Elyas M’Barek doesn’t just want to be the “half-Arab” in jeans

A famous movie star, best known for his insanely successful comedies and adored by much of the public, suddenly has his life in question and… surprisingly finds love in an LGBTQ+ theater. Sounds like Elyas M’Barek is doing Nicolas Cage and just playing a variant of himself in Liebesdings.

But the comedy by Anika Decker, the in German cinemas from July 7, 2022 runs has little to do with the reality of her star’s life. In an interview with Moviepilot, M’Barek tells what’s really bothering him right now, which surprising comic book character was his childhood hero – and why he’s waiting for a call from Marvel.

Despite movie star parallels: Elyas M’Barek does not play himself in Liebesdings

Moviepilot: The movie star you play in Liebesdings isn’t a fan of interviews. Do you have that in common?

Elyas M’Barek: I get asked that all the time now, and I really enjoy giving interviews. I have colleagues who complain. They say press days are the worst for them. I always think to myself: Are they spiders? It’s really cool that people are interested in your work and deal with the film and come up with questions and then report on them.

At least I feel like I want my films to be seen. For that I need a public interest in it. It’s great when you have a mouthpiece for it. Unless people want to play games with you, like either/or questions. I do not feel like it. At 40, I’m too old for thatthe same goes for TikTok.

Nevertheless, there are several interviews of yours in which the articles suggest that you didn’t feel like doing the interview. Do you then feel misunderstood?

Maybe I didn’t like the person and was too unprofessional and let it show. That can happen too. We are human, we all make mistakes. But basically I try to be professional and take my work seriously. One side is interested in making the text as interesting as possible, and the other side is mostly interested in presenting itself well and, in my case, selling the film well now.

Elyas M’Barek believes that some have underestimated him since Fack ju Göhte

You seem surprised that people draw such clear parallels between your character from Liebesding and you as a real person. What was the most absurd thing believed about you because of one of your roles?

I find it generally quite funny that people tend to underestimate me. Because of the roles I played in Turkish for Beginners or Fack ju Göhte, there are one or two who Guess I’m not that bright. But that’s always an advantage. Better to be underestimated than overestimated.

So unlike your character from Liebesdings, you’re not fleeing the public eye and questioning your life?

No, the complete opposite. And if it were so and Anika [Decker] would know that if she hadn’t written it in the film. In the interviews here, I get asked the question all the time, Do I hate being famous?. But that’s total nonsense. I absolutely love being famous.

What do you like best about it?

That I always get a table, no matter in which restaurant. That people are much nicer to you and that you just gets celebrity bonus everywhere, which of course is totally unfair. You lose privacy for this and not only is everything positive, but the positive aspects seriously outweigh the negative ones. Mainly because I know life before that. I didn’t grow up like Prince William. I know exactly what it was like before my career and how it feels when you tend to be disadvantaged. Especially as someone with an immigrant background.

From Game of Thrones to Marvel: Elyas M’Barek finally wants to slip into other roles

If your role in Liebesdings is the role that Anika Decker always wanted to see you in: Which role would you like to see yourself in?

I would like to shoot a western. Or a knight film! Something set in a different time. A costume film. I’m never allowed to play costumes, it seems that my migration background has prevented me from doing so until now. So far I’ve only been allowed to play the now-time and mostly wear jeans. I would love something Game of Thrones-esque. It doesn’t even have to be a series, it’s also a feature film. Definitely in a different era. But I think, many still think: “The half-Arab didn’t exist when the knights existed.” But maybe with the ancient Romans! I would also like to do something like that, walking around in a toga.

Which Game of Thrones house is your heart set on and are you looking forward to the Jon Snow spinoff series?

Oh God. I’m not nerdy enough to memorize the names. Daenerys was definitely cool. So I’ll take the Targaryens. Although her weird brother was totally corrosive. I didn’t even know about the spinoff series, of course I’m looking forward to it. I always liked Jon Snow. Right now I’m mostly watching Yellowstone with Kevin Costner and The Boys. Mega awesome. are you watching this Like the one in the first episode of the third season runs into the glans of the guy and bursts it. That’s so awesome. (laughs) It’s often so stupid, but also so good.

Fancy a superhero role?

Totally. Marvel can give me a call too, I agree. It’s time. Although to be honest I’m not very familiar with comics. I only knew Prince Valiant, I loved him as a child. That was the one with the weird hairstyle. I say yes, such knight films would really be my thing. That is so martial, so brutal. Horses, swords, battles – it’s exciting. You could just play something like that in the desert, right? I just play a nomad, like the Tuareg. Then I’ll fit in there too.

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In which role would you like to see Elyas M’Barek?