Axel Milberg at 70: Less Visibility, More Meaningful Roles

German actor Axel Milberg, known for his roles in "Tatort" and "Familie Bundschuh," is embracing his 70th birthday by consciously choosing roles that align with his current preferences and energy levels. He specifically aims to avoid characters that require him to be predominantly lying down, such as patients or elderly individuals who are lost.

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I try – but thankfully, I haven't been offered it yet – to avoid roles lying down: the patient in the hospital bed or the grandpa who can no longer find his way home.

"I try – but thankfully, I haven't been offered it yet – to avoid roles lying down: the patient in the hospital bed or the grandpa who can no longer find his way home," Milberg told Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND). While he doesn't feel his age dictates how others treat him, he admits to declining certain opportunities he would have accepted in his younger years.

"I used to often participate for a day or two in a film to support a project because I was friends with the director. I don't do that anymore, because I am very happy to be less visible," said the actor, who resides in Munich. His selection criteria for roles have also evolved, with a move away from "apolitical films that serve pure entertainment," though he acknowledges that "it can also be funny."

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I used to often participate for a day or two in a film to support a project because I was friends with the director. I don't do that anymore, because I am very happy to be less visible.

Milberg also reflected on the concept of heroism, stating he was once more skeptical of the term. Today, however, he admires individuals who act as "martyrs" – those who spontaneously speak out against injustice, regardless of the personal cost. He cited figures like Alexei Navalny and others in Iran, Turkey, and America as examples.

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I make no more apolitical films that serve pure entertainment, although... it can also be funny.

The actor is set to appear in the film "Adams Acht" on September 17, portraying Walter Wülfing, the former president of the German Rowing Association. The movie recounts the story of the legendary Ratzeburg eight-oared rowing crew's unexpected victory at the 1960 Rome Olympics under coach Karl Adam.

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There are many heroes who didn't want to be heroes at all, who spontaneously said: I won't keep quiet now, I'll look at it, I can't help it – whatever the cost. Navalny, for example, or in Iran, Turkey, America – there are martyrs everywhere.