KB INTERVIEWS

May 30, 2006 at 03:09 o\clock

Q&A with ‘goal! the dream begins’ star kuno becker

by: kunoonline

It’s easy to see why Kuno Becker is an international star in the Hispanic television market. His smoldering good looks and smooth style give him that certain star quality. Now, he’s breaking into the U.S. market with his new film, Goal! The Dream Begins, the first of a trilogy of films about soccer. Becker plays Santiago, a Mexican-American soccer player who gets his big break playing for England’s Newcastle United team. Becker chats with us about making the film and the rigorous training he had to endure in order to perfect all those cool soccer moves.

Hollywood.com: How did they find you for this movie? Was it a competitive audition process?
Kuno Becker: Man, it was the most difficult thing in the world. Not only competitive, but also soccer-wise was really, really hard. I didn’t play a lot of soccer when I was a kid. I did play when I was in school but nothing professional. So I had to do a couple of auditions, like normal auditions, and then when I got the role, or at least half of the role, they said, “Okay, now can you play soccer?” And I was like, “Yeah, yeah, whatever. I can play soccer.” Then I had to do this audition for two weeks in England with the real time, with the Newcastle United, the team of the film. I had to train with them for a couple weeks to do another audition, a soccer audition. I broke my ankles because I was training so hard, so many hours a day that I had stress fracture, so I couldn’t even walk, forget about playing soccer. So it was really, really, really hard.

HW: You broke them before the movie started?
KB: Before the movie, just for the audition. And I almost didn’t get the role because of that because the day of the audition, I couldn’t even walk, forget about playing soccer or anything else. I did learn a couple of things, like a couple tricks and stuff to keep the ball with me, and that’s where the director said, “Okay, you know what? You did improve” so I got the role, but it was really, really hard.

HW: Did you have time to heal before the movie started?
KB: I did have time to heal because that was like a month and a half before we started shooting, so the time we started shooting, I had started training but I was recovering myself. It was very, very hard. Then the actual training for the film, I did it, again, with a team and on the field and I had a football coach and I had a football teacher. And I had to learn everything from, “This is how you go to try to score a goal.” It was really, really bad. Physically, it was the toughest thing I’ve ever done.

HW: Did you have to repeat the same action in take after take? Did you become an expert at hitting the mark?
KB: It was very difficult, as you said, because it’s a whole different thing to actually play a match than to shoot a match for film. All the scenes, for example that trial you see in the first film under the rain and with mud and everything, we shot that sequence for about a week. And it was really, really hard. It was super cold. It was minus I don't know what and I couldn’t feel my legs anymore. Somebody broke my nose and it was cuts and cuts and it was constantly playing football, playing soccer for 10-12 hours. Stopping and not stopping, but it was really hard. So it’s actually harder than just playing a match.

HW: Can you tell when it’s your double in the film?
KB: [Laughs] Yeah, a couple times just because I did train. I did everything in my power to be able to do as much as I could but there were certain things that even if you want to do it, you can’t do it. There are certain things that just these guys have been training for 25 years and they are 27, so it’s really, really hard to train for a couple months, four months and achieve that level. It’s just impossible. So there were certain things that I really couldn’t do because even a lot of soccer players they can’t do those things. Like the tricks for example. But I did train a lot so I did as much as I could. I do things that I didn’t really know that I was going to be able to do, so that was a good thing. And the most important thing is that the audience really believes it and that the audience is not taken away by those scenes. It doesn’t take you away from the story when you see those scenes. That was my main concern. I really wanted to achieve a good level so the audience could really follow the story and just really believe that Santiago was a talented player.

HW: Was it a culture shock going to England?
KB: I was kind of not used to it but it was the situation that I did experience when I was a kid. I started to play the violin when I was six years old. And I did study classical music for about 10 years. And I was living in Austria in Salsburg when I was nine years old the first time. And I was a couple months a year in Austria studying the violin. So being a Mexican kid at that time in Europe just by myself, it was kind of like that. So I knew the feeling a little bit. So that wasn’t really, really a problem. But the training, that was the toughest part.

HW: Did you encounter any soccer hooligans?
KB: [Laughs] No, actually the Geordies were great with us. At the beginning, they were like, “Oh, man, this is not gonna happen. I mean, a guy that comes here and trains for four months is never going to be able to play football” as they call it instead of soccer. And I just trained hard and by the time we finished the film, the English fans were actually making up songs for my character, for Santiago. They were yelling, “Santiago is a Geordy” So it was really, really great. The people of the team, they were open to us. They were very warm with us. They were very helpful and supportive.

