Star interview with Elyas M'Barek
In our exclusive JOY shoot and interview, Elyas M'Barek (31) did not mince words, but put rings in her hands.
When I meet Elyas in a Munich gymnasium, I feel instantly transported back to my school days: the smell of wood and leather, raging kids and gymnastic equipment such as rings, buck and horse.
Photo: Bodo Rickassel
Elyas M'Barek and the hottest German stars show the gallery!
The half-Austrian, whose father is Tunisian, plays in his new comedy "Fack Ju Göhte" an ex-Knacki, who creeps in as a teacher at a school to raise there his thieving booty, which he had buried under the gym. The gymnastics are no problem for Elyas, he benefits from his hard training for the film and tells why he split the crew during the shooting in two camps and why he collected references as a student.
JOY: Did you want your school time?
Elyas M'Barek: Looking back, I think she's great: you only have half a day's work. Homework I also failed more often times, so far it was extremely stress-free years. However, I did not have the best grades and was sometimes very naughty, so there was often trouble.
Did you play pranks?
Nah, that was too uncool. The only "prank" we played was just not coming.
Were there then references or punitive work?
Yes, when I came back.
Did you ever want to become a teacher?
Oh god, no! Mine were really stuffy and boring. At least that's what you feel as a teenager. I probably would have been the same as a teacher, but as a student you can not find his teachers cool.
What did you enjoy most about your role as the most relaxed teacher?
As Zeki Müller I let the students watch porn films while I drink beer and smoke cigarettes. And after two girls do not show up on time, I shoot them with a paintball gun. I could let off steam (laughs)!
What values will be important to you when raising your children?
Good manners, courtesy, honesty and reliability! And what did your parents value?
Exactly. My mother literally made fun of me, always politely saying "thank you", shaking hands - and cut fingernails were always very important to her.
You are extremely trained in the film, how did you prepare yourself?
I'm doing a lot of sports in general, but before that spin, I even got a personal trainer and pumped up my muscles "in jail." My daily routine consisted of a lot of strength training and endurance sports.
My diet was also changed: I was on an extreme diet and completed 20 minutes EMS training once a week. In this case, small surges are transmitted via electrodes to the muscle.
And what did the diet look like?
I was not allowed to eat anything that was cool. Mainly, I had to do without carbohydrates, alcohol, and sugar for six months and consume protein four to five times a day.
Was it hard to stick to the strict rules?
Fortunately, I was granted "cheat days", otherwise I had to be very disciplined to keep my six-pack during the shoot. I had my own catering on set. Mostly I only ate chicken and vegetables, often for breakfast. But you're also happy that the body is in good shape and you do not have to be ashamed of nude scenes.
Have you always jealously squinted on the plate of your colleague Karoline Herfurth?
No, she regularly ate my dish. Many of the team put in healthy days and then sat with my catering - at the end there were always two camps.
How was your mood during the diet phase?
At first I was a bit moody, but you get used to it. At some point you also reach a high phase: It is totally fun and it also develops a kind of sports addiction. Sometimes I went to the gym at six in the morning before filming.
Which compliment do you hear most often?
Wow! You have such beautiful big feet (laughs).
Can you generally accept compliments?
On the one hand, they gladden me, on the other hand, I often do not know what to answer. I'm not such a superficial guy in general either, so it's not important to me that I get compliments all the time. I'd rather give her!
Do you think it's great when women appeal to you or do you prefer to conquer yourself?
It depends on the situation, but I am happy when women approach me. I think it should not be manly business to take the first step.
What was the most original spell you ever heard?
I can only think of the worst: Once a woman asked me if I had a condom, which I found totally ridiculous. Maybe she really needed one, but if it was a turn-on, she went wrong!
When is a woman interesting?
If she has humor and if she can laugh heartily.
What's wrong?
If she has no sense of humor!
A magazine recently outed you as a virgin, what do you say?
That was just a joke. The whole interview was very ironic.
You were in the hospital recently. What was going on?
My nasal septum has been corrected. That's what actors always say when they're actually getting their hands on it, but I've had a bad breath. After the surgery, I was bored and I chatted with my fans on Facebook for one and a half hours - until the battery was empty.
What part time jobs did you have before you became an actor?
As a student, I also worked in the basement at Stadtwerke and sorted files there - without light. I have also shelves and worked in a bakery. And in the call center I was once on a hotline.
What are your next projects?
The bestseller adaptation "Der Medicus" will start on December 25th. In it I wore wig, beard and yellowed dentures, so that my teeth look suitable for the Middle Ages.
What is the difference between a German film and an international production?
There are not that many! Of course we spoke English and the set of "The Medicus" was a bit bigger. In autumn, I will also shoot "Männerhort" in Frankfurt, a comedy starring Christoph Maria Herbst and Detlev Buck - and in December the thriller "WhoAmI?" With Tom Schilling in Berlin.
Is this also an international film?
No, only the title. As a half Austrian I am the only one on the set that is international (laughs)!
Hollywood: News on JOY Online >>
