"The Fifth Estate" star Daniel Brühl in Studio Q

please have Daniel Bruhl with me here in studio Q today hello sir hi what a pleasure to have you here thank you congratulations on all this stuff it's it's a big year for you yeah it is yeah I'm very excited it's the first time that I've been to the festival in Toronto a couple of years ago with the Durham movie but it's something different now with two movies and interestingly parts in these fantastic yeah two movies I want to ask you about the Fifth Estate mean given the the recent Snowden and and Manning incidents the Fifth Estate is a very relevant film both in subject and approach is that what attracted you to it oh yeah absolutely when I first heard about WikiLeaks years ago I was sure that sooner or later they would make a film about it and I think it's one of the most important and interesting organizations of our time and I found it very clever the the approach that Josh singer the scriptwriter and Bill Condon shows you know to to focus on the relationship between these two guys Daniel domscheit-berg and and and Julian Assange and to talk about the the founding and the development and then the success and then eventually the conflicts that happened because of the success and but it excludes all the speculation everything happened afterwards so you you spent a fair bit of time in Germany did were you aware of Daniel domscheit-berg before you took the role oh yes he was in our media constantly so um it was interesting to play after niki lauda again someone who is alive a real person you feel certain weight on your shoulder and responsibility but I can only say that I like Daniel he was very open to me was willing to answer me any question and it is good if as an actor you you you you realize that you can trust the person you want your plane I was like you said a few things that I want to pick up on because those are all the interesting things first of all in terms of this film the Fifth Estate based on WikiLeaks and Julian Assange it's a complicated and messy set of issues being explored and your character changes in the course of the story berrak eventually parts ways with Assange over how the the leaked material was to be disseminated to the public before that tell you what what drew them together in your view well I guess Daniel has always been an activist always someone who wanted to change things and I envy that because I myself know how our generation is like you know we we always wanted to oppose against things and and and and change things but we in a way we didn't know how you know my parents generations they went to rallies and demonstrations and the enemies were clearer nowadays it became all a bit complicated and in Europe very blurry so someone who you know had such a clever idea of you know using the Internet as a powerful instrument to deliver transparency I think this idea was always something which interested Daniel and yet a certain talent for that but he needed someone like Assange a mastermind you know who would then eventually draw him into that you know so it was a very symbiotic and-and-and-and-and strong relationship I mean they they really at first were very attracted to one another and have the same share the same interest they said happened in Berlin they self-identify as activists oh yeah clearly in the film did have you had I mean it sounds like you were an aspiring activist but you but unlike your parents it's not something you've engaged in you've been more of a slacker is that what live every to read the lines yeah I have a political conscience but you know most often I sit around with my friends and we discuss politics but we don't actually do anything I go and vote for the for the party that is you know that comes closest to my you know opinions and to my interests but I wouldn't say that I'm a true activist and in comparison to Daniel whom I visited a couple of times and last time I know he lives in a bar next near near Berlin and and I I saw that on the upper floor he has a he has a room which is fully equipped with all the technical stuff you can imagine and we were in the middle of conversation and then two French guys came downstairs and I said who are you and he said no these are French activists who are here and they stay stay here for free and just work on something so I could I could see that you know he's truly engaged you know he hasn't taken his foot off the pedal how did meeting Daniel domscheit-berg changed the way you understood your character and and his decisions what did you what did you make of him in person well he's pretty German so meaning he is very correct and reasonable and responsible and that was something that I could connect with so and because of these trades of character you know there was a moment in which you know he was just overwhelmed by the masses and the avalanches of information and leaks they had to cope with and that was the moment in which he thought it's getting too dangerous because we're putting people's lives in danger and that was you know the rising conflict that he had with with Julian but you said Anne in here in an interview the New York Times you recorded as saying that you had the impression you could totally trust Bering's integrity why was that it so important to you it makes life easier if you have to play someone like that you know you don't have an interior conflict playing the part you know you don't have to defend someone that you don't believe in so it was just helpful to to think and to know okay I have more or less the same opinions as the character I'm playing you know some people will watch this film I was trying to as I was watching I figured I had my own opinions of WikiLeaks and Julian Assange and I would say many of them are benevolent some will see this as an