Introducing Langston Uibel, who has made his mark shaping characters and bringing stories to life in front of the camera. Now, he is beginning to shape what happens behind it. Born in London, Uibel has estab- lished himself across film and theatre and has built a career defined by an openness to different characters, namatives and forms of expression. However, his curiosity extends beyond performing itself. There is a certain freedom in moving beyond a single creative identity, allowing yourself to explore different forms of expression and sharpen your own creative voice. Pursuing that curiosity, he continues to expand his creative work beyond acting, serving as Executive Pro- ducer on the German campaign for Dr. Martens’ global With Bouncing Soles platform. Having helped de- velop and produce the campaign film, created in West Berlin, Uibel also appears in front of the camera. The boundaries between acting and producing are becoming increasingly blurred.

“For me as an artist, getting the chance to develop, produce and act in a commercial for Dr. Martens means a lot. You always need people who are willing to give you a stage and their trust, and that is something that deeply touches me. At the same time, it does not come as a surprise when you look at the history of Dr. Martens and the artists they have supported over the years in such a thoughtful and tasteful way.”

Trust is fundamental to creative collaboration, particularly for an artist moving between interpreting and cre- ating. Acting is, in many ways, a collaborative process of entering worlds imagined by others. Producing introduces a different relationship to that process, one in which the responsibility extends to helping shape
that world. For Uibel, both roles share a fundamental interest in storytelling. His upcoming feature film projects include Sentimental Fail Club, Hyper Baby and Britta Schlag. His grow- ing interest in shaping stories beyond acting is also reflected in Lamin Gibba’s feature film debut, produced by Jünglinge Film, in which Uibel plays the lead role while also serving as Executive Producer, contributing to the creative process beyond his own performance. Having made his theatre debut in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Vienna’s Burgtheater, Uibel is now joining the ensemble of Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus for selected productions. He reflects on how his work on Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull, directed by Barbara Frey, influenced his approach to the Dr. Martens film.

Speaking shortly before the play’s premiere on 16 October 2026, Uibel reflected:

“I had just finished reading Chekhov’s The Seagull before we started producing the Dr. Martens commercial, and now, only a few days later, we’re about to premiere the play. I think some of the mo- tifs from The Seagull found their way into the work, and when watching the commercial, you might be able to see that.”

A beautiful fit. At its heart, The Seagull is a play concerned with artistic ambition, the search for new forms of expression and the often complicated relationship between an artist and their work. Its characters question established conventions while struggling to define their own creative identities. These ideas offer an interesting parallel to Uibel’s exploration of what it means to move between artistic roles and define his own creative identity. There is real beauty in the thought that the experience of theatre impacts a commercial film, not through any direct adaptation but through a subtle exchange of references, emotions and ideas. The emotions explored on stage can, in tum, inform a new visual language. Langston Uibel is also exploring the possibility of storytelling in the space of contemporary art. He is developing an intervention with C/O Berlin in connection with The Heart of the Matter, an exhibition by American artist Care Mae Weems, whose work examines identity, representation and the relationship between images and the narratives they construct.

Reflecting on the Dr. Martens film, Uibel says:

“I really enjoy expressing myself and collaborating with other people to create something that doesn’t necessarily change the world, but still has meaning. For me, everything means something. I’m proud of the work, and I really like how the film turned out.”

I like the idea of thinking of creativity as a medium that values personal expression over the pressure to make an impact or create the next viral moment. Ubel’s perspective shows a different understanding of artistic value, one that places meaning in the act of creating itself. Real creation. Not every image needs to make a grand statement, not every project needs to redefine a discipline. Sometimes the significance lies in the exchange between people, the process of bringing an idea into existence and the personal meaning
attached to it. This is where Dr. Martens becomes part of the conversation beyond the product itself. With a history rooted in music, subculture and creative self-expression, the brand has long been associated with those who challenge conventions, find their own ways of expressing themselves and show real love for their craft. With Bouncing Soles, that relationship takes on a new dimension. Rather than simply placing an artist at the centre of a campaign, Dr. Martens offers Uibel the space and trust to create something of his own. It means giving him a platform, the freedom to experiment and, perhaps most importantly, the space to stand on his own Bouncing Soles.