HW: Did you know Goal! was the first of a trilogy?
KB: Yeah, they told me from the beginning it was going to be a trilogy and I knew that so the challenge was to make my character evolve and change throughout the story instead of just playing the same guy three times. I think that’s very dangerous. It wouldn’t be interesting for the audience too. The most important thing also is that this is a story and you have to remember that it’s about emotions, feelings, relationships and people have to relate to it. If it was just a bunch of guys playing soccer, it wasn’t going to be interesting. What I think is interesting about this one is that this is a story of what happens inside of the soccer world instead of just a bunch of guys playing soccer. And in the second one, I wanted to see him change. I wanted to see him evolve. I wanted to see him become a little bit crazy because that’s what happens with rock stars, soccer players, American football players. In any sport, it doesn’t matter. When a guy that comes from a very simple background gets all this money and fame and everything, so I wanted to really see him change. So the challenge is still there for the third one and I want to try to think about a couple more things to do with that.

HW: How big a commitment is that? Are you tied up for the next two years?
KB: It’s very big and it’s very challenging as you said. I don't know about the third one. I know that it’s going to happen. The plan is to shoot the film during the World Cup in Germany and then the rest of the film, not all the film, but maybe 30 percent of the film during the World Cup. Then when the World Cup finishes in Germany, we’re supposed to be shooting the rest of the film there in the stadiums, with the real players, not with a real audience anymore but with a real everything. That’s the way we shot the first one and the second one. We shot it at the stadiums with the real players. It was just awesome and that’s going to give the sense of realism that we want to achieve.

HW: Will the soccer be easier for you?
KB: In the second one it was actually not easier but it was great that I did improve a lot because I kept training and I had a wonderful coach. Andy Ansah, he’s an English player and in the second one, I did a lot of things that I never in my life thought I was going to be able to do but it was just because of him. I had a great, great, great, great soccer coach. And in the third one, hopefully I’m gonna be able to do a couple more things.

HW: Can you ever go back to Spanish television?
KB: No, [laughs]. I don't know. That’s a good question but it was so hard to get here. I’ve been working so hard. Centimeter by centimeter. I did work a lot in TV in Mexico and when I decided that I wanted to play better characters and be part of better stories, I realized that the only way to do that was in films in hollywood. And it was hard to start in films in Mexico City because films were very different from TV and people go kind of like here, people go, “Oh, no, you’re like a TV actor.” So you have to prove yourself again and prove them wrong. So I did that and it was hard, and then I did a couple independent films here in the states. This is the first film that I do that a lot of people are going to watch and has great support from a big studio like Disney and FIFA. People are actually liking it so right now it’s been so hard to get here that I don't know if I want to do that again because that would be kind of like not going back, but in a way yes because the characters are kind of the same. You play the same over and over and I really want the challenge to do something a little bit more complex.

HW: When was the first time you went far away from home for work?
KB: Man, the first time was when I was nine years old. I started studying violin when I was six years old and by the time I was nine, I had to go for the first time to Salsburg in Austria, this drama music school. And I stayed there for about three months and I used to go there once a year, take courses and study the violin. And it was so hard because I was a kid in Europe and I was alone and it was really, really hard but that was the only way to make it. If you want to be a professional violinist, it’s the only way to make it. It’s like ballet or any other super hard thing to do. If you don’t start when you’re a kid, you just don’t make it.

HW: Ever have any bad jobs, like a busboy?
KB: I didn’t do that but when I was a kid, I did play on the streets in Salsburg. I didn’t need the money so much but I had a couple of friends that were a lot older than me, 20-something years old, and they were also studying there in Salsburg, the course, the violin/classical music course. And they didn’t have a lot of money for a couple of things, so they convinced me to go and play in the streets a couple of times. Money, you wouldn’t believe it. It was funny. I had a French friend and a Korean friend and me, a little Mexican kid. So we were kind of playing Bach, a concert for two violins and piano, we made it for three. And we were playing on the streets a couple of times and we made so much money. It was so much fun. That’s the closest I can get.

May 29, 2006 at 23:55 o\clock

INTERVIEW: EXCLUSIVE: kuno becker kicks off goal! the dream begins

by: kunoonline

Everyone has goals, everyone has dreams; for Santiago Munez, his dream was to grow up and play professional soccer. He got to live out that in the new Disney film, Goal! The Dream Begins starring Kuno Becker as Santiago.

Crossing over the US border from Mexico at age 7, Santiago worked his way up from nothing to playing soccer for one of the most recognizable clubs in the world - Newcastle United. In the first part of the trilogy of Goal!, you see Santiago's progression and migration from Los Angeles to England.

We had the chance to speak with Kuno about his role in this film; a Mexican actor, he was chosen out of hundreds - and to top that off, he's not a soccer player. So how did he live out his dreams? Check out the trials and tribulations that led him to star in one of this summer's uplifting films.

Here's what he had to say:

Since you're not a soccer player, are you at least a soccer fan?

