A MATTER OF MEASURE – or Philosophising with Elyas M’Barek

On Finding Home, Staying Hungry for Life and Everything in Between.

Measure is a tricky thing. In general, it is hard to know when the right balance has been struck. Then there is the measure of all things, a title the actor would hardly claim for himself, modest as he is. Besides, he is known for being somewhat difficult to define, charmingly so.

But then, of course, he is also a Münchner, and in Munich a Maß is defined with reassuring measure: one litre of beer, topped with a proper head of foam. So perhaps it is no surprise that M’Barek often seems to exist somewhere in between – he rarely offers straightforward answers, but seems more than willing to search for them: reflecting, following a thought through. And even when that leads nowhere in particular, metaphorically speaking, there is something reassuring about it.

That seems to be where he is right now: somewhere between arriving and setting off, between the bigger picture and life’s smaller pleasures. It is about exploring what else might be possible, behind the camera too, and about the idea that curiosity about the world may ultimately come down to a very honest realisation: “Not everything that happens is beautiful, and things aren’t always easy. But fundamentally, it’s just wonderful to be in the world.”

NISHA MERIT You had completely rebuilt your life in New York City. What did starting over teach you about yourself?

ELYAS M’BAREK I’ve certainly gained a wealth of life experience. There’s something unique about living abroad for an extended period of time. I really threw myself into it. I had a Green Card, so I was a permanent resident. When you suddenly have to organise everything from scratch, from your bank account to your entire daily routine, that’s when you realise what it actually means. I’d moved house many times before and had spent a long time in Ibiza, but moving across the Atlantic is something completely different. Everything is different: the currency, the system, the culture. At the same time, though, I’ve learnt that all these things are manageable. Even if, at first, you’re faced with this huge mountain and everything seems overwhelming. And you can make your dreams come true. That feeling that anything is possible is, for me, very much part of the American mindset. Hip-hop has always been a big influence on me; one of my favourite songs is Sky’s The Limit by Notorious B.I.G. Right at the beginning, his mum says to him: ‘I always taught you that you could have whatever you dream.’ If someone like Notorious B.I.G., who came from Brooklyn and grew up there in the most difficult circumstances, could believe that about himself, then so can others. I truly believe this: if you visualise something clearly, dream about it and are prepared to work for it, you can achieve anything.

NM Has that distance changed your understanding of what home means and what it is made of?

EM I’ve largely left my old life behind me. Aside from my personal and professional ties, there wasn’t much left in Germany. At some point, I realised just how much I missed home. That was probably the most important realisation: you can’t replace home. As much as I love New York, and as much as America will always be a place I long for, that feeling of home is something else entirely. For me, it’s fresh pretzels, the River Isar, the Munich way of life. I was born and raised here. When I came back, that feeling returned immediately. I realised just how important it actually is to me, and that this is where I feel safest and most at ease. Lots of people had read that I’d moved back to Munich and simply welcomed me home. That really touched me. It felt like coming home. I love those very simple moments; at the end of the day, we’re all just people.

NM You seem like someone who never wants to stand still. Where does that curiosity come from?

EM I think it’s mainly the urge to learn new things. And the desire to grow. I don’t like standing still. I enjoy learning new sports or getting into things I don’t know anything about yet. It’s a curiosity about life – about what else might be out there, still waiting to be discovered. About what might make life richer or add to your sense of well-being. I think that’s exactly what keeps me curious. It’s this urge to keep understanding myself better. I’m now at an age where I realise that, above all, it’s about being content with yourself. And also understanding what you don’t actually need. At the same time, though, I want to stay hungry for life. Finding that balance is what keeps me curious.

NM Have you found a way to maintain that balance for yourself?

EM I’m realising more and more that everything has to come from within. I used to think that happiness came mainly from external things. The more success, the more possessions, the more validation, the more money, the happier you become. I don’t believe that any more. Now, it’s things like freedom, serenity and acceptance that contribute to true happiness. And accepting that there are many things you simply cannot control. For me, it’s more about being a good person. It’s about causing as little harm as possible, staying true to yourself and, at the same time, being grateful for what you have. Being there for other people. Giving more than you take. I believe that’s the most fulfilling thing of all. Of course, you inevitably fall short of your own ideals and standards from time to time. But it’s precisely this constant process of figuring things out that gives me peace. And trusting that everything will work out as it should.

