The following interview for Backstage’s on-camera series The Slate was compiled in part by Backstage readers just like you! Follow us on Twitter (@Backstage) and Instagram (@backstagecast) to stay in the loop on upcoming interviews and to submit your questions.
German actor, filmmaker, and producer Matthias Schweighöfer made his feature film debut in “Raus aus der Haut” in 1997. Over 20 years later, the multihyphenate has maintained a successful career and only has bigger and better things in store. From starring in numerous critically acclaimed German films to co-founding Pantaleon Films in 2011 to producing, directing, and starring in the first-ever German-language Amazon Prime series “You are Wanted” in 2017, there are few things Schweighöfer hasn’t achieved in the film industry. Most recently, he stars in Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead” on Netflix as a safe cracker named Dieter and is attached to direct and star in its upcoming prequel, “Army of Thieves.”
Schweighöfer was starstruck when he was cast in “Army of the Dead” due to his personal love of Snyder’s work.
“My American agent called me and said there will be casting for a movie called ‘Army of the Dead.’ Can you put yourself on tape? I said ‘Yes, of course I can,’ and I received mail; I’ll never forget it. It said: ‘Film by Zack Snyder, directed by Zack Snyder, written by Zack Snyder.’ I’m a director here in Germany, and all of my movies I’ve directed, when I had a second unit, I always told them, ‘There’s a movie called “Man of Steel,” and the second unit of it is amazing.’ I always gave them the film and all the bits and pieces I liked. I liked the atmosphere and the visionary styles. So, Zack was always part of my life. I did the self-tape, and my agent called me five weeks later and said ‘You’re in,’ and then Zack called me and said ‘Welcome to the show,’ and I was like ‘Oh my freaking god, what is going on?!’ ”
Influence from his family of artists and his early discovery of American film and television played a major role in Schweighöfer’s career and aesthetic.
“My dad is an actor, my step-mom, my grandparents, everyone is in the theater business, everyone has a very big ego…. It’s really interesting and so much fun. To be honest, I grew up in the cafeteria of a theater. When school was over, I went to the theater because my parents were there. I spent six years of my life in a theater. Everything started on the stage, but when the wall came down (because I was born on the East of Germany), and all the Americanism swept over, I was like, ‘Oh my god, “Fresh Prince”! Oh my god, “Lethal Weapon”! Steven Spielberg, James Cameron...they do movies about aliens! What?!’ ”
Finding challenges, and ultimately, happiness in creative work is his main advice for aspiring actors and filmmakers.
“It’s not about being a star or well-known. You have to have something to tell. Don’t be afraid. It’s hard work because the only tool you have is you, is yourself, so you have to work on that. If you have something to tell, then it’s always good because you have a goal. It’s not about, ‘I want to be well-known and rich.’ That’s a weird goal when you don’t have something to tell. When you have something to tell, you always fight for the right thing. Does it make you happy? That’s what I think it’s all about: to be happy. Especially when you spend time with creative people, and you’re away from home for four, five, six months, and everyday you’re on set for 14–15 hours, it must be worth it, because that’s your life. You will not have the time back. It has to be worth it. It’s so much hard work to find yourself and find your inner person; it always has to be a challenge. Being happy is a great thing for me. We only have one life. It must be filled with joy and pleasure.”
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