Actor Daniel Rodic joins us on Close-up Culture for a chat ahead of his exciting role as a garbage collector in ARD’s Die Drei Von Der Müllabfuhr.
Q: ‘Die Drei Von Der Müllabfuhr’ will air on ARD on 29 March and 5 April. What interested you about this role as Tarik?
A: What interested me about Tarik was the whole story itself, it’s the first movie I have worked on that puts a spotlight on a daily job that most of us take for granted. I mean, we see garbage collectors every day but don’t normally take a closer look behind this profession.
This is the reason I was drawn to this project. Our opportunity to physically work what their job really entails.
Q: What was your camaraderie like with your co-stars Uwe Ochsenknecht and Jörn Hentschel?
A: We got along really well. We were lucky to have great chemistry and a shared sense of humor. Also, what really helped us bond was our shared taste in music. Between almost every take we would listen to music together and had a lot of fun.
Q: The show is broken down into two stories. Can you tell us about them and what they explore?
A: The first movie is about a robot that is supposed to help us during our daily rounds. It addresses the fear that many people face about automatization and the anxiety that they will lose their jobs. We, the garbage collectors, try to get rid of the robot as we feel threatened by it.
The second one deals with a baby that has been abandoned and left in our compound. But as the audience will see, these three garbage collectors have really big hearts. They decide to take care of the little baby, although this leads to some funny moments.
Q: This project allowed you to play a garbage collector. Is there another profession – perhaps a boxer or a Wall Street broker – that you would like to play in the future?
A: There is actually no role that I would not play. I mainly choose roles based on the script and the story. The most important thing for me is to play a profound character.
Q: We’ve seen some of your impressive workout videos on your Instagram. Can you tell us about your passion for fitness and how you like to bring this physicality into your acting?
A: As an actor our body is our tool and I prefer to have the best possible set of tools. I have always had fun doing all kinds of sports, but keeping my body in shape became a daily routine a few years ago after I lost 5 kg for a leading part I auditioned for.
Q: We’ve also seen you post about Denzel Washington and Robert De Niro on Instagram. Do you draw inspiration from the Hollywood greats?
A: Absolutely! As a matter of fact, it all started because of movies like Raging Bull, Training Day and plenty of others .
However, the biggest inspiration I draw is by watching the THR actors and directors roundtable. Just listening to them reminds me why I love acting. It makes you strive for the truth and honesty in every character.
Q: I believe your parents emigrated to Germany from Serbia in 1980s. Can you tell us more about your background and acting journey?
A: My parents came to Germany 1982 because of the possibilities this country had to offer for employment. I have to admit that they didn’t have an easy time, but they fought to build a new life here by establishing their own business, learning the language and much more.
To this day it has had a positive effect on my life. It taught me to trust that you can accomplish anything you want just by believing in yourself and working for it. For that I will always be thankful to them.
Q: What are your plans and hopes for the future?
A: My greatest hope is to continue to work on challenging projects that both develop my skills and give me the opportunity to grow as an actor.