Christian Friedel: The most exciting thing is the different forms of communication. These days, we seem to have forgotten how to argue properly, how to move beyond black and white. The more complex the characters and situations are, the more interested I am in them.

Inner struggles are something that accompany us throughout our lives. We seem to have to fight them all the time. Or we try to prevent it. I find it exciting to push my limits. The more complex the character is, regardless of whether it’s internal or external, the more I try to get closer to the character and connect it to my personal emotional archive. In the best case scenario, I then not only learn something about myself, but also about other people.

It was a great challenge to not publish the subtexts or thoughts of this terrible man, but to show him as banal as possible, almost boring. You shouldn’t be able to grasp him, expose him, but above all, look into a mirror that you never wanted to look into. There were ethical concerns, but the open communication and transparency on set and in the preparation helped us to dare this experiment in an intimate atmosphere.

I think it’s great to watch the characters, like looking through the window of these cold people for a moment. I was particularly impressed by Jonathan Glazer’s vision in the work and the multi-camera system, which observed us like Big Brother. Acting as authentically as possible was achieved above all through time and the luxury of not having to think technically, but simply being.

I hope people realize that they were normal people who did unbelievable things to other people. That we are not born evil, but that our choices in life do define us. And when a political picture changes, we influence how we live together in the future through our behavior. Today, we are once again living in politically difficult times and everyone is expecting a bang soon that will turn our understanding of democracy and peace on its head. Personally, I hope that we humans learn from our past. And a movie like this, such a true work of art, is a warning to us.

It was great fun playing this nervous hotel manager, giving him a few secrets and making him submissive and uncomfortable at the same time. A poor sausage, as we say in Germany. I’m often nervous, too, of course, but certainly more self-confident, sometimes to the point of hubris. But that comes from curiosity and not vanity. When I play a negative character, I try not to take the energy home with me, but subconsciously it happens to me sometimes, and then I look for contrasts in the next work so that I can shake the negativity out of me.

Home is a place where my loved ones are. Mike wanted a melancholy song, very personal, a contrast to my character in the show. Unfortunately, the song didn’t make it into the show, but it tells a very personal story about my roots in my hometown and the divided relationship. I will be releasing the song soon and hope that many people will recognize themselves in the images. It couldn’t be more topical.

My character has desires, dreams and wishes that will probably never be fulfilled in the way Fabian imagines. He has effectively run away from home, believing that happiness lies in the distance. But happiness lies within you and not on the outside. Recognizing this leads to true wisdom and Fabian is standing in his own way. Expressing his innermost feelings through a song was a big step. But a hotel with super-rich people who are so focused on themselves is the worst stage imaginable.

The audience has to believe the characters, follow them, react emotionally. It doesn’t matter whether these are external or internal struggles – the main thing is that they are believable. The best thing is a reflection of all our actions. If you can then get involved, you will go home richer from the experience. Our own imagination is the greatest gift we humans have been given.

All forms of moods and atmospheres are valuable. When I direct in the theater, I like to overtax people. But some people don’t like that at all, they need silence to open up. That’s why it’s good that art is so diverse. Silence is just as powerful as volume. The contrasts make life worth living. Without death, there is no life.

I think both are dangerous – because the inner struggle that is not carried out discharges on other people and could lead to unjust behavior. I wouldn’t necessarily describe an argument as a fight. If you take yourself seriously and argue emotionally, I think that’s much better than not taking the other person seriously. We ignore other people, other cultures, and live in our own bubble. We tend to be comfortable and fight battles that are unnecessary. We fall far short of our potential. And that brings us back to good communication.

Cartier is a special brand. I would never have imagined what jewelry can do to you, what it can invigorate or trigger in you. I always wanted an earring as a child and thought it was incredibly cool. When I wore an earring again for the first time after a 10-year break at the 2024 Oscars, a beautiful Cartier earring, I felt a different kind of self-confidence, a play of possibilities. It was great and I am very grateful to be an ambassador for Cartier and to discover new possibilities.

Time is a great luxury and priceless. Allowing yourself other luxuries sometimes can make you happy for the moment. But it doesn’t last. However, given the limited time we have on earth, we should enjoy every moment.