Kuno Becker: I have to admit, I wasn't a huge soccer fan; I did play a little when I was in school. I like soccer, and that's why I really loved the script because when I read it, I realized it wasn't just about soccer, it was a good story. It was inspirational, I found many, many beautiful moments in the script and that's why I really loved it. And that's exactly what's happening with the audience now; the response of the audience has been great, even if they're not soccer fans they like it.

What about for those true soccer fans?

Kuno Becker: Now, for soccer fans, this is something that's never been done before, never seen before. We shot all the games at the real stadiums, with the real players; Danny Cannon did an amazing job with the soccer sequences. The soccer play is just out of this world; it's the first time I've seen anything like this.

How much training did you have to go through?

Kuno Becker: Oh man, if you like soccer then you know that. These guys have been training all their lives; my first time going up to Newcastle, I figured I'd be so good, and I'd be training for four months - yeah right, you know; I was so naïve. I knew they had to train a lot, but it's so difficult. And they're so strong; they've been training for 25 years. To get the part, I started training; they told me, 'soccer is very difficult, it's very complex.' And I was like, 'Yeah, yeah, I'll train; whatever.' And so I trained for the first two weeks, many hours a day, like 6 hours a day; I broke both my ankles. I had a stress fracture and I couldn't walk for like a month and a half; it was difficult, really difficult. I kept training with the ball, dribbling, strategy, but it was really, really tough. That was before we started, before I got the part.

And you still got the part?

Kuno Becker: Yeah, they figured 'we'll take a shot.'

When did you know you'd be working with the actual players from Newcastle United?

Kuno Becker: Well, I read the script and I read some of the lines, and I saw 'Beckham/Santiago, Santiago/Beckham, Santiago/Raul.' I was like, 'Yeah, right, this isn't going to happen;' these guys are superstars all over the world and they're not going to shoot a scene with us. I didn't think they would do that, but they did. The producers got FIFA involved and it's an amazing achievement.

How much do you think having FIFA involved helped?

Kuno Becker: Oh man, if it wasn't for FIFA, we wouldn't have been able to get the access to the real stadiums, we wouldn't be able to shoot film before the game. Real Madrid, in the second movie, this is a super famous club of the world and you're planning on shooting your movie before they go take the field? That's not going to happen; it's a distraction for the players, you don't get to go inside the stadium. But we did, and I was sitting there, just like all the other players, and they were filming there, they shot me walking in the tunnels walking out with the team. And that's why the first one is really, really, real, and the second one is amazing. The soccer sequences are an achievement from Danny.

Did you know they were going to make a trilogy?

Kuno Becker: Yeah, they told me from the beginning, so I knew that going in it was going to be three films. That could be a good thing or bad, cause we needed to make the first film interesting; the great thing is the movie is more actually a movie, and not just soccer cause that's going to get the audience excited. But I wanted to see the character change throughout the three films; in the second one, my main thing is to have him evolve. I wanted this character to be more than just a soccer player and have it more than just soccer; first of all, you can watch soccer on TV and it's going to be real players and it's going to be better soccer. The second one, there's no point, they don't have to pay and watch the film and make a film that people can relate to and interesting for the audience. The challenge in the second one is making him change once again and evolve when a guy, with a very simple background, when he gets all this money and fame what happens to him. It's like anything here, like a rock star or a football player, you name it.

Was the feel on the set different on the second film?

Kuno Becker: Yeah, it was very different; Danny Cannon was brilliant in the second one was he found beautiful moments, and produced those moments on the film and reacts to the audience with music which is very difficult to do from my point of view. You don't get moved by films anymore; people cry, the toughest guy cries on this movie, and that's great. The second one is even better; I just finished shooting that and challenge now is to put it all together and make it as good as the first one.

How did you and Alessandro bond off screen to get that relationship?

Kuno Becker: I was very lucky to have a great supporting cast; this is the first film where a lot of people are going to watch and it's great to be working with Alessandro, Stephen Dillane, and Anna (Friel). So many good actors around me, and it's so good for the story and they hit so many points which the audience likes. We had to have this 'friends' chemistry; we rehearsed a lot, talked, and he was so funny in the film. And you really like him, he's funny and the audience likes him. But he can really play soccer.

Did he teach you anything?

Kuno Becker: Oh yeah, but I had to train from the beginning with 'this is a ball;' I started with the basics, from the beginning. I had played as a kid, but I had to play as a professional for the film and he plays better than even before; but even for the second one, I had to train, because he's been playing more. I had a soccer coach, Andy Ansah, he's an English player, a real player, he was so helpful; I wouldn't have been able to do anything without his help.

What was your favorite scene from this movie?

Kuno Becker: My favorite scene are the ones with the dad, because I really believe the relationship with the dad really works with the audience. We somehow, Tony (Plana) and I, we managed to have people feel something; I didn't know if we were going to be able to do that, but we did. He does an amazing job so I think those are my favorite scenes.

