#max german interview

What Max says about his character in “The Tasters”/“die Vorkosterinnen”:

“My character is very sadistic. A severely traumatized war veteran, I would say. An SS colonel who probably killed a lot of people in Ukraine, but who is still a human being, who has needs. He’s part of this machinery, but he’s also trapped in it. And of course, I found that very interesting.”

Max remembers filming Napola ❤️:

“That was with Dennis Gansel, with whom I had already worked before. And Tom is, of course, also a great acting colleague and we got to know each other. He's also from Mitte area in Berlin, so we already knew each other a bit. So it has a lot to do with how you work together, that's what creates the effect. Because if everyone is only doing great on their own, that doesn’t turn into a film. So sometimes it’s about the things that you don't say, but that you say with your body, so to speak. So body language is very important in film making and in acting in general, how you capture it and get to the point.”

Max and Florian Lukas talk to SUPERillu about filming “Etwas ganz besonderes” (Home Stories) and their connection beyond acting 💕

Some highlights:

SUPERillu: On the subject of ‘casting’. Do you – having long been in the top flight – still go to any?

Max: Absolutely. For this film too. Eva said that, in a way, she felt as though I’d cast her. And that’s true: if the chemistry isn’t right, it doesn’t matter how brilliant the script is.

Florian: Especially with a project like this, you’re also looking for companions. You’re all climbing aboard a boat together, and once you’re on, there’s no getting off. And to be perfectly honest: it’s supposed to be fun, after all! (laughs) In short: auditions make sense for everyone involved.

SUPERillu: It's hard to believe, but you two had never stood in front of the camera together before "Home Stories"!

Florian: There are colleagues whom I only admire from a distance, but they never cross paths in terms of work. I was very happy that it finally worked out. Max was one of the reasons for me to want to be there.

Max: I can only agree. And I did mention Eva Trobisch’s honesty earlier. Florian has that too. He isn’t out to please; he doesn’t just want to come across as likeable – rather, he possesses a great deal of honesty and authenticity. That comes across in his work as well.

Florian: …just as you have a directness and candour that I really like and that not many people possess.

Max: We recognise ourselves in one another – it’s a bit like looking into a mirror.

SUPERillu: I also found it interesting to note that neither of you had any formal acting training, yet you’ve both gone on to have highly successful careers. How did you manage that?

Max: It has a lot to do with intuition. It’s often the best and the only ‘weapon’ you have for figuring out who to trust and who can help you grow. Take my agent, for example: I’ve had her since I was a teenager – she’s a real rock and has long been like family to me. She’s always looked out for me; I don’t know if I’d have got this far without her. Or when it comes to acting: yes, I did actually have insecurities for a long time because I didn’t take the ‘normal’ route. But: there are people who are very good at imitating and are technically at a very high level – yet they don’t really manage to be open and build that emotional connection. I don’t act in a ‘manipulative’ or judgemental way. I always want the audience to feel involved in my thought processes.

SUPERillu: Did people ever ‘turn their noses up’ at you because of your supposed lack of formal training?

Florian: No, and if they did, it was only towards myself. I had to reach the age of 30 before I could accept the idea and say to myself with a certain degree of self-confidence: I am an actor. Jürgen Vogel was a great help in that regard, as someone who hadn’t had a traditional training but who brought with him a naturalness and a street-smart way of speaking.

Max: Absolutely. In that respect, Jürgen was also my hero and role model. He definitely paved the way for us.

(Full interview at SUPERillu.de or latest issue)

Max and co-star Frida Hornemann on ARD’s Brisant TV programme for their new film “Etwas ganz Besonderes” (Home Stories) ❤️

When asked if he gets along with young new actress Frida:

Max: Well, you get on better with some people and not so well with others. No, no, I’ve got a daughter that age myself. And it’s quite exciting, actually. You just trying to put yourself in their shoes.

When asked if he gives out advice to Frida as Max was a child actor himself:

Max: I don’t like being the teacher; I’d rather be someone you can turn to when you need to.

As someone the youngster to watch and learn?

Max on the DAS! red sofa today ❤️

They talk the new film “die Vorkosterinnen” / “The Tasters” and a lot of things. Since it’s Champions League final in Munich tonight, they also talk about football - Max apparently used to play for Berolina (SV Blau Weiss Berolina Mitte - a football club in Mitte area in Berlin), as well as FC Friedrichshain (another Berlin football club). Of course, he wasn’t getting paid for it 😝 And he admits team sports is difficult for him because he has problem with authorities 😂

Max talks to ZDF at Berlinale ❤️

About the role he plays in “Home Stories”:

Max: He is very intelligent. In the sense that he challenges the audience a little, I think. The way he tells stories. And he also talks about the East, but in a very subtle way. Not in a superficial or clichéd way.

When did he realise he wanted to become an actor:

Max on the sofa ❤️

Max: “I am old school about taxi. I have no Uber app” 👀

The interviewer asks Max “how much Constanze is there in Natalia?” (Natalia plays Constanze in “Es geht um Luis”) :

Max doesn’t really want to answer this particular question, says he doesn’t want to judge people by how he met them while filming. And he doesn’t want to answer a complex question in a simple way.

Natalia then jokes that now she can’t say anything even though she has a lot to say 😂

Then Max adds that he believes every person is always different, depends on who that person is mirrored by.