Konstantinos Markoulakis to Danikas: “An actor can be brilliant—and at the same time a terrible human being”

The fashionable Greek histrion opens up astir his caller film, successful which helium portrays a seashore defender skipper who saved lives connected Lesvos. He explains wherefore helium avoids societal media, describes himself arsenic an “atheist Orthodox Christian,” and shares his tendency to determination into directing—following a way akin to Clint Eastwood.

Introduction

Konstantinos Markoulakis meets Dimitris Danikas connected the juncture of his caller movie “I Was a Stranger”, acceptable for merchandise connected April 23. The film, directed by American filmmaker Brad Anderson, tells a profoundly quality communicative inspired by the suffering of guiltless victims nether the Assad authorities successful Syria.

Three cardinal characters thrust the narrative: a doctor, a soldier, and a Greek seashore defender captain. Markoulakis plays the latter—a relation inspired by the late, decorated serviceman Kyriakos Papadopoulos, known for redeeming thousands of refugees astatine sea.

But the speech rapidly moves beyond cinema.

Markoulakis describes himself paradoxically arsenic an “atheist Orthodox Christian,” reflects connected having experienced overwhelming, all-consuming love, and remarks that the quality assemblage is “a instrumentality of tendency and pleasure.” Most strikingly, helium states:

“An histrion tin beryllium exceptional—and astatine the aforesaid clip a unspeakable quality being.”

Scene 1: The Film and the Role

Dimitris Danikas: How bash you negociate to bash truthful galore things astatine once?

Konstantinos Markoulakis: I don’t really bash galore things simultaneously. Projects conscionable overlap successful timing. One finishes, different begins.

He explains that “I Was a Stranger” was filmed successful 2022, portion his theatre enactment and different projects followed separately.

The relation itself came done an audition—interestingly, aft John Malkovich had already been considered for the aforesaid part.

Markoulakis:
“The director, Brad Anderson, is not conscionable a filmmaker but besides an activist. He’s been profoundly progressive with the exile situation and has spent clip successful Syria and the Middle East.”

The film, helium says, is political—but not successful a simplistic way.

Markoulakis:
“It doesn’t propulsion a circumstantial agenda. It stands connected the broadside of humanity.”

Scene 2: The Human Story Behind the Crisis

Rather than offering solutions, the movie focuses connected empathy.

Markoulakis:
“It reminds america that each exile we spot is simply a idiosyncratic with a existent story—someone who was forced to permission their location for superior reasons.”

He plays a quality inspired by Kyriakos Papadopoulos, a seashore defender serviceman who saved thousands of lives.

Markoulakis:
“What fascinated maine was that helium wasn’t a ‘hero’ successful the Hollywood sense. He acted with calm, with consciousness of the quality condition. That’s what I tried to portray—the anti-heroic hero.”

Scene 3: Filming and Challenges

The movie was changeable successful Turkey with a comparatively humble fund of €5 million.

Despite this, accumulation was aggravated and highly detailed. Many extras were existent refugees, and earlier filming each day, 1 would stock their idiosyncratic communicative with the formed and crew.

One peculiarly demanding country required Markoulakis to dive underwater without oxygen.

Markoulakis:
“I told the director, ‘Let maine bash it.’ They added weights, and I stayed submerged for the full shot. It was challenging—but I loved it.”

Scene 4: Greek Actors and Craft

Markoulakis emphasizes that Greek actors are highly skilled and adaptable.

Markoulakis:
“We recognize the connection of cinema. We’re not conscionable performers—we’re progressive successful the method broadside too. That’s thing not each actors do.”

Scene 5: Cinema, Theater, and Ambitions

Despite a agelong career, helium feels helium has done comparatively fewer films and hopes to bash more.

He besides expresses a increasing tendency to direct:

Markoulakis:
“Sometimes I deliberation astir Clint Eastwood. He started directing aboriginal successful life—and created unthinkable work. Maybe I’ll bash the same.”

Scene 6: A Complex World

Discussing modern life, helium highlights its overwhelming complexity.

Markoulakis:
“The satellite isn’t conscionable chaotic—it’s excessively analyzable for america to afloat process. That’s wherefore radical crook to elemental explanations oregon conspiracy theories.”

Scene 7: Faith and Silence

On religion:

Markoulakis:
“I’m an atheist Orthodox Christian. I don’t judge literally, but I’m profoundly moved by the symbolism and meaning—especially during Easter.”

He besides explains his determination to measurement backmost from quality and societal media:

Markoulakis:
“I’ve reduced the sound successful my life. I don’t request to cognize everything oregon person an sentiment astir everything. What I request is silence.”

Scene 8: Love and Human Nature

On love:

Markoulakis:
“If you’re not successful emotion to the constituent of devastation, what’s the point? But existent relationships travel aft that intensity—when you genuinely recognize the different person.”

He reflects connected desire:

Markoulakis:
“The assemblage is simply a instrumentality of tendency and pleasure. But maturity is learning not to travel each impulse.”

Epilogue: Contradictions

Asked astir misconduct successful the industry, helium says helium has ne'er witnessed utmost cases—but acknowledges struggle and complexity.

He concludes with a thought that encapsulates some the creator and the quality condition:

“An histrion tin beryllium brilliant—and astatine the aforesaid clip a unspeakable quality being.”