Damian Hardung – Highs and Lows

SLEEK: You started acting at an early age. What originally inspired you to become an actor?

Damian Hardung: I don’t think anything inspired me, really; it was all just serendipity. In hindsight, it’s easy to come up with some reason or cause – maybe the artsy school I attended, the fact that I am a middle child, or the film nights with my dad. But I don’t really know whether that’s true or just a desperate attempt to tell a coherent story in retrospect. It’s a classic case of living life forwards and understanding it backwards.

S: Are there any actors, filmmakers, or films in general that have especially inspired you in your career?

DH: Jim Carrey’s deconstruction of roles, including his own persona, has inspired me time and again over the past few years. I often feel like I’m getting lost in the outside world, fixating on some external goal, or chasing happiness in a near future that, paradoxically, never actually arrives. In those moments, I love to watch clips from the documentary Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond. It reminds me that, even at 26, I’ve already achieved things I thought would make me happy – whether that’s a certain high school graduation mark, a role, or a university place. Or, as Jim Carrey put it: ‘I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.’

S: In many of your roles, eg. in Maxton Hall and How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast), you play complex male characters. How do you personally define masculinity, and has your perspective changed through your acting experience?

DH I consider masculinity from various perspectives. Medically, I could define it as a biological term, or sociologically, as a social construct. But I’m less interested in categorising things in a somewhat desperate attempt to create certainty in an uncertain world. Whether it’s masculinity or femininity, I’m more interested in shared humanity. Because, as Thomas Bauer suggests, beyond clearly defined identities, there might be an open space for human connection – a space where we no longer use dichotomies to shame each other. A space where we see masculine and feminine energies as different sides of the same coin that we all carry within us.

S: Do you think there is a shift in society’s view of masculinity today, especially regarding the ability to show emotions? Does that show up in your roles too?

DH: My last role primarily dealt with what happens when the traditional male provider role is taken to an absurd extreme, which ultimately even leads to failure. That was the main reason I took the role – to go on that journey and understand that it’s okay to not always perform. The character learns to regulate his emotions between drama and comedy. Young children learn how to do this around the age of three, yet this character learns it later in life, in his own way. This could be a contribution to the discourse around masculinity.

S: In your role as Dan in How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast), your character goes through emotional highs and lows. Do you find it easy to show that emotional side?

DH: Some days, I feel more open, and on others, I’d rather hide behind sunglasses and a cap. I think almost everyone has had days when they don’t really want to face the world. But the privilege of exploring emotional highs and lows, of experiencing a work week as a sinus curve of emotions, is exactly why I love this job. Acting is the ultimate weapon against monotony.

S: Are you Team Tracksuit or Team Suit?

DH: Team Situational. There’s a time and a place for both. As much as I like suits, that would be a bit much for lectures at university. I was already wearing bow ties back in school…

S: Which role has been the most challenging for you so far, and why?

DH: Playing James Beaufort in the second season of Maxton Hall was definitely the most emotionally taxing role I’ve ever taken on. It’s easy to see why when you consider what James goes through in the second season and the dedication Harriet and the entire team brought to this new season.

S: And which role was the most fun, and why?

DH: That’s a tough question – it’s like asking parents to pick a favourite child. I think I’ve learned something from each role, and I’m extremely grateful for each project. Generally, I try to only take on roles that I feel can also offer something to me personally. But, of course, long-term projects have worked their way more deeply into my DNA, simply due to my increased exposure to the role. The Red Band Society and Maxton Hall definitely fall into that category.

S: You have acted in various genres – from crime and drama to comedy. Is there a genre you have not tried yet but would like to?

DH: Honestly, I don’t really think in terms of genres. I’m more interested in the type of role I’m offered and the story’s central conflict. What does the character explore, or perhaps even learn? Where do I connect with that? Genres are more of a gift, as they add to the diversity and richness of different projects.

S: What are your personal career goals in the coming years? Do you want to move more towards film, television, theatre, or perhaps even behind the camera?

DH: Again, I know deep down that I’ve already achieved goals I thought would make me happy. Perhaps that is my great fortune – that I started young and can already look back on something like 15 years of a career. Or, as Beppo, the street sweeper in Momo, says, ‘You must never think of the whole street at once, understand? You must only concentrate on the next step, the next breath, the next stroke of the broom, and the next, and the next.’ And I’m looking forward to the next step.

CREDITS

Creative Direction & Production: Claude Gerber, Kaya Wolfinger
Photography: Eno De Wit
Styling: Alex Nyilas
Hair & MakeUp: Evin Yeyrek using Dior Beauty
Photography Assistant: Viktor Ebell
Styling Assistant: Sally Chennery

As featured in SLEEK 83 – CALM. Available in print and digital here.