongside John Turturro, he reprises the role of the sensitive Jonas in the cinema version of \u201cClub of the Red Bands\u201d. [030] staff member Dieter O\u00dfwald spoke with the 20-year-old actor.<\/p>\n

Mr Hardung, you could easily work as a model, based on your appearance. You\u2019re also highly gifted\u2014are you satisfied with your lot in life?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think much of the term \u201chighly gifted\u201d; I would quickly reject that label. And as far as looks are concerned: Last year I starred in \u201cThe Most Beautiful Girl in the World\u201d, and the central message is, once again, that beauty is always in the eye of the beholder.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Damian Hardung in interview.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe Most Beautiful Girl in the World\u201d was one of the best German films last year. Yet another lucky break?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m incredibly grateful for everything. (Laughs) The producer always used to say: \u201cDamian, the sun seems to shine out of your arse!\u201d Now, I have to hear that every time we meet. And I haven\u2019t quite managed to argue the opposite yet. I simply have trust in life, because it\u2019s had such lovely things in store for me so far.<\/p>\n

Those lovely things include your more than 175,000 followers on Instagram. Is it time for a disguise yet? <\/strong><\/p>\n

I have a great respect for what might come along. Even now, I feel what it means to be in the public eye and to give up some of your privacy. You constantly feel that certain things could be interpreted in particular ways by certain people. But constantly hiding because of that isn\u2019t any fun either.<\/p>\n

Do you still enjoy taking the tube when you’re constantly being stared at strangely?<\/strong><\/p>\n

No idea, I never take the tube; I get around everywhere by bike.<\/p>\n

How do you learn to deal with fame?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to separate the character from yourself. For that you need the right people around you. That\u2019s why I consciously decided against moving to Berlin and stayed in Cologne, where my family and long-standing friends live\u2014people who don\u2019t really have anything to do with acting professionally.<\/p>\n

On TV, \u201cClub of the Red Bands\u201d was a ratings hit, with a shower of awards including the Emmy. Where does the enormous success for such a sad theme of illness and death come from?<\/strong><\/p>\n

We didn\u2019t reinvent the hospital series, but we succeeded in telling the story from the perspective of children. The characters were given an incredible amount of room, which created a very special atmosphere. Every viewer could choose which character was closest to their heart. Since the club was made up of such different types, it became a very complex construct. It was like a painting in different colours: the handsome one, the clever one, the leader, the good soul. They\u2019re all connected by an extraordinary friendship through their illness.<\/p>\n

What happens when the club meets reality? Aren\u2019t there quite a few people who reach out to actors with what they think is the same fate?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Expectations can sometimes be problematic when people look for the good mate from the series in real life too. Of course, I can\u2019t provide that kind of psychological support as an actor. That\u2019s the job of people who are professionally trained for it.<\/p>\n

How does such a sad topic affect the mood during filming?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

There definitely were days, even weeks, when it was incredibly tough. One of the worst times was in the third series when it was about Leo\u2019s farewell. Looking at the shooting schedule, you sometimes thought: \u2018Oh wow, how am I going to get through this emotionally!\u2019<\/p>\n

So what was your answer to that?<\/strong><\/p>\n

My solution was to create a space for myself. I would sit in the garden in the evenings and actively try to let it all go. You just end up staring at a tree for an hour, letting go of the role. It\u2019s exhausting, but at the same time it\u2019s also incredibly liberating.<\/p>\n

What would you say is the most important quality for the acting profession?<\/strong><\/p>\n

You have to be brutally honest with yourself. Of course, you do some research about a character beforehand. But at the end of the day, it\u2019s about really knowing your own impulses. And being aware of your fears and desires, so you can use them. That\u2019s often tough. Making yourself vulnerable proves to be a difficult task time and again.<\/p>\n

\"Club
One for all. All for one. \u2013 Photo: \u00a9 Universum Film<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You\u2019ll soon be seen in the remake of \u201cThe Name of the Rose\u201d in the role that was once played by Christian Slater. Did you watch the original again to prepare?<\/strong><\/p>\n

No, I deliberately didn\u2019t watch the film. I wanted to play my own version of the role and avoid being influenced by Christian Slater.<\/p>\n

Has the Emmy for the TV series already had an impact on your career? Do you have to give up your medical studies?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There have been some effects, but I\u2019m not allowed to reveal anything. (Laughs) I\u2019ve started studying medicine, but the time management is a bit tricky at the moment. In any case, I find it exciting to experience this other world as well.<\/p>\n

Lucas Hedges and Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet have become Oscar contenders in Hollywood through demanding roles. Are they role models for you? <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cCall Me by Your Name\u201d was my favourite film last year; I absolutely fell in love with Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet and his performance. What he achieved there is simply fantastic, and a wonderful source of inspiration for me personally. I\u2019ll soon be appearing in the adaptation of Bov Bjerg\u2019s \u201cAuerhaus\u201d, and while reading the script, I often thought of Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet.<\/p>\n

“The Club of the Red Bands \u2013 How It All Began” has been showing in cinemas since the 14th of February.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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