What did you think when you saw your face on a poster?

Kuno Becker: I saw the first time here was on a bus; I almost crashed into it. That's great, but that's not why I do this job; I'm just glad people are going to pay attention to what I do. When you know you made a film that people are going to watch, that's just really awesome; you know you did it for something, you know you shot a film for people to watch it.

Goal! The Dream Begins kicks off in theaters on May 12th; it's rated PG.

May 29, 2006 at 23:19 o\clock

Q & A with kuno becker

by: kunoonline

You've now seen the previews and likely have read a review or two of the movie Goal! The Dream Begins, which opens on Friday, May 12 throughout the U.S.

It's not often that an idea for a movie about soccer gets green-lighted in Hollywood. When it does happen, it's usually more about kids in the suburbs with quirky dads as coaches, such as the forgettable Kicking & Screaming -- a movie that even the comic genius of Will Farrell couldn't save -- and Ladybugs.

Goal! promises to be a movie for the general audience and not just soccer fans, as it tells the story of Santiago Munez, who makes his way from playing in the streets of Mexico and Los Angeles to actually getting a tryout with Newcastle United in England. It's the typical come-from-nothing tale about an underdog that is usually prevalent in sports movies, whether it's Rocky, Seabiscuit or, most recently, Cinderella Man.

Recently, I caught up with Kuno Becker, the 28-year-old actor who plays Santiago Munez in the film. Despite a jam-packed day filled with dozens of interviews and appearances, Becker hardly seemed rushed as he spoke about a role that was very different than the ones he was used to playing throughout his 10-year career as an actor.

USSoccerPlayers.com: So, not only is Goal! coming out soon, but you have also filmed two other sequels to be released in the coming years? Was this done Lord of the Rings style, where you were together for nearly a year just filming non-stop?

Becker: No, not exactly. We just finished filming the second one in Madrid. And a lot of the third one will be done during the World Cup this summer. We are planning to shoot 30 to 40 percent of it in Germany. That's the thing with this film, we shot it in real stadiums with real players.

USSoccerPlayers.com: There are appearances by many of the biggest names in the sport. There's Zinedane Zidane, David Beckham, Raul and a bunch of others that soccer fans will recognize. What was working with these world-famous athletes like for you?

Becker: It was a lot of fun. You had a bunch of soccer players out there who preferred to act, and then a lot of us actors who just wanted to play soccer. It's always interesting how that works. Having all of those players really gave a great sense of realism to the film. Most of the time, you see doubles for the actors in other movies. But instead of doubles, we had super-famous soccer players playing themselves.

USSoccerPlayers.com: Which players seemed to get the acting part of the deal down the best?

Becker: For the most part, they all seemed comfortable. They spend so much time in front of the camera, and they're used to filming various ads for their sponsors. Overall, though, Beckham seemed to have the easiest time. He was really good, actually, as he's just a charming guy. He played himself. And being him can't be easy with all the paparazzi he has to constantly deal with in his life.

USSoccerPlayers.com: You grew up in Mexico, so one would assume that the sport is in your blood. What was your background with the game before making this film?

Becker: I liked soccer, but I didn't grow up wanting to be a soccer star or anything. I played it as a kid like everyone else. To get ready to play the part of Santiago, I really had to train hard. We'd train three or four hours a day. That's one of the reasons I liked the part, because I knew how challenging it would be for me. Plus, I loved the script. It's not just about soccer. It's about overcoming the odds and following your dreams and themes that everyone can relate to.

USSoccerPlayers.com: That what made Bend It Like Beckham such a hit.

Becker: Exactly.

USSoccerPlayers.com: What was the hardest thing for your while training -- finding your touch or the physical part of it?

Becker: It was hard. I ended up with stress fractures in both ankles and I got my nose broken. So, without a doubt, the physical part of it all was the toughest thing for me.

USSoccerPlayers.com: Who assisted you during these sessions?

Becker: My head coach as Andy Ansah, who was a former English professional. Every single day, Andy and I would either be on the field or in the gym together. I also had a teacher, Doug Wallace, who helped me a lot.

When I broke my ankle, there was a point where we really didn't know if I'd be able to make it or not.

USSoccerPlayers.com: During this time and throughout the entire filming of the movie, did you become more of a soccer fan in the process?

Becker: Yeah, 100 percent. I respect the game a lot more. It's just so technical and it takes many, many years to develop your skills. It's also a sport about dreams, as kids all over the world grow up playing and hoping that they be a professional one day. People will be able to relate to my character in the movie because of that. He has to fight against the most difficult of circumstances for his dream.

USSoccerPlayers.com: Now that you've done this role, do you think you'll stay in the sports movie genre? It seems like that always happens to actors, whether it is Kevin Costner, Dennis Quaid or even Keanu Reeves.

