MARNIX VAN DEN BROEKE

 

Marnix Van Den Broeke who was born on February 24, 1976 in Axel of Zeeland in The Netherlands decided in 1999 to work on a cruise ship for a year as a dancer. In 2002 he played the lead role of The Snowman in the theatreplay The Snowman in London to England. Marnix played the werewolf in the film 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’. In 2006 he played the role of the Death in the television movie 'Hogfather' while he could been admired in2007 as Harvester in the movie ‘The Deaths of Ian Stone’. Marnix was seen in 2008 as the Death in the miniseries ‘The Colour of Magic’ and as TheShadow in the film 'Inkheart'. In 2010 he played the role of Mr. Pump in the miniseries 'Going Postal'. Marnix also had a guest role in the TV series "Doctor Who" in 2005. Over the years he has worked with Hollywood stars as Sean Astin, Paul Bettany, Charles Dance, Brendan Fraser, Tamsin Greig, Helen Mirren, Nigel Planer, Daniel Radcliffe, Alan Rickman, Tony Robinson, Andy Serkis en David Thewlis. Perry Moov.nl spoke for an interview for the website with the very friendly Marnix Van Den Broeke.

 

001.What is your favorite CD and why?

       One of my favorite CD’s of the moment is ‘The Sparrow and the Crow’ by William Fitzsimmons. That is music to dream

       delightfully away or work from home. This also makes me very calm.

002.What is your favorite song?

       I have many favorite songs for different occasions and moods. And always there is one song which I w turn again a

       whole week. Currently, this is the song "You're mine" by Oscar and the Wolf (artist name of the Belgian Max Colombie,

       ed.).

003.Do you ever listen music just before filming?

       Music can certainly bring me in an emotion or an existing emotion. Sometimes I use music Indeed, to get myself in a

       certain mood that can help play a scene. But mostly my scenes are not so emotional, so I do not need music. In addition,

       sometimes, the choice of the music in some situations suddenly backfire. I would rather trust myself and the forwork that

       I've done.

004.How important is music in your private life?

       Although there is almost always music on in my house, I can fine without music. I also love silence. I think it's lovely to

       listen to the breath of nature. What for many may sound like silence.

005.Who is your favorite singer (male or female) or group?

       I've never really had an idol. But Adele is a very nice girl with an amazing voice and beautiful numbers. I like to listen

       to her. Also the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Ros, I think is really fantastic.

006.With who would you ever want to sing a duet?

       Of course with the female singer Adele. But to sing a duet with the male singer Pharrell Williams also seems very nice.

007.What is your favorite sport? And do you practice yourself also a sport?

       Watching sports at TV, I think is almost always boring. I have done many sports in my life. Such as athletics, volleyball,

       taekwondo, horseriding, inline skate dancing, ballroom dancing and rock and roll dancing. Of course ballet also a bit.

       Though ultimately it become a part of my profession.

008.In 2002 you played the lead role of The Snowman in the theatreproduction The Snowman in London at England.

       How do you look back on your role in this production?

       I wanted to act for a longer time already. So, eventually I made that careerswitch after the dancing. Because the auditions

       took so long and I still was not quite cetain for myself, I wanted to walk away. When I was stopped suddenly by

       someone. Finally it seems to be the producer of the show. He asked me if I not just wanna give it one more chance. Then

       I got the rest of the audition more attention and that allows your course at very ease. The roll of the Snowman was very

       heavy and difficult to play because I was also in a harness inside of the suit. So I can only move restricts me. It was a

       production that was played only in the December-month because it was a Christmas show. For children there were in the

       afternoon two afternoon performances, while there was in the evening also a performance. So, on one day we played

       three shows. Also, we had no understudies (substitutes, ed) that could take on a role when someone had a disease or

       something else. It was also my first role. When I once started playing with the production, I just did not know what came

       over me. In the period from February to November 2003 was ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ filmed.

009.In your career you've worked with some famous people. But who has made the most impression on you?

       The most impression has made Brendan Fraser with whom I worked together with in the movie ‘Inkheart’ from 2008. I

       was fascinated how he did his thing as an actor and how laid back he was when the cameras were off. To be quite honest

       fell nobody hard to work with for me. With Andrew Buchan I worked in 2007 at the movie ‘The Deaths of Ian Stone’

       and with Richard Coyle in 2010 at the miniseries 'Going Postal'. But it seems me quite fun to work together again with

       them. With whom I have never worked with, but still very much would like to work is Susan Sarandon (known from the

       film "Thelma & Louise" 1991, ed.). I think she is namely a very intriguing actress.

010.If you can call a time where you are most proud on and/or you keep the best memories. What would it be then?

       Actually, that are two things. So I am very proud of my role as werewolf in the film ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of

       Azkaban’ from 2004. With that film it was in acting area actually all really started for me. The movie opened a lot of

       doors for me. But I also like to mention here the miniseries 'Going Postal' from 2010 which I played the rolfe of Mr.

       Pump. This is because we had a very nice crew and a very nice time to film the movie in Budapest for Hungary.

011.What did you had yourself with the Harry Potter - series?

       Before I was going to play  ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ was playing I had myself nothing. With

       following the trends I am rather late. I always prefer to look the cat out of the tree. At the audition was asked first who

       were claustrophobic. In that case, you could go immediately. In close-ups of the werewolf the whole costume was

       closed. The head of the werewolf alone weighed 12 ½ kilos. I also had to walk on stilts for the role. Before I went to play

       the werewolf I could not do that at all. But during the audition we had several sessions: acting, moving and walking on

       stilts. Because of my experience as a dancer, I learned pretty quickly to even the find my balance at the stilts.

012.In your roles you are often or always behind a mask or something else hidden. How do you make sure that you the

       appropriate role can still make your own?

       Because of my physical training as a dancer I am perhaps more aware of my body than other actors. I have learned to

       explain emotion on the move, the feeling in my body and to radiate outward. That's what I mostly do when I as an actor

       may play a role that requires a whole costume and/or mask. It is another focus that I starter, a different approach. I am

       initially very self-conscious about how the character looks like from the outside and what effect has at my movements.

       Then I fill it in from the inside, like any actor would do. What remains and visible back by the costume is sometimes a

       lot, sometimes very little. Finally I have to create a character in a way that applies to any kind.

013.What can we expect of you at showbiz area in the future?

        There are some things in the planning, but I may unfortunately say nothing about it.

 

Look for more information about Marnix Van Den Broeke on http://marnixvandenbroeke.tumblr.com/.

Look for a short clip of Marnix Van Den Broeke as The Snowman on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hckjy-w2do.

Look for a short clip of the movie ‘Hogfather’ on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzrmLSPBMFU.

Look for a short clip of the miniseries ‘Going Postal’ on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aID2w_i5JnI.

 

Interview: Perry Krootjes