Photography Matthew Priestley
Fashion Rika Watanabe
Interview by Laasya Gadiyaram
Christian Friedel isn’t afraid to make some noise. In Johnathan Glazer’s directorial return, Friedel plays an integral role in a difficult cultural conversation—a Nazi officer at Auschwitz. The film has been nominated for two 2024 Academy Awards: Best Picture and Best International film as well as a BAFTA nomination for Outstanding British Film.
This film continues to inspire discussion worldwide. We talk about Friedel’s band, and how identity influences media, and how to approach complex narratives.
Congratulations on the Zone of Interest! How has it been to work on a piece with such importance?
It was certainly some of the most intense work in my career to date. I had this dark character by my side for almost two years and it was an emotional cocktail.
As a German actor yourself, how has it been to work with material so interrelated with your country’s history?
I was aware of my responsibilities every day. I grew up in the former GDR (German Democratic Republic) under an anti-fascist system. I will never forget the conversations with my grandparents and their memories. Unfortunately, I was too young to understand the dimensions of their experiences. In Germany we have many projects that remind us of these dark times so that we do not forget our guilt and what humans are capable of. I was able to take part in some of these projects, including previously playing a Jewish character on the run, a resistance fighter and a homosexual photographer who falls in love with a Nazi.
Multi Button Down Shirt: Paul Smith, Suit: Ben Cobb x Tiger of Sweden, Loafers: Versace
Striped Button Down Shirt: Stylist’s Own, Vintage Mohair Sweater: Y/Project
This is Johnathan Glazer’s first film in 10 years. What has it been like to be a part of his new creative vision?
I am proud and very happy to be a part of his vision. I practically grew up with his work without knowing the director’s name. But his music videos for Radiohead or Massive Attack, or his commercials inspired me a lot. Being able to work with him and his incredible team was an honor and a tremendous inspiration.
You play a character who has been introduced to the public as a prisoner. But in your depiction of him, he is directly the oppressor. How do you balance that dynamic in your portrayal of this historical figure?
His actions and his decisions in life made him a prisoner after the war and that gives me hope that such crimes will not go unpunished. I found it very interesting to hear his voice at the Nuremberg trial, but to me he sounded intimidated, afraid, and weak. But maybe that’s where we’ll hear his real self? I took this weak side of the character and contrasted it with how he really wanted to see himself. The external, almost artificially constructed strength is contrasted with the internal softness. This tension and the pressure of his task was the key for me in my portrayal. But of course, it remains an interpretation and not an attempt to tell a biography as truthfully as possible. That wasn’t our claim.
Suit & Shirt: Jil Sander, Boots: Off-White
How do you approach developing a character that the public is already familiar with?
Luckily, the public doesn’t have a real image of him, perhaps more of a clichéd image of an evil bureaucrat. But my job was to show a person against all clichés and expectations. A normal, boring command recipient. The conversations with Jonathan and Sandra beforehand, and we had a lot of them, were the most important preparation for me. Jonathan and his team really did a tremendous job, collecting years of facts, memories, and details, all of which made the script so rich and believable. As actors, we had to be curious and spontaneous and search for how the people in this house lived and acted.
Much of your work could be categorized as historical and dramatic pieces. Are there any other genres you’d like to explore?
I would love to star in a big genre film someday. A villain in the new James Bond or an antihero in a Star Wars film or a hunted man in a horror film or even a spaceman in a science fiction film. Where can I submit my wish list?
Do you think highlighting stories of such polarizing political figures could be used to justify their beliefs? Or do you see this work as a commentary on this part of history?
You can’t actually justify these actions in any way, but you have to understand that people are capable of such actions. We didn’t want to make a biopic or make these people seem important in any way. They are a sad example of what happens when we come to terms with a brutal, fascist, and destructive political system and carry out every order for this system to the best of our ability. What can happen then should be a warning to us.
Multi Button Down Shirt: Paul Smith, Suit: Ben Cobb x Tiger of Sweden, Loafers: Versace
You worked with Sandra Huller in Amour Fou nine years ago. How has it been to work together again?
When we first worked together, we both immediately felt like we had known each other forever and had been friends forever. We trusted each other immediately and had great energy together while filming. We actually became friends and that helped us a lot in this new collaboration. Working with Sandra is a true gift. And this project wasn’t just special for us as actors, it was a balancing act on a personal, human level and we supported each other together and gave each other strength and courage.
Your acting work also extends to the theater. How does performing on stage inform your work on screen?
In the theater you have to work out the story and your character every night. I love the direct contact with the audience and the dialogue that arises from it. By working primarily with classic texts and long passages, this is a good exercise in maintaining and bundling concentration and energy on a film set like THE ZONE OF INTEREST. Above all, expressionist play in the theater helps to open up and overcome boundaries. In the film you take a step back, but connect your characters with the emotional archive, which is primarily fed by the theater.
Shirt: Jil Sander, Jeans: Kid Super, Boots: Off-White
How do you balance your work as an actor with your work as a musician?
Practically speaking, I divide my year into sections and try to organize it so that, in addition to theater and film, there is always time for music and my band WOODS OF BIRNAM. But sometimes projects overlap, or I can’t keep track of all the deadlines myself. But for me, music is the most important form of expression because it is the most personal. But working with language or cinematic situations is also a form of music. And when I can combine both worlds, acting and music, then I think I’m happiest. And then there are no real scheduling problems.
What do you want audiences to know about the Zone of Interest before they see it?
It is an important journey that everyone should take and embark on. It is an important film, certainly artistic and experimental, but above all it opens our eyes and makes us look into a mirror that we should not obscure. I’m grateful that this film exists and that we ask important questions, mostly of ourselves. It’s not a film to entertain, it’s a film to react. And you shouldn’t be afraid of your reaction.
Multi Button Down Shirt: Paul Smith, Suit: Ben Cobb x Tiger of Sweden
Shirt: Jil Sander
Photography
Matthew Priestley
Creative Director
Deborah Ferguson
Interview
Laasya Gadiyaram
Fashion Stylist
Rika Watanabe
Grooming
Evy Drew @ Exclusive Artists
Using Koh Gen Do & The Best Paste
Web Layout
Naveed Shakoor
Thank you
Narrative PR