Becker: I just always try to play characters that are different. If it happens that one of my next roles is in a sports movie, then it means that they would have enjoyed me in this film. I've always wanted to be in important movies, so hopefully Goal! is a big success.

USSoccerPlayers.com: And finally, what will this next week be like for you?

Becker: It's going to be really exciting. We are going to be at the Tribeca Film Festival since we're part of that. On May 11 we'll be in Los Angeles for the big premier, and then the next day it opens everywhere. I can't wait.

Apr 20, 2006 at 09:37 o\clock

LET'S DATE: KUNO BECKER

by: kunoonline

 

When the photos of Kuno Becker rolled into the office a sudden pause drifted across the room as we each imagined being the droplets of water spraying over those overly defined abs.

Then we were told he was coming to New Zealand and was to go on a date with one of our readers. How I cursed the rule that we aren’t allowed to enter our own competitions! But not one to give up at the first sign of a struggle I convinced my editor that, being the only single girl in the office, it was my job, nah my duty, to get an interview with this man.

And that’s just what I did.

Kuno is the star of the movie GOAL!, a trilogy based on a Mexican immigrant’s rise to soccer fame in England. The movie was made with full FIFA backing so is about as close to the world of professional soccer as it can get. All but the main actors are professional football players, the footage is taken from actual games and it was shot at the Newcastle United training grounds.

The story takes you on a journey that starts with the escape of a young boy named Santiago (Becker) from Mexico, his struggle in the USA to convince his father he can make a living as a footballer and then on to England where he trials for a spot on the Newcastle United
premiere football team.

But what about Kuno? Well to give you a quick rundown, the guy spent ten years studying the violin in Saltzburg Germany, became an accomplished violinist and then turned around one day and decided he wanted to be an actor. So he went off to study acting before becoming a huge soap star on Mexican television. GOAL! his first major role in an English speaking film.

Unfortunately Kuno didn't give the best first impression. The guy was supposed to meet up with the winner of our competition for dessert (we had come along to perve) but turns out he couldn’t make it because of a severe migraine. Lucky the winner and her friends were cool chicks and could only wish Kuno a quick recovery - poor boy! Not to worry, a good night was had even without the man in question.

The next day Kuno was to do back-to-back interviews till he left back for LA, which is where I got the chance to talk to him. He was definitely cute, a little jetlagged (understandably) and fiercely apologetic that he couldn’t make dessert. (That’s what they all say!). He seemed at ease in the interview, serious about the movie and a little surprised by some of my questions (I was trying to get the dirt for you guys!!).

What had you known about New Zealand before you came here?
I had heard about great beaches, great forests and amazing people, but this is my first time here so I didn’t know a lot.

You were a violinist and then you decided to be an actor was everybody really supportive of that?
In the beginning it was kind of tough because my family weren’t sure about it, they were like ‘What do you mean an actor?’ It’s a little bit cheesier than being a classical musician. But now they are supportive, I think it was just the shock of the change.

Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?
You know what, not at all actually. Even Christmas is becoming that day that everybody hates because you are forced to buy things. It should be more about being with your family and having a good time. It shouldn’t be about buying and buying.

What are your plans for the near future?
We have to finish the sequel to GOAL! and then there is the third movie, which we are shooting in June at the World Cup.

Would you prefer?
Night club or night at home? 100% home, way better
Coffee or coke? Coffee in the morning
Theatre or movies? Movies definitely

(This is the point where he told me I had ‘interesting’ questions, I spun out and got all embarrassed and flustered)

If you could have dinner with anybody who would it be?
You (Score!!!!!!)

Favourite Band?
I guess Oasis, they did an amazing job with the film and people love them.

Your favourite football team?
Real Madrid. We are finishing the sequel to this film, which is when he [Santiago, Kuno’s character] gets transferred to Madrid, and it’s just amazing to watch them play. They are really awesome.

What surprised you most about the English football scene?
What really surprised me was how people love soccer so much. They get together to watch it, to see it, they go to the stadiums and that’s awesome. The game is great but what is more interesting is what goes on behind it and that’s what the movie is about.

Is there a Mexican equivalent of that scene?
Soccer is pretty huge in Mexico too. Everybody watches or plays it. That’s the great thing about soccer you don’t need lots of money or anything to play you just need a ball. It’s also good to see all these stories mixed, Mexico, America and Newcastle, all the different cultures mix, which is true about the game also.

Would you say the film is an accurate portrayal of what life is like for many Mexican immigrants in the USA?
Movies are not reality, movies are just a tale. This is a beautiful movie that makes you feel something and laugh for a couple of hours, it’s not a documentary. I think the message we are sending is very positive. Immigrants most of the time are great for a country they want to make an honest living so it’s a good message.

