#so i think i'll be doing that.. somehow - in moderation and without too much pressure preferably

[desalvar]

ayo i'm not dead!

[everythingmaxriemelt]

More highlights - from Max’s latest podcast on Spielplatz - part 3 (NB: they recorded this podcast last year before the release of Matrix Resurrections)

About playing a controversial character in Kopfplatzen/Head Burst:

Moderator: As an actor, do you see yourself as a mouthpiece, that you are giving such extreme characters a stage?

Max: I’ve always found it exciting to portray the conflicts in people. I'm not the author. I am not the inventor of this role. That was my friend Savas, who also directed it, who came up with it. I'm just forever grateful that he has so much trust or sees something in me to do it well - He kind of wrote the role for me, because for him, it was important to show that someone like me, who comes across as rather gentle, or always seems trustworthy and innocent, just because his face is symmetric. To break this cliché and build this emotional bridge so viewers finally understand, what it must mean to be born with it. Or what it must feel like to have someone like that in your family. How do you deal with it. You can't just write him off as a person just because he has something in him. I don't think anyone would do that.

How did you get involved in the new Matrix?

Max: I don't want to diminish or downplay it at all, because it’s also a relatively small role. But of course it has to do with the Sense8 series and getting to know Lana. We became friends and in this case, she more or less created this role for me. It's a form of recognition that I appreciate the most, because it really has to do with friendship and trust. And the desire to continue working together. It was kind of a gift for me. The fact that it's Matrix only makes me happier because a lot of people are proud of me because of it. Me too.

For me it was like a family reunion because we travelled the world and really got to know each other and thoroughly enjoyed it. Lana is also someone who puts quality of life at the centre of her work.

Dreams and then future:

Moderator: Are there any dreams that you still like to realise one day?

Max: I'm more the ‘goes with the flow’ type, but I've already noticed that I might want to do something of my own, especially when it comes to the medium. I just did a sculpture class. That was really cool, because I wanted to do something for myself. I don't want to be too specific, because I'm afraid of building up pressure on myself. But yes.

On being an actor and what is success:

Max: … I think today the consumer behavior has become completely different and accordingly, everything has become much more fast-paced. I think people now realised that it's just foolish to think, "If I'm successful now, people will remember me and I'll always be happy." But that is a brief and intense bliss. It doesn't necessarily speak for what it really is. Because everyone sees something different in what you did or wants to see it differently. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with what you actually did.

First and foremost, (as actor) I'm more of a tool, I see myself as a person who has a vision and I can't overestimate that either, always have to see for what it is. I was lucky to be allowed to embody that. If people find it extremely good, then I'm happy that it works. But if there's nothing else in life, it's a very fragile thing. It's like those likes on Instagram. I don't understand why people are so proud of it, why certain people follow them. When they're getting off on these attractive pictures, which come from a completely different direction, edited with a filter somehow. That's a big misunderstanding (or misrepresentation?) and as a result, leading people to live out of touch with reality.

How about his own instagram then?

Moderator 1: Is that an area you keep your hands off? You have an account on Instagram, I checked it, and you have 608,000 followers, without running it yourself. Is that something that is brought to you because a team is doing it for you?

Moderator 2: Did you know that at all?

Max: Yes. I think it's good that it's being done. It's a fan club that was founded when I first started, funnily enough. When I was 13, they were relatively young as well, just a year older than me. They decided to start a fan club because they think what I do and how I do it is great. I still have a really good relationship with them today and they do my fan mail.

Moderator 2: how nice.

Moderator 1: that’s really cool.

Max: They promote it. This is voluntary. There's no money involved, it's just because they think what I do is great. I'm very grateful for that. We help each other as best we can.

Moderator 2: Best wishes to you, who do this.

Max: Exactly.

Moderator 1: That’s great. To Patrick.

Max: And to Michael from Berlin.