{"id":199357,"date":"2019-04-29T13:07:44","date_gmt":"2019-04-29T11:07:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/berlin030.de\/?p=199357"},"modified":"2019-04-29T13:07:44","modified_gmt":"2019-04-29T11:07:44","slug":"bauchgefuehl-ist-king-elyas-mbarek-im-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/berlin030.de\/en\/2019\/04\/29\/bauchgefuehl-ist-king-elyas-mbarek-im-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"Gut Feeling is King | Elyas M\u2019Barek in Interview"},"content":{"rendered":"

He is one of the few stars of German cinema. With the \u201cFack Ju G\u00f6hte\u201d trilogy, Elyas M\u2019Barek, 36, as the cool supply teacher Zeki M\u00fcller, reliably drew audiences of millions. His first appearance was in \u201cM\u00e4dchen, M\u00e4dchen\u201d while he was still at school, as the son of a Tunisian father and an Austrian mother. For his role in the ARD series \u201cT\u00fcrkisch f\u00fcr Anf\u00e4nger\u201d, he received the German Television Award. <\/strong><\/p>\n

This was followed by films such as \u201cThe Wave\u201d and \u201cTime You Change\u201d, where he played the young Bushido. In 2011, he starred alongside Matthias Schweigh\u00f6fer in \u201cWhat a man\u201d. After the historical epic \u201cThe Physician\u201d, the thriller \u201cWho am I\u201d, the satire \u201cWelcome to the Hartmanns\u201d, or the drama \u201cThis Crazy Heart\u201d, M\u2019Barek is now appearing alongside Franco Nero in the political thriller \u201cThe Collini Case\u201d, based on the novel by bestselling author Ferdinand von Schirach. Our contributor Dieter O\u00dfwald spoke to the actor.<\/p>\n

Mr M\u2019Barek, in the film you defend Franco Nero. Was there a bit of German for Beginners for the Western legend? <\/strong><\/p>\n

M\u2019Barek<\/strong>: There was indeed German for Beginners, I rehearsed his lines with Franco. He did have his own language coach, but mostly I helped a bit and read the dialogues out to him. Now and again, he would get terribly worked up and shout at himself when he didn’t get the German lines right straight away. I think the result now sounds very convincing.<\/p>\n

Do you chat with Franco Nero about the good old Western days?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Franco
Formerly with Eastwood, now with Elyas in front of the camera: Western legend Franco Nero.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Of course I wanted to know what things were like back then. And he readily shared anecdotes about Senta Berger and Clint Eastwood. Franco is an incredibly impressive personality and a fantastic actor. It’s a big screen experience when he just sits there with his icy blue eyes and, without saying a word, lays all his emotions bare. We really became friends; when I visited him in Rome, he showed me his favourite restaurant and arranged a short visit to the Vatican for me.<\/p>\n

Is one easily nervous when meeting screen legends?<\/strong><\/p>\n

No, I\u2019ve been in the job long enough for that. You realise that the people behind the stars are basically all the same and just cook with water like everyone else. In my experience, the biggest stars are those who are the most relaxed and don\u2019t need a circus around them. That was the case with Franco as well. He\u2019s a truly lovely person, always has a mischievous twinkle and hasn\u2019t lost his youthful spirit at all.<\/p>\n

Is such a serious role a welcome change from comedy? Do you sometimes have to reinvent yourself?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Is that reinventing oneself? At least, I didn\u2019t do that consciously. Of course, it\u2019s nice to do something different. Above all, it\u2019s nice to surprise the audience. But for me, the work is always basically the same. I try to choose scripts that appeal to me and that I\u2019d like to see made into a film.<\/p>\n