In an interview, actor Sam Riley talks about the parallels between himself and Pierre Curie – and how he is doing in the corona crisis.
The British actor Sam Riley (40, "Maleficent – The Dark Fairy") can be seen in Germany as of Thursday (July 16) in the biopic "Marie Curie – Elements of Life" as husband and colleague of the world-famous scientist. When preparing for the role of the physicist and Nobel laureate Pierre Curie (1859-1906), he quickly realized "that Pierre was really a special man and the two had a really unusual partnership," he enthuses in an interview with the news agency spot on news about the Nobel laureates.
He becomes even more specific: "He was a brilliant physicist, she a brilliant chemist. He invented the equipment that made her work possible. They had this perfect working relationship that was incredibly beneficial. They connected their strengths like superheroes, if you like that Apart from that, they were also very devoted to each other and romantically connected. " It is impressive that something that happened so many years ago can still be so special.
The parallels to his life
When asked what he thought of combining love and job, Riley said: "There are a few parallels between my own life and that of Pierre Curie." Sam Riley and the German actress Alexandra Maria Lara (41, "Der Untergang") met while filming "Control" (2007). They have been married since 2009 and have a son. "In my experience, there are only advantages: my wife and I understand each other's profession. We understand what the other person's experience is, and we can support each other," the actor continued.
Of course, his wife and he "never competed for the same role, there was never a direct competition," he adds with a laugh. "I have always admired my wife's talent and what she has achieved. I am also generally not the type of man who feels threatened by female brilliance. For me it is more of a compliment that she wants to be with me," he says about the award-winning artist.
Worries in Corona times
"It's different, like everything else," says Sam Riley on press work in corona times. "On the one hand it is nice not to have to leave the house. On the other hand it is easier to make a joke when you can look yourself in the face – sometimes I try to be funny now and nobody notices it," he explains on the phone.
It is not so easy to answer whether he is worried about Corona. "I'm not sure if I'm personally scared. But I have family members who are at risk because they are of the same age or health. That, of course, worries me," says Riley, who lives in Menston, West Yorkshire came to. "Strangely, I was less anxious when everything was shut down. I was more worried when the easing came: when my son went back to kindergarten and we met more people again."
The actor lives with his family in Berlin and is "very grateful" that he is in Germany at this time "because they reacted faster here than in England". He is aware that many of the measures here are very strict, "but I have no problem wearing a mask at all". That's what Riley says about his home country. "It's hard for me to see what's going on in England. With one eye in England and one here in Germany, where the situation is very different – that's a tough experience."
Does a mask help with privacy?
Is nose and mouth protection a small advantage for a prominent actor to be able to go unnoticed in public? "If I had the feeling, I would rather put on sunglasses. But honestly, when I'm not standing next to my wife, I get relatively little attention," said Riley. "On the one hand, it is of course a little bit disappointing for an actor, on the other hand, I am very grateful that I am not one of those people who are besieged and observed everywhere."
What about his knowledge of German?
A Brit in Berlin who says about his knowledge of German – in plain German – "Yes, I can speak German. In a situation like an interview, I'm afraid that I won't find the right words for nervousness. I understand it well. And then I also hear the mistakes in my grammar. I find that terrible. My son corrects me every day. "
This is what "Marie Curie – Elements of Life" is about
"Marie Curie – Elements of Life" takes place in Paris at the end of the 19th century. In the academic world of men at the University of Sorbonne, Marie Sklodowska (Rosamund Pike, 41) has a difficult time as a woman and also because of her uncompromising personality. The scientist Pierre Curie (Sam Riley) alone is fascinated by her passion and intelligence and recognizes her potential. He becomes not only Marie's research partner, but also her husband and the love of her life.
For her pioneering discoveries, Marie Curie was the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 with her husband. His sudden death shakes her deeply, but Marie doesn't give up. She fights for a self-determined life and for her research, which decisively shaped the 20th century and whose enormous effects she can only imagine.