In an exclusive interview Flickering Myth sat down with actor-producer Falk Hentschel to talk about his latest movie Swap Me, Baby…
Welcome to Flickering Myth Falk! As a German-native now in the throes of Hollywood, can you tell us about your early life?
Thanks for having me. My early life, huh, what a different world that was. I grew up behind the iron curtain in the socialist GDR. For those who do not know what that means I’ll give you a few examples. My family was wire tapped for 7 years or longer. They had the idea that people should be free to think and say whatever they want. They went so far as to join a movement of protest that ended up being the catalyst to bring down the wall. Obviously, the government did not like that. So, we were spied upon. Friends were turned informers for the STASI (East German Secret Police) and my parent’s life was made very dangerous and difficult. So, to be a 4 year old child whose dream is to go to Hollywood and be in big movies was both a rare thing and also a very implausible dream. Just to leave the country was the stuff of fantasy for most. My parents fought for my right to choose my what kind of life I wanted to live, what kind of thoughts I wanted to express and what kind of dreams I wanted to pursue. In other words, both to make it to Hollywood and fulfill many of my childhood goals but yet also be in a situation again where it seems like we are fighting for freedom is surreal.
What inspired you to enter the world of entertainment?
Cinema when done well represents truth. At its best, a story brought to life on a screen can touch an audience in a way that they know they were touched by something bigger than themselves. An idea, an emotion, or a concept that they deeply feel connected to and that they know is true. For me personally I’ll give you some specific examples. The movie Braveheart instilled the truth in me that the freedom to make your own choices in life is worth putting life itself on the line for. That a hero can both vulnerable and strong at the same time. Forrest Gump, reinforced my believe that kindness and the attitude of the archetypical fool to trust no matter what life throws at you is worth protecting and that the universe will protect those who trust. So, movies inspired me to find my purpose and to draw strength from art. I wanted to be a part of making such art. Art that can light up humanity. Be the medicine when we are ill.
We have been fortunate to follow your career, from action hero to super hero. Have you had a favorite character so far to portray?
I enjoy exploring the humanity of all the characters I ever get to play. I loved exploring the potential of Hawkman in my mind. I LOVED that character. The theme of rebirth. Having witnessed the world go through its cycles for millennia and holding onto love throughout all of it. Wow. He is a big character. The truth is that unfortunately I did not get to explore much of those things due to time and what the show runners were focused on. But I loved the idea of Hawkman.
Your latest movie, Swap Me, Baby, which you also produced and star in is releasing very soon. Can you tell us about the film?
It’s the story of a more uptight order seeking business woman and a French mushroom tripping gigolo who accidentally got pregnant. Through a good old body swap device, they have to learn to get along and find compassion for one another in order to raise new life. We made the movie during the pandemic and right after 4 years of political division. We wanted to tell a story that was fun, full of hope and love and spoke of unity. The world is so divided and in so much pain that we wanted to make something that could bring smiles into people’s houses and tell them “we’re gonna be okay.”
How did the project come about for you?
That’s a 50 page answer but I’ll try to be concise. I had wanted to produce a film for over 10 years. I always wanted to provide an environment for artists that was fair, safe and tailored in a way that inspiration could flourish. In my opinion the space in which movies are made in Hollywood is very constricted, full of fear and mostly profit driven. Not many movies are made with the goal to inspire the world beyond taking out their wallet and coming back for more. It was January 2020, I was down about life, we were going to have a baby but weren’t getting pregnant and I knew it was because I was losing hope. How could I bring a child into a world I have no hope for? 15 years prior I had heard of Ayahuasca, a medicinal plant used to heal, to expand consciousness and to reconnect to the source of who we all are. It was time to give it a shot and boy did it change my life. We got pregnant the first night I returned from my medicine journey. I found an investment partner whose motivations came from the heart, not from greed. He gave me money to make Swap Me, Baby and off we went. In the middle of a pandemic, wildfires and a world slowly losing its mind, Swap Me, Baby became an island of sanity and love for myself.
Can you tell us about your character?
Which one? I play two. :-). Let’s talk about Philippe since he is our favorite. By our, I mean Kim and I since we both got to play him. Philippe is who I wish I could be in life. He is that archetypical fool. A person that just continues to trust no matter what. He loves life and all its creations. He celebrates them unabashedly every day. Food. Mushroom trips. Sex. He loves it all. Above all though, he manages to let people in on it, because he loves people. So much so that he is a gigolo. His business is literally love. Lily is the polar opposite. She can only trust once there is structure. She needs to learn and prepare for life before she feels safe. She has a hard time to let go. Thankfully they both get to learn from one another, despite their differences.
We understand you are into plant based medicine, and the movie touches on that. Can you expand?
Well, I touched upon it in the earlier question but let’s dive a little deeper. In my experience plant based medicine whether it is mushroom (like in our film) cannabis, buffo, ayahuasca you name it, opens up your bandwidth of perception. If used right, with intention and in a safe container/space it allows you to be more honest with yourself. By being more honest in a medicine session, lies you’ve been telling yourself or have been listening to, come to your attention and you can shine truth on them instead. Deep old wounds inflicted in childhood, or even before you were born through your ancestors show themselves and give you a chance to heal them. It’s quite profound to experience a more expansive way of perceiving oneself and the world around you. The best part is that it doesn’t go away when the medicine wears off. Cause the medicine teaches your body/system how to handle life in a smoother way. How to stay present and vulnerable in your day to day interactions with the world. I truly believe plant medicine can help cure the contagion of fear that has spread throughout our societies. Our film is kind of a medicine journey. Both characters are tripping on mushrooms and get to experience themselves through the other. In a way learning that we are all one. That we are here to learn about ourselves through the eyes of another. That life should be nurtured with love and compassion.
What type of genre of TV show are you drawn to traditionally?
I was never a big TV guy. My favorite shows of all time though are Breaking Bad, most of Game Of Thrones and Euphoria. I love medieval times and fantasy so if I got to pick a show to participate on it would probably be in that genre.
When you are not acting, what do you enjoy doing?
I love my family. I want to spend as much time as I can with my son and be present with him as he grows up. Just FYI, my son was in Kim’s belly when we shot the film. He is the baby Philippe. I love learning more and more about horses. I’ve been riding for a while now and I love love love it. Feels very free and connected. I’m also a huge scuba diving fan. It’s been too long but as soon as the opportunity arises, I want to get back under water. We are actually debating on moving somewhere where we can dive every day, wouldn’t that be fun.
What can we expect to see you doing over the next few months?
Who knows these days right? The world changes so fast now. 2 years ago, I never thought I was going to be the guy that I am today. But I have my dreams and visions. I would like to continue to produce films and act in them. Provide a space for stories to be told unhindered by the confines of greed, propaganda, and fear. To let artist’s, know that they loved, needed, and cherished. To give audiences a piece of inspiration, give them truth and light them up as much as I can. That is my goal for every aspect of my life. I want to light people up. Inspire them. Do my best to radiate love to them. If I am lucky, I’ll get some people to do the same.
Thank you to Falk Hentschel for the exclusive interview.
Watch Falk Hentschel in Swap Me, Baby out June 14th.