NM As an actor, you’re in the public eye, yet at the same time you maintain your privacy. How do you navigate the line between what you share publicly and what you keep private?

EM For me, these are two spheres that I deliberately keep separate: the public and the private. In public, I’m the actor, and I’m very selective about what I comment on, mostly sticking to issues that really matter to me. I keep a lot of other things to myself. That applies to opinions just as much as to personal matters. I simply don’t want to share everything with the public. Nor do I see it as my job to have an opinion on everything, all the time. On the contrary: I think it has far more impact when you speak out selectively than when you comment on every single issue. And at the end of the day, I’m an actor; I’m an entertainer. Above all, I want my films to entertain people, move them or make them think. Of course, it’s a balancing act. I am, after all, a public figure, so a certain degree of openness is part of the job. But only a certain degree.

NM At the same time, public discourse has become significantly harsher in recent years…

EM Every opinion is immediately discussed or judged in public. You really have to choose your battles. That’s something I experienced differently in America, for example. I felt there was more tolerance for differing opinions. You can hold very different views and still remain in dialogue. People seem more accepting of the fact that others might think differently. Here, I often feel it’s more difficult. Especially with artists or actors, a certain stance is frequently expected. And if you deviate from that or see things in a slightly more nuanced way, it quickly leads to arguments or resentment. But you don’t always have to pick a side. You can agree with one person, disagree with another and, on many issues, sit somewhere in between. Not everything is black and white. For me, diversity of opinion is fundamental to democracy and to a healthy culture of debate. But sometimes I simply don’t have the energy for it and would rather save that energy for other things.

NM With Babo – Die Haftbefehl-Story, you produced your first documentary last year. After that debut, what kinds of stories would you like to tell next?

EM I’ve always wanted to make a film. When the idea came up to make a documentary about Haftbefehl’s life, I set up a production company with my best friend, Pacco- Luca Nitsche, to make it happen. We want to tell stories that interest us and make films we’d want to watch ourselves. We’re currently developing some really exciting ideas. The aim is to keep making films that, like Babo, reach a wide audience, spark discussions and inspire people. That was actually one of the reasons I moved back to Germany. The distance was simply too great for this kind of work. We really want to step things up now. We’ll make more documentaries, but we’ll also develop fictional projects. Right now, we’re open to all kinds of projects. For us, it’s simply about making good films.

NM Der perfekte Urlaub is coming to cinemas in October, a rather chaotic travel comedy. You’ve travelled extensively – is there one place you find yourself wanting to return to again and again?

EM As a sequel to Das perfekte Geheimnis, this time the characters aren’t meeting for dinner but end up on holiday together. Of course, everything escalates again in a very entertaining way. We filmed in Mallorca; the film looks great and is a proper holiday film with a few surprising twists. And as for my own travels: definitely Japan. I went there for the first time last year and it was sensational. Tokyo, in particular, impressed me deeply. The culture, the aesthetics, the food – all of it was incredible. The fashion, too. I always thought New York was hard to beat in that respect, but Tokyo actually takes it to another level. What particularly fascinated me was the incredible attention to detail. It’s almost an art form. There are hardly any bins, yet you barely see any litter on the streets. It’s extremely quiet. Everything feels very respectful and pleasant. And at the same time, now that I’m living in Munich again, I’d like to rediscover more of Europe. There are so many incredible places right here. Ultimately, we live in a remarkably diverse world. Anyone who has had the chance to travel has probably experienced this, and I find the sheer diversity of cultures, people and ethnicities fascinating, and yet somehow we are all the same, all connected. Not everything that happens is beautiful, and things aren’t always easy. But fundamentally, it’s just wonderful to be in the world.

Der Perfekte Urlaub will be released in cinemas from 22 October 2026.

Photography by MAGNUS LECHER 
Creative Direction ANTONIA DIPNER
Creative Production JOHANNA ERDL
Photo Assistants BRUNO AXHAUSEN, SAMUEL GELLER
Styling by BRIAN GALLO
Styling Assistant ANA HARACI
Hair & Make-Up JANE JAKOBI