Axel Milberg as drag queen: “Transformation was really impressive”

On May 17 – the international day against homophobia and transphobia – the first surprises with a special TV film. “Tatort” star Axel Milberg (66) shines in “My friend Volker” (8:15 p.m.) as a drag queen. “The day is a perfect date to make a statement for social diversity and to draw attention to it,” says the director of the film Piotr J. Lewandowski (47). The strip was realized with great support from the drag and LGBTQ* scenes.

Milberg is hardly recognizable in it. “When the wig and the costume completed the transformation, I was almost speechless,” Lewandowski recalls and, in an interview with the news agency spot on news, talks about the decision to fill the role with a heterosexual actor, among other things. “We wanted the best person for the role, regardless of their sexual orientation.” The director also explains the challenges and difficulties that have to be taken into account when portraying LGBTQ* topics in films.

Your new film “Meine Freund Volker” will be shown on the international day against homophobia and transphobia – a perfect date for a statement for social diversity?

Piotr J. Lewandowski: Absolutely. The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia is carefully chosen for this and definitely a perfect date to make a statement for social diversity and to draw attention to it. As a comedy, “Meine Freund Volker” contains positive and humorous aspects, but at the same time deep and complex problems associated with the topic in our society and of great importance for the LGBTQ+ community are not left out. As a director, it is always important to me to draw attention to important socially relevant topics and to contribute to dialogue through film art and culture. Even if the topics are sometimes not easy, it is still very important to talk about them. The script duo Julia Penner and Andreas Wrosch, whose wonderful book I filmed, got to the heart of the problem very well and balanced it with incredible warmth and brilliant dialogue. It was my pleasure to bring this work to life.

At the center of the film is an outstanding Axel Milberg as drag queen Vivian Bernaise. Do you remember the moment you first saw Milberg in full regalia? Did you recognize him straight away, what went through your head?

Lewandowski: As a director, you carefully accompany all stages of the development of the main character. And yet, after the wonderful hands of our make-up wizard Oliver Hildebrandt brought Vivian to life and saw the light of day for the first time, I was absolutely smitten and equally enchanted. I still remember how impressed I was with Axel’s dedication and dedication to the role. It was truly amazing to see him immerse himself in the character of Vivian Bernaise and bring it to life. When the wig and costume completed the transformation, I was almost speechless. His transformation was really impressive. And I felt like I was dealing with a whole new person. It was a wonderful moment that immediately immersed me in the world of film.

Especially in recent years, the question has come up again and again: should heterosexual actors play – and be allowed to play – queer characters? How do you see that, why wasn’t the role cast by a queer person?

Lewandowski: The issue of casting queer roles with straight actors is a complex and controversial debate that has just begun and I am ready to engage in dialogue. I think it’s important and right to have queer characters played by queer actors in order to enable authentic and multi-layered performances. At the same time, I think it’s important to open up new possibilities through an occupation and not to set new limits by restricting the possible group of people for an occupation from the outset. We wanted the best person for the role, regardless of their sexual orientation. It was also important to us that heterosexual actors also have the opportunity to play queer characters and thus contribute to the visibility and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. It’s a complex debate, but it’s important to hold it openly and respectfully to achieve positive change.

The film was made with great support from the drag and LGBTQ* scene, what was the collaboration like?

Lewandowski: Working with the drag and LGBTQ+ community was key to making the film. We tried to involve the community in the making of the film, starting with the beautiful script, to allow for an authentic and respectful portrayal. It has been a wonderful experience learning from and working with so many talented people. Both behind and in front of the camera: Aunt Gladice, Electra Pain, Dyane Prozak, Funny Fantastic, Kelly Heelton, Samantha Al Khalifa, Nikitasbeach, or Rachel Invention, just to name a few.

Do you have a particular favorite scene in the movie?

Lewandowski: I really like many of the scenes in the Donauwelle, the club where Vivian Bernaise is the star, the tragi-comic scenes between Axel Milberg and Carsten Strauch, also the Lipsincbattle, which unfortunately had to be cut due to time constraints, but nevertheless spectacular performances by some of the queens include are something special. They are scenes that are wonderful examples of the freedom and creativity of drag culture.

Axel Milberg has already revealed that he primarily watched the American TV show “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in preparation for the film. What was your preparation like?

Lewandowski: For my preparation, I dealt intensively with the history of drag culture and spoke to various representatives of the community to understand their perspectives and experiences. It was an incredibly enriching experience and I am grateful for the many valuable encounters.

Why has the drag queen scene gained so much popularity in recent years?

Lewandowski: “If you don’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?” says RuPaul on his show and he is certainly one of the main contributors to the popularity of the drag queen scene. The success of his format brought a unique and creative form of self-expression and performance to many people. The drag scene offers many a platform to express their individuality and creativity, to be free, not to be afraid, to stand up for themselves and to defend their freedom. The drag queen scene is a creative and subversive response to social norms and expectations, and an expressive statement not to be bent. Drag is a form of artistic expression that can help break down stereotypes.

Your feature film debut “Jonathan” was already about homosexuality. What are the challenges and difficulties to consider when portraying LGBTQ* issues in film?

Lewandowski: Depicting LGBTQ+ issues in film requires a high level of sensitivity, empathy and understanding of the community’s experiences and perspectives. To adequately represent the complexities, nuances of LGBTQ+ experiences and identities. One of the biggest challenges is avoiding stereotypes and clichés and telling diverse, deep, authentic characters. It’s important to be aware that the LGBTQ+ community is a very diverse group and there is no one “right” way to represent queer characters. However, getting funding and support for LGBTQ+ films in Germany remains a major challenge, as these issues are often seen as too specific or “niche”. The more individual, special or controversial a topic, the more complicated and challenging the path of a film is. And yet I find it extremely important that these films are seen by a broader audience, because the themes are mostly universal and important. You touch everyone, I’ve often noticed that. The impact on the social perception and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people is also important to me.

In recent years, more and more films have been shot with queer themes – but somehow there hasn’t been a real breakthrough – why is that?

Lewandowski: Although there have been advances in portraying queer themes in film in recent years, there are still obstacles and prejudices that can limit the success of such films. On the one hand, many people cannot identify with queer issues or feel uncomfortable when confronted with them. Many themes or characters are often told in a very clichéd way, just to show queer characters. On the other hand, queer films are often only shown in limited numbers in major cinemas and do not always have the budget for a comprehensive advertising campaign that reaches audiences. More visibility and support is needed for queer films and their creators so that they can reach the audiences they deserve. We need more diversity and, above all, more courage on the part of broadcasters, institutions and sponsors to ensure inclusion in the film industry. There are still many obstacles, especially if you don’t want to tell in certain categories. Prejudice and discrimination against LGBTQ+ issues persists within the film industry itself, which can result in these films not receiving the same resources and opportunities as other films.

What project do you have next?

Lewandowski: I am currently working on an extremely interesting film project, the screenplay of which has already received many international awards. Unfortunately, the implementation of an art house project is becoming increasingly difficult these days, despite the positive response to the script. There is a great willingness to cooperate, but there is a lack of donors.