Did anybody inspire your reactions after scoring a goal?
We really wanted to stay original. I really wanted to give the character this personality so we didn’t want to copy anything so that’s what I try to do all the time especially in this character. We wanted him to be seen as a new footballer not as somebody else. But we got some of the skills from other players so it’s a combination of the two.

Oct 15, 2005 at 01:26 o\clock

interview with footy flick star kuno becker

by: kunoonline

- You’ve just got back from Barcelona where you were shooting an Adidas commercial with David Beckham, what was that like?

(laughs) That’s meant to be confidential but it seems everyone already knows about it. Adidas has been really supportive as have a load of big companies for the film so it’s really a tie-in for the film’s advertising campaign.

- As this is the first film to be backed by the FA, did that come with any constrictions?

Not really, they were very supportive giving us access to the stadiums and matches as well as the players. We used footage from actual matches and we couldn’t have done that with out their help.

- Before getting the part, were you a big football fan?

No not really. I had to train for several months to become the character. It was a beautiful transisition but also painful. I broke both my ankles and my nose, but it helped me to become the character.


- This is your first really big movie, are you nervous about how it will be received by audiences?

No, I’m not nervous. We showed the film to audiences in France and they loved it which was surprising as we thought they wouldn’t as its set in England. Also the premieres in Newcastle and London went really well. I think audiences love it because the story is more than just about football.


- What was it like training with the actual players? Were they easy to work with?

Working with the players made the whole experience more real. They were really great especially when they had to play against us actors.


- So if we put you on the pitch for a professional game, how would you fare?

(laughs) Not well at all. I’m an actor, not a footballer. I’d be rubbish against all those guys.

- Was your character always going to play for Newcastle United? No chance of playing at Anfield?

(laughs) You never know. In Goal 2, my character moves to Spain to play for Real Madrid so you never know.


- You speak 3 languages (English, Spanish, and German) fluently, but did you have any problems understanding the Geordie accent?

(laughs) It took a couple of weeks to get into it, but now I’m used to it. It’s a beautiful accent and they’re really friendly people.

- Was it hard to make the move from sunny L.A. to rain drenched Newcastle?

Actually it’s great not to shoot a film in LA. Newcastle has its own charm and it was great to work there even if we were shooting lots of scenes in the cold.

- Football is generally a hard subject to make a film about, what makes Goal! so different?

The thing about Goal! is that it’s not just about football even if it does have great match scenes and sequences. It’s more about the story and it has messages that all ages can relate to. Even women who have seen it, love it which I was surprised about.

- The film is all about achieving your dreams, what dream do you aim to achieve?

Well, everyone has dreams. My dreams are simpler than Santiago’s (his character in the film). I just want to work lots, play different characters and make the audiences really feel and care when they watch the film. Oh and stay healthy.


- You’re also an accomplished violin player; did you find a way to weave any of your playing into the film?

(laughs) No I didn’t. As a kid, I was much more into classical music than football. I started playing the violin at six and finished when I was sixteen. I was always much more into the arts than football which is why I took the role as it’s something really different.


- Goal! is the first part of a trilogy, what can we expect from Goal 2 and 3?

Well Goal! is all about getting the dream and how good it feels. In Goal 2! which we’re filming now,, Santiago moves to Spain and it deals with becoming a big star showing the good and bad ways. It shows what happens to a person who comes from a simple beginning when they get all this money and fame like many footballers today. Goal 3! Is set during the 2006 World Cup so we’re going to be filming in during the tournament and it’s all about how Santiago gets there.


- The World Cup? But which team will your character be playing for?

(laughs)I’m not sure yet, they’re still writing it.

- Word is that you’re a big Transformers fan – any plans to vie for a part in Spielberg and Michael Bay’s live action film version?

He’s making one? Wow, well I’ve been a Transformers fan since I was a kid so you never know!

Oct 15, 2005 at 01:15 o\clock

exclusive interview with kuno becker

by: kunoonline

There's something of the deer-trapped-in-the-headlights look about Kuno Becker as we meet him at the end of the first major press day in his career, but he's nonetheless keen to talk about Goal!, a film which promises to open many doors for the 27-year-old Mexican. In the film he plays Santiago Munez, a similarly deer-in-the-headlights young man who finds himself thrust into the cut-throat world of professional football at Newcastle United.

How much did you know about football going in?

I played in school when I was a kid, but I didn't want to be a football star. I didn't want to be a football player professionally. It was very interesting for me to be able to play this character because of that; it's very different for me. And that's really what I want to do as an actor; I want to try to change.

I read the script and I thought it was beautiful. The most important thing about this script was that I knew the story was more important than the football. I mean I love football now, but it's much more about the story. Everybody can watch this film and everybody will like the film, I think, because of the story.

Were you nervous that, as not a professional yourself, the football would be hard to do and to make look convincing?

I wasn't nervous, but I was sure training hard. I wanted to make it believable. We have a lot of football scenes. It's about the story but if you don't have believable football scenes it's going to take the audience out of the story and they're not going to buy it.

