According to Schweiger, the sports film in which he starred alongside Hynk Čermák or Ivan Trojan is a story about outsiders who were not given the chance to follow their dreams. But that doesn’t deter them. They strive to fulfill them on their own and eventually succeed. “It’s basically a classic Hollywood theme of failure, after which the tables are turned,” he opines.
Producer Petr Jákl offered him a role in Invincibles, which takes place against the backdrop of the Para Hockey World Championship, to which he immediately nodded. “Whenever he calls me, I’ll be there. I adore him, I’d go to anything with him,” praises Schweiger.
Trailer InvincibleVideo: Falcon
Jákl already cast him in the historical film Jan Žižka (2022), in which he embodied Henry III. from Rožmberk. Compared to Hollywood productions, which have many times larger budgets, he is satisfied with the more modest Czech or German shootings that he does not spend so much time on them.
“In order to save money, the crews organize everything much better in advance. I appreciate that, because in Hollywood everything takes long months and sometimes I feel like it never ends,” he mentions.
Schweiger appeared in supporting roles in the American films Lara Croft – Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life (2003) or Atomic Blonde: No Remorse (2017). Still, he remains memorable mainly thanks to the saboteur from Shameful Pancharts (2009).
“When I got the offer for this character, I had lived in the USA for about ten years. From the beginning of my stay there, the acting agency told me that I would have to play Nazis. I said no way, because I hate them. They argued that if I didn’t accept it, it would be difficult for me as a German to find other roles. But I didn’t care,” he recalls.
Because of this attitude, he had previously rejected Steven Spielberg, who offered him the role of a Nazi in the war film Saving Private Ryan (1998). When he similarly rejected Tarantino’s offer at first, the director called him, met with him and explained to him the transformation of the character from a Nazi to an opponent of the Hitler regime. “That made sense to me, so I agreed. It came full circle,” smiles the actor.
He perceives Tarantino as an excellent and demanding boss. “He’s a maniac, he shoots every scene like twenty times. He works maybe seventeen hours a day. When you shoot with him, you’re totally exhausted at the end of every day,” he notes.
The possibility was also to play in his venture Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), in which he was to portray Steve McQueen. However, he did not accept the role because of his still strong German accent. “I knew it wouldn’t go well,” he says. The role eventually went to Damian Lewis.
Schweiger not only acts, but also directs and writes scripts for film comedies, in which he often casts his four children, especially his youngest daughter Emma. He has one constant piece of professional advice for descendants, or any young actors or actresses. “Don’t be jealous of others. Envy has never done anything good,” he concludes.