anti vici that WikiLeaks film while others will see it as an endorsement almost a promotion of this kind of activism it certainly looks sexy it it's so much fun what they're what they're doing do you think the film itself takes a discernible stand no I think it's pretty neutral it's a dramatic thriller it's it's it's it's clear that it's not a documentary it's a fiction movie but as I said before it excludes a lot of issues that are still not you know that that involves a lot of speculation so we are this this film is book based on on two or three different books actually mainly the the book written by the Guardian journalist and the one by Daniel domscheit-berg and that shows that you know you have already different you know opinions on in in the script and it's definitely not an anti WikiLeaks film it's not an anti Julian Assange movie well Julian Assange read the script and apparently called it a massive propaganda attack on WikiLeaks it's not the case and some of the things he's referring to in in the media are issues that are not in the script anymore they were there and and in the first version you know which was just the first attempt you know to write down this very complex and and delicate story but that was all that is all not in the movie anymore so you know you say it's a work of fiction but so much of what we learned today especially younger generations - but I mean at me my practically anybody we learn from popular culture and we learn from a film like this I mean we faced this last year with Argo where it was a you know how much of that is a real story and how many how many how much are people learning about the 1979 revolution based on this this film did you feel a responsibility and taking on a role that could influence how people view a very real and important part of history yeah definitely I'm always interested in doing these kinds of movies you know topics subjects that matter that matter and that you know every citizen should know about and I realized that talking to young kids in Europe still a lot of them don't know much about WikiLeaks or they don't know anything at all so I think it's a it's such an important again organization and what they have been revealing is is extremely important for all of us and I think it's just the beginning of how fastidious were you guys on set about getting it right I mean what were the conversations like with Benedict or about Julian Assange or with Bill Condon about you know trying to make this as historically correct as possible well yeah but Josh did a major work on that you know he was always very very responsible and always in touch with the guys who wrote the books I was always in touch with Daniel whenever had a doubt or a question I would call him and and also we would need to ask Benedict about his communication with Julian Assange but you know we all knew how important it was to find out I can't I can tell you that Benedict now I went to to London before Christmas and listen to a speech that he gave from the Embassy's balcony which was quite impressing you know there were many people gathering and and he is very charismatic and he's a very good I was gonna ask you your impression of Julian Assange having made a film that is based on and playing a role of a character who would was that had a side for an important moment in history I mean he himself is a polarizing figure right Julian Assange II in the film he's at times depicted as very charming also complicated often an arrogant man where is is he a heroic figure in your view or are he and his agenda a threat to our security I think it's too simple the reading about it because I read all these different versions I read the unauthorized biography where you understand a lot about Julian's background so he had been betrayed when he was a kid being a hacker so you understand in a way where the paranoia comes from but it's also complex there's so many points of views and that's nice that the movie ends you know with an open question so everybody every spectator individually should you know seek the truth for himself you know this this film doesn't give a simple answer to these many complicated questions so talking about heroes or villains would be too simple but it sounds like you I'm just reading between the lines of what you said so far in this interview you reside on the side of having some some sympathy for what WikiLeaks or believing that it does some good the the idea behind it is is it's great you know transparency is important and citizens should know and be aware of things that are happening behind closed curtains you know the it should be revealed what certain governments do corporations do banks so so why do you think people I mean it's fairly clear why governments fear WikiLeaks you know after the NSA thing came out but it's less clear why some members of the public - why do you think this this kind of activism in citizen journalism makes some people uncomfortable well they have to cover a lot of a lot of bad things so it's it's and it is a general question that's why I think is just the beginning because how do we deal with information in in a system in a world where you can or must always fear that they some people will will be able to to leak it to find out about the under privacy delivered yeah yeah this is a just to go back to where we started this is a pretty major year for you in North America movies Daniel domscheit-berg isn't the only real life character you're taking on it that you you're also portray Australian Austrian race car driver Niki Lauda and Ron Howard's rush as you said earlier both of these people are living how do you change your approach to two roles knowing that the people you're playing probably will be seeing the film I mean just attended the premiere in London and Niki