It was important to train and I did train. I put a lot of months, a lot of hours a day of training. I broke my ankles, I broke my nose, a lot of muscle injuries, it was crazy. But it's worth it, I think, it's there and I hope people will like it. We'll see what happens.

Santiago's very-much the fish-out-of-water, coming from a quiet life in LA and being thrust straight in with Newcastle United; does that reflect on your own experience, leading a big film like this for the first time?

I guess there's a lot about Santiago and me that are similar. I think it's very interesting to think about that, for me. We're living this adventure. It's obviously a different one, but it's about a dream, about achieving something, and in a way the response of the audience for this movie has been great, so I'm really happy, and if he's getting something in the film it's also a great thing. So I guess, in that way, I feel the same as him. But at the same time, I feel very different. Football is not my life; I don't want to be a football star. The most important thing is that, as similar as we are in many ways, we're also different in others. That notion really intrigued me, and made me really want to do it.

How did you get on with Danny Cannon?

He was great. The most important part of working with him, for me, was that he let me do things. He let me be creative, which is great for me. This side of the job, the creative actor side of the job, is important. Most directors just tell you what to do from their point of view but Danny was open for me to change a couple of things, a couple of lines here and there, and change the story, which is a big thing. I was extremely grateful he put that trust in me.

Are you looking forward to starting the sequel?

It's going to be really great. It's turning into a whole big adventure for this guy, and how he gets to be a big football star. In the second one it's about him becoming very, very famous and getting all these things that come with the fame and the money they get, and the desire and the people.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens to this very simple guy who gets all these things and to see how he changes or how he doesn't change or what happens. It's going to be nice.

I understand you'll be playing the World Cup in number three.

Yeah, in the third film we're going to shoot that one in Germany during the world cup, so it's going to be interesting.

I don't know which team I'll be playing for yet! *laughs* But it's going to be cool!

Oct 15, 2005 at 01:09 o\clock

kuno becker on GOAL!

by: kunoonline

Surrounded by free champagne and more meat pies than you could shake a stick at, Edward Vaughan-Hughes caught up with the gorgeous Kuno Becker at the Manchester premiere of Goal! while the Film Editor Rowan Woods valiantly held the dictaphone and desperately tried not to swoon.

Are you nervous about how a nation of football fans will respond to Goal!?

People’s response to the film has been great. I’m not a huge football fan, but I loved it because of the story. One of the great things about it is that all kinds of people will enjoy it – even women, which I didn’t think was going to happen, because it’s not just about football, it’s about the story and I think that’s great. We do have great football scenes, but this is football from a different point of view, from the inside, about the people, the feelings, the relationships – everything.

Did you play football as a kid?

I played for my school but I wasn’t a huge fan, I wasn’t the best one in the team, not even close!

Did that mean you had to train quite extensively?

Yeah I spent a lot of months, and a lot of hours a day training to become Santiago. It was pretty hard. I broke my ankles and my nose. My body wasn’t used to it, so pretending to be a professional football player was tough.

You starred alongside some famous faces from the world of football: what was it like to appear with Becks and Zidane?!

It was great. They were very cool and very nice but the most important thing was that it gave us a sense of realism, which is great for the film because people are really going to believe the story with them involved, and that was our goal.

Moving swiftly on, what was it like seeing the footballers act; were some better than others? [Pepsi ad alarm bells]

No, no they just all suck!

AhHa! An admission on record! Next question…

No, no I’m just joking they were actually great, they were very natural, funny and charming and they did a great job which people are really going to enjoy.

What was it like filming during real matches?

Running onto the pitch with the crowd there was really beautiful. It’s the first time that it’s been done and again its going to give us that sense of realism that you just don’t see in films, especially football films. It was great to feel the energy of 50,000 people cheering the team – it’s like being a rock star I think, you can’t describe it.

Why did you choose Newcastle United?

Well we actually wanted Man Utd for the film but we couldn’t do it so we had to use Newcastle instead.

Well obviously…

No that’s a joke too!

Oct 15, 2005 at 01:00 o\clock

interview with kuno becker

by: kunoonline

Mexican hot tamale Kuno Becker plays the rags to riches footie star Santiago Munez in Goal!, the first in a soccer trilogy set to make him an international heartthrob. But breaking his ankles while auditioning almost cost him the role he says...

... When I did the audition for the film they were like, `ok we know you can act, but can you play football?' And I was like `...yeah!' So they said `ok you're going to train for 3 weeks and at the end we'll see if you can do something with the ball.' And I trained so hard that I got stress fractures in both my ankles, and the doctor said `I hate to tell you this but you're never going to be a footballer!' So the day of the trial with Danny Cannon (director) - me play football? Forget it, I was kinda walking like John Wayne! So I couldn't do it, and Danny was very disappointed and I was too, and he was like `ok, go catch your plane back to LA. Bye!'

