Action legend Matthias Hues stops by to chat about his career; thanks for taking the time to chat with us.
Eoin: I’d like to start off by talking about your iconic role in I Come in Peace/Dark Angel; you had to do all your own stunts in the movie, which I’m a huge fan of because it makes the action look more authentic. Did it become important to you to do your own stunts as much as possible in your other movies?
Matthias: First of all thank you for the kind words, it means a lot to me to hear that the film reached quite a lot of people and some became fans, thanks! As for the stunts it was more like I signed on to do them as it was part of the deal I had with the director Craig Baxley. He and the production looked for someone who had the athletic abilities to do all their stunts as they wished to portray the Alien as life-like as possible. Their goal to show at all times, in close up and details it is the Alien doing all the action and not some stunt man in a wig. So at times it was quite a hell ride to survive another day of shooting but I was a track and field champion in Europe and running fast, jumping high was part of my daily routine. Now with fire chasing you, one simply runs faster and leaps a few inches further.
Eoin: Even after all this time, I’d still love to see a sequel; if the opportunity came around would you sign up for I Come in Peace 2?
Matthias: Of course, I will be on board, till today it was my best time in a film ever in my career.
Eoin: Another fan favourite is Death Match; do you have any behind the scenes stories about the making of the film?
Matthias: Well not too many really, I mean we worked hard long hours. The fights were fun and the talent in the film was really high when it came to action and fighting skills. It is one of the more genre type films that were so popular in the 90’s and still till today many fans around the world miss these types of films. Martin Kove was a blast to work with. The ultimate gangster, someone who had fun acting and being around other people on the set. It is fun to work all in a group, share stories of other film adventures and dive head on into to new ones while filming. We all sort of become one big family in the time of production and get rather close. The endless amount of shooting time and waiting for the next set up makes it all possible to huddle together and do what we actors do best. Perform even with each other. An actor tells a story out of his life-like a little theatre piece and makes it all come alive. So telling a simple story is like a one man play. And we all have endless stories to tell in the film industry as we see the world and meet many many people.
Eoin: You previously mentioned that you would have loved to work with Van Damme on Universal Soldier; since John Hyams recently re-invented the series with Regeneration and Day of Reckoning, would you still be interested in a role in future installments?
Matthias: Of course, Universal Solider is a never ending good premise for more and more. Dolph did and he was the perfect universal soldier in it as well. Their end fight in the first one was amazing and inspirational.
Eoin: You’ve done 1 or 2 fight scenes in your career; has there been one in particular that was really tough and required more training than any other?
Matthias: Kickboxer and Fist Fighter were the most inspiring fight scenes. Took out the most of you in terms of training and performance. Kickboxer two we had a four week seminar, fight camp set up with Benny the Jet. He put us all through the ringer. Great school for the ring in all aspects. Then again this was then and this is now where I train like a real kick boxer with professional fighters. Not for the ring but to sharpen my skills even more. But to have trained with Benny the Jet is always a treat not many get to experience in their life time, so I am really grateful for that. Fist fighter Jimmy Nickerson the fight trainer was a legend already in his own way. He had done the fights in Rocky and he was not happy unless we would be on the same level. First day he split my lip, kept splitting it for weeks at a time in fight camp to teach me a better defense. Loved him for it as till today the last thing I want to do is drop my hands and guard. Good man, I grew to love him.
Eoin: Playing a villain is one of your specialties; do you enjoy playing a bad guy more than the hero?
Matthias: I enjoy it all, love acting and everything is worth my time and effort. I do write scripts now and enjoy creating as well. I am deeply engaged in the art of acting and film making. It is more than a job, it is a calling and passion that will lead your life till the end of your days as it is a never ending outlet of your fantasy come alive. If it is the bad guy you do of course not become him but portray him as real as possible as we all have so much experiences with the evil side of life. So playing it is always also a warning if you do it real well to show people to not go and ask for it. It is sort of a red light at an intersection if you will to stay away from it. For me if I see a bad guy in a film I remind myself to never get close to someone like this in real life. But we all always learn from stories to be told, goes back all the way to the bible which is also like a theatre piece in many ways. We are just actors making it realistic but not real. So it is fun being part of story telling.
Eoin: It’s not all action though; you got to star in Alone in the Woods which was more of a comedic role. Was that one of your favourite roles and would you be interested in more comedy?
Matthias: Like I said I play it all as long there is a great story and the audience will get two hours of entertainment where they will forget everything outside of their own world. Comedy is great, I love watching it and doing it. Who doesn’t want to smile and laugh!
Eoin: With the Expendables 3 on the way, would you like a part in the series?
Matthias: Yes of course but see little chance as Dolph is sort of me in many ways, we are the same height, blond hair muscles and look. So I feel there is not too much space in the film for two unless you want to create another bad guy who is out to destroy Dolph and he poses a real threat as both are nearly the same !
Eoin: UFC/MMA has become huge over the past few years and it has changed the way a lot of action has been choreographed in movies. Do you watch any UFC and have you noticed a significant change in the way fight scenes are done today?
Matthias: Yes, trained in it as well a little but got injured very fast, so it is the real deal and people like to see the real deal. It has changed a lot theses days in the fighting world on and off screen. Me personally I am a huge fan. Loved the movie Warrior. But also the story was first class which helps. I am currently developing my own new style with a group out of Germany, headed by Mike Moeller and his crew. We soon hope to start our first film. It will be very hard core, straight and to the point. Let’s just say you will feel like you’re getting punched watching and wonder how did he just do that?
Eoin: You have several roles coming up; can you tell us about them?
Matthias: I do but it is still top secret as we are in development. It will soon be made public. It will be all done in Europe with the newest cutting edge nearly finished developed camera and a company that is number one rated in the action franchise in Europe. That with the planned new fighting style and a story which wants to entertain you.
Eoin: Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us. All the very best with your future projects.
Matthias: Thank you so much for saying hello to me and I want to wish all fans out there the best and we all try hard to always come up with new ideas and stories and concepts to keep entertaining you as we love what we do and we do it only because you watch!!
All the best always
Matthias Hues