Lauda was there so of course I was very nervous I knew that he had seen it and he liked it but still it is a strange feeling you know to look over and and see the actual guy sitting there and and seeing himself especially in Russia it's a very dramatic journey for for the character and for Niki Lauda to relive the moments of the accident and to see himself almost dying from outside it is it is it is strange but I am very proud of both movies I must say the result is as phenomenal I've been very privileged to work with two fantastic directors we're very careful and and clever in telling these stories and where do you want it to go Daniel I mean what do you really tell me about a bit about what you're in this for you know v estates director Bill Condon said he thought you have the makings of an international leading man you're you're already a star in European cinema is as Hollywood stardom something you have aspired to well definitely there's so many incredible directors working in Hollywood that of course I would be liar if I said that I did not want to work with them you know still I feel very European I'm quite happy living between Berlin and Barcelona I would be very sad to give that up but if you never know I don't know what's going to happen in the future if it means that I have to move somewhere for a for a certain amount of time I certainly would do so very diplomatic response to German but but is there is there a career that you look to and go that I would want to be that guy you know whether it's Daniel day-lewis or or Paul Newman or you know I mean is there something like that you know there many actors that I hugely admire and they have always been so and and actors who motivate me to to go on especially actors who have had a long long career and still there you know working impressively and being hungry and and happy with with what they do so I aspire that but I don't have a certain part in in mind or negative I don't like it no no no treating the ermine amazing guy your fluency in English Spanish German Catalan and French means you have a lot of career options that many actors I'm profoundly disappointed that you can't speak Farsi I mean why did you stop at these five and apparently you're pretty good at Japanese - is that a lot yes Barry how did you come to learn all those languages it's just I was born into a mixed family my mother Spanish my father's German I was born in Barcelona we have French family that's why I speak French as well and I grew up in a very mixed environment and that was always a luxury really because it's and we would always leave all these different cultures so my mother's it's also a reality of continental Europe right yeah I always feel a bit embarrassed when I'm in Europe and I think about North American most of us here are maybe bilingual or trilingual so many people in Europe speak five or six languages it's a remarkable yeah we are forced especially in Germany or the Scandinavian countries or the the Benelux countries you know all the countries that have been former world empires like the Spanish or the French they're not so good in languages either I must tell you Hollywood or England Hollywood is is also becoming more globalized more production is taking place overseas now there was a big piece about how some of the films that have gone on to become huge hits out of out of the Toronto International Film Festival are not American films you know do you think we'll be seeing more European actors winning major parts in Hollywood films as this trend continues well that'd be a great thing you know I'm of course what shall I say I'm extremely thankful for that change I can remember working with Quentin I found it so brave and courageous the way he did it you know because I know that there were American stars interested in certain positive movie but he said no I just want F Germans to make it more real and authentic and different and I think that's very clever so if the characters come from these countries then why not they should be played by the people from there I think that will give us great opportunities and it's also interesting to see how the Americans and Hollywood production companies and Studios like to work abroad in Europe you know not only for text reasons but also you know the facilities they have their professional crews interesting new influences and I think it's becoming more global and more interesting you just came in from London you had the big rush premiere there what yesterday you flew in right yeah so the both of his estate and rush are these big high-profile films they're going to be backed by massive marketing campaigns they'll both be poised to generate a lot of Oscar buzz and they're gonna raise your profile to a new level as an actor significantly how how do you mentally prepare for this period ahead oh I'm very zen at the moment you do seem very Zak have you been sedated they give you pills and advantages to be with someone my girlfriend is a psychologist so that helps I always get my therapy for free and she she grounds me and it's a no it's it's a it's good I just want to be you know enjoy this momentum you know and not get too crazy about it you know to stay with both feet on the ground but but just enjoy it and be excited about what is happening and it's nice to be proud of the movies you're presenting and you're promoting you know it well it's it's a it's a really interesting film a strong one and you are fantastic in it and it's a great pleasure to have you in studio Q thank you for this you so much

Channel: q on cbc

Views: 10,103

Rating: 4.9000001 out of 5

Keywords: cbc, jian ghomeshi, Daniel Brühl (Film Actor), The Fifth Estate, CBC Radio (Broadcast Producer)

Id: 7Ci7oCkeSCI

Length: 19min 30sec (1170 seconds)

Published: Wed Oct 16 2013