Leo Kunz: From Mannheim Streets to Global Screens

AFFECT caught up with actor Leonard Kunz, this year’s German Television Award winner for ‘Ein Mann seiner Klasse’ and currently starring in The Tiger, now in cinemas and soon streaming worldwide on Prime Video. From Mannheim roots to Berlin stages, Leo talked about how Rocky Balboa shaped his never-give-up motto, how humility and discipline define his craft, and how he tackles roles that push both body and soul, transforming from a student into a compelling figure on the cinema screen.

PHOTOGRAPHER: THERESA KAINDLS

AFFECT MAGAZINE: Who are you, what do you do, and where might people know you from?
LEONARD KUNZ: I’m Leonard Kunz, an actor, born in Mannheim and based in Berlin. People might know me from ‚Ein Mann seiner Klasse‘ or currently from ‚The Tiger‘, which is now in cinemas and will soon be released worldwide on Prime Video.

A: If you had to describe yourself in three words, which would they be?
LK: Authentic, team-oriented, and disciplined.

A: Did you have a special role model as a child?
LK: Yes, actually: Rocky Balboa. That character shaped me. The idea of “getting up no matter how many times you fall.” That’s still a motto I live by today. Maybe that’s why I’m finally starting to box for real now, it has never let me go.

A:Congratulations on the German Television Award. What went through your mind when your name was called
LK: Thank you! Honestly: at first, just emptiness. Then a huge wave of gratitude. I immediately thought of my scene partner Mercedes Müller, without whom I could never have carried the film like that. And of Christian Baron, whose story was the foundation. I also dedicated the award to all children in our society who don’t have the same opportunities.

A: Looking back today: from your studies at the UdK to your very first role, what influenced you most back then?
LK: Humility towards the profession. You quickly realize: talent alone is not enough. Discipline, curiosity, and the ability to keep opening yourself to new people and situations, that shaped me.

A: Do you remember your first feeling the very first time you were on a film set?
LK: Yes, it was for a small role in ‚A Cure for Wellness‘. Dane DeHaan was in the scene, and I stood there, totally green, and suddenly realized: wow, this is the league I want to play in. That feeling of standing right next to someone of that caliber motivated me tremendously. That’s when I knew: that’s exactly where I want to go, and I’ll give everything for it.

A: Is there a project or a role that particularly changed you as a person or your perspective?
LK: Ein Mann seiner Klasse was one of those roles. It was about origins, inequality of opportunity, social wounds. That didn’t just change me as an actor, but also made me more politically aware and sensitive as a human being.

A: Many of your roles have a serious, socially relevant core. How important is conviction for you in acting and as a public figure?
LK: Very important. I don’t think you can just pretend none of this concerns you. I’m not a politician, but through my work I can tell stories that shed light on things. Conviction for me means not repressing everything, but also staying uncomfortable.

A: How did you approach this intense role, was it a special kind of preparation?
LK: Yes, absolutely. We trained with the Bundeswehr, and I actually got to drive a Leopard tank. At the same time, I had many conversations with the director and my colleagues about the psychological side. My character is not just a soldier, he’s a father who lost his son. Preparing for that inner emptiness was almost harder than the physical training.

A: What do you wish audiences will take away from The Tiger?
LK: That they feel what war does to people. And that they walk away saying: something like this must never happen again.

A: From September the film will also be available worldwide on Prime Video. What does that mean to you?
LK: It’s a gift. I never thought my work would one day reach people all over the world. But it’s also a responsibility: we’re not just telling German stories, but universal ones.

A: You’ve already played roles with enormous physical and mental challenges. How do you deal with such extremes?
LK: With training, with discipline, but also with humor. If you’re rowing for months like in ‚Adam’s Eight’, or losing twelve kilos like before The Tiger, then you also need lightness, otherwise you’ll break.

A: Do you have a ritual to get into a role or to step out of it again?
LK: Yes, absolutely. I do it a bit like athletes: I arrive on set in a tracksuit and I leave in a tracksuit. Putting on and taking off this “second skin” is part of it for me. Music also helps me a lot to get into the right state. Rituals are important because they give me structure, they clearly mark the moment when I step into the character and the moment when I return to being Leonard.

A: Was there ever a moment on set when you thought: “Okay, this really is the limit”?
LK: Yes, there was. There have been situations on shoots that could actually have been life-threatening. That’s why today I’m very careful about what I allow and what I don’t. I’m cautious, and we all should be. In the end, it’s about not fooling ourselves! Only take on what you can truly handle. Safety always comes first, no matter how intense or spectacular a scene looks.

A: How important is it for you as an actor to set boundaries, both privately and on set?
LK: Very important. You mustn’t completely lose yourself. I’ve learned to say no when something isn’t good for me. Privately just as much as professionally.

A: How much space do you still have for private life, and what makes you happy outside of the camera?
LK: Privately, I find my balance mostly through running. At the beginning of the year I still had a running partner with whom I trained regularly, but right now we’re both so busy with work that it’s not possible. For the future I’ve promised myself to get back to training at least six times a week, and I wish that on Sundays we can go running together again. Otherwise, for me it’s very clear: family first. Time with my loved ones is what truly makes me happy.

A: Do you have a dream project or dream role you absolutely want to fulfill?
LK: Yes, definitely. I’d love to play a boxer one day. And I’m also deeply fascinated by the Middle Ages. I imagine playing a knight who’s the only survivor of a battle and has to return to the king with a decisive message.

A: Where do you see yourself in five years, as an artist and as a person?
LK: As an artist: still learning, hopefully more versatile. As a person: hopefully healthy, grounded, and with enough time for the people who matter to me.

Interview by Noemi Zak