I first met Falk Hentschel in 2016 for what was intended to be a quick interview found here. Thanks to Falk’s generosity, minutes turned into hours as I spent time getting to know him and his model and actress girlfriend, Kim Leemans. We remained in touch and when the chance to do a second interview with Falk about his role in the new Robert Zemeckis’ film Welcome to Marwen, I jumped at the chance.
The film is inspired by Jeff Malmberg’s 2010 documentary Marwencol, which tells the real life story of the attack on Mark Hogancamp, an artist with a thing for women’s shoes.
Beaten to the brink of death and left in a coma for nine days, Hogancamp woke up with almost no memory of his past life. What should have been years of therapy and rehab are abruptly cut short when his insurance runs out.
Left to his own devices, Hogancamp seeks refuge in the tiny town he creates in his (back or front yard; choose one) yard. He calls it Marwen and populates it with Barbies and World War II action figures. There, the woman of Marwen protect Hogancamp from the vicious Nazi soldiers who represent the five men who attacked him in real life. Through photography, Hogancamp’s images capture the stories of Marwen, which is where the Zemeckis film picks up.
Falk plays a dual role as Louis / Captain Topf, the leader of a group of thugs who assaults Hogancamp (Steve Carell) because he’s different. Rounding out the cast are Leslie Mann as Mark’s neighbor Nicol; Merritt Wever as Mark’s friend Roberta; Janelle Monáe as Mark’s rehab aid Julie; and Eiza Goniález as Caralala, Mark’s friend at the bar where he occasionally works. Welcome to Marwen is currently in theaters across the country.
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Greg: I remember reading the announcement that you were joining the cast. Despite reading the synopsis, it wasn’t until the first trailer that I truly grasped what a fascinatingly visual story it Marwen would be. What was it about the script that drew you to the project and is there almost a leap of faith involved when taking on a project as unique as this?
Falk: Yes, it always takes a leap of faith to be a part of something original, something that doesn’t follow a format. But personally, I long for original content that is daring and focuses on subject matter that I care about. In this case, [it involves] Mark Hogencamp’s courage to deal with adversity using art and his imagination to help him heal.
Greg: Robert Zemeckis is a name up there with the Scorseses and Spielbergs of the film world. What was it like working with Zemeckis and can you walk us through the casting process?
Falk: It was very straight forward. I read the script, made a tape for casting. They had some great feedback, we made some adjustments, and finally Bob and I met. We connected over Mark’s story and filmmaking in general and a few hours after I walked out of his office, I got the call.
Greg: What was it like working with Steve Carell?
Falk: Steve was lovely to work with. Kind, professional and easy to be around.
Greg: While many villains have complex layers, your character appears to be purely evil. Any hesitation taking on such a role? How do you prepare for a role like this?
Falk: I think in order to show a hero’s courage and struggle to prevail, a story needs a formidable villain. In my mind, I i never look at a character being pure evil or pure good. I just try to understand the character, to empathize with him. How it then comes across to an audience is somewhat out of my hands. In this case I took a long time to find a way into the character’s mind. It was not easy to find a way to empathize with this character. But I ultimately decided that my character was so fearful of Mark’s courage to be himself that he needed to teach him a lesson. That bad things happen when you show your true self. On screen, all that remains is probably the hate and violence that is the end result of that thought process, but i I always need to find a way to understand the character’s thoughts and actions. Every character is a human, whether they’re evil or not.
Greg: Welcome to Marwen is based on events in 2000. Almost 19 years later, the underlying message seems especially relevant in today’s charged political environment. What do you hope audiences take away from the film?
Falk: I hope people enjoy a lead male character that is different than your usual hero. Mark is complex and flawed, vulnerable, insecure, yet courageous and kind. He appreciates women and embraces his own feminine energy. He uses toys to express anything that is destructive or dangerous. He’s a man that was confronted with horrendous violence who chooses to not embark on its path, like so many heroes of other films do. I hope it evokes empathy and understanding.
Greg: Many of us, myself included, can relate to having a setback in life and finding ways to escape from reality as a coping mechanisms. What kinds of things do you like to do after a tough day to try and escape?
Falk: I try to ground myself. I use nature or physical activity to do that. A good hike in the forest, some fly fishing or a sparring session at my martial arts gym, will usually help me to come back to the present moment. And when I manage to be present, I usually realize that all is well.
Greg: With Welcome to Marwen out in theaters, what’s next for you?
Falk: I’m currently working on focusing all my energy to build my production company, Patronage Films, a company focused on giving the power back to filmmakers. Helping them tell their story without the pressure of corporate interest.
I’m also shooting a new Syfy show called Spides in Berlin. It’s a story in the vein of body-snatchers. I play a narcotics agent who discovers that a new drug might be used to prime human bodies for alien infiltration.
Greg: Is there any chance DC fans will ever see Carter Hall return to TV?
Falk: I’ve been very open to returning to Legends of Tomorrow ever since my departure from the show. I think Hawkman is a character chalk full of interesting stories to tell. But so far it does not look like the show has any interest in bringing him back. But you never know…
Greg: Often celebrities are known for their previous work – Falk Hentschel, the guy who played Hawkman, the former backup dancer for Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, and so on. But when you wake up and look in the mirror, who do you see?
Falk: I see myself as someone who has dreams and ideas about life that he tries to fulfill. Someone who does his best to deal with the ups and downs of everyday life. Someone who tries to grow from his failures and to keep believing that life is exquisitely delicious even in its most trying times.
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Photo by Maarten DeBoer provided by Falk Hentschel
Video source: ©2018 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
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