So what happened next?

When I was leaving the pitch I thought to myself `f*ck-it, I'm already here, I've trained for 3 weeks, so I'm going to try to do something. I'd learned a few `stay with the ball' tricks, so I went back and told one of the producers `hey, why don't you go tell Danny to try get the ball from me?' And Danny came on the pitch and said `ok I'll try to get the ball from you', and he couldn't do it! Out of 5 times he got it once - and he plays football. And he was like `oh you've improved, you learned so many tricks, and fakes'. He was happy and I got the role... but I almost didn't get the part!

So I take it you weren't a football fanatic prior to Goal!?

I'm not a footballer obviously, and my body wasn't used to it - it's been hard for me; I played football in school but obviously not to this standard. When you start working with real football players and a professional team it's a whole different story; they have technique. I'm never going to be able to play like them, but we tried to get as close as we could, and there are times during that process when your body says `hey, what are you doing to me?'

So is it true you were destined to become a concert violinist?

My grandmother is a wonderful, talented pianist, and when I was 6-years-old I got into classical music and violin because all my life, since I was born I was at every classical concert in Mexico City. When I was 9 I studied violin in Salzburg, but then when I was 16 I decided I didn't want to do it for a living and I switched to acting. All my family went like `whaaaaaat?'  

What was it like having Beckham, Shearer, and Zidane doing cameos?

It was great, they were nice, easy-going, relaxed but the most important part about them doing the film for me is - that's going to make our story believable. Because most of the time, you just see doubles pretending to be whoever. In the second film we're going to have a lot more footballers - everybody from Real Madrid is going to be in it. We start principle photography in October, and the third one we're going to shoot during the World Cup - which is a big thing.

Are you ready for screaming fans... and that includes male footie fans as well as women!

I was ready a couple of years ago baby! Honestly, I really don't care - I just love my job and everything else, including that - I don't like.

You had to eat dirt many times while shooting the `fouling scenes' - painful?

It was tough, I really earned that cheque believe me, it was bad, it was the toughest thing I've ever done. Those scenes in the mud were crazy, it was so cold, everyone was tackling me - like 50/60 times an hour, and then they broke my nose! It was swollen and bleeding, but it was all rainy so you couldn't see it so much.

And Anna Friel is your love interest?

She is awesome, and we're having a great time working together. There's a beautiful relationship going on between Santiago and her character Roz; this is a story about football, but it's a story about emotion too - it's a story about everything, about goals, about dreams, about making it. That's the most important thing for me, that's what I want to see in this film.

Oct 15, 2005 at 00:43 o\clock

the star and the player: the perfect team

by: kunoonline

How does an actor who has hardly ever played the game turn into a footballer? That was the task facing the star of Goal! - Kuno Becker. Fortunately he had help from ex-pro Andy Ansah, a man widely acknowledged as the best at transferring football onto the big screen.

FIFA.com talks to Becker - and Ansah - the man who helped him recover from two broken ankles to playing with Beckham, Zidane, Raul and the rest…..

FIFA.com: Kuno - How good a footballer were you before Goal!

Kuno Becker: I am a terrible player! It's all thanks to Andy Ansah - I don't play football, but Andy made me look like I play. Without him there is no way I would have been able to do it. These guys have been doing this since they were three years old. How am I going to get there in four months? Training.  A lot of training! But we knew that if we didn't make the football scenes believable then the audience is not going to accept the story. The story is the most important thing, but if the football scenes are not at the best level, people are not going to believe the story.

Andy - How did you train him for the role?

Andy Ansah: Sheer hard work. I've been in Hollywood with Kuno - I was even with him on holiday in Mexico! He can't get rid of me! But I know how hard you have to work to make football look good on film.  I retired from football at the age of 30 after playing professionally in England with a bad knee injury and I said, "I believe I can be an actor". I joined Dream Team, which is a football drama as an extra and I started to spend time with writers and directors and I started thinking, "this isn't right, the set dressing's all wrong, the football's wrong, the angles are wrong". They started to listen to me and within a year I became a producer on the show.

You had 12 years as a professional footballer, do you recognize the characters in Goal!

Andy Ansah: Definitely. The journey is great - unlike other movies it goes to the other side of football. When players come on trial at football clubs you don't generally accept them because that player is coming to take your career, your wage. If he gets signed, someone else is going to lose their contract. That's how you look at it. So you give them a hard time. I've seen triallists come in and they say they're here for a month, you give them a rough time and you don't even see them the next day. But every now and again, like you see in the film, you get someone who stands out. They might do one bit of skill and they get respect - like Santiago does in the film. The other thing it shows you is how people hide things in order to make it. Santiago has asthma but he is afraid to admit it and lose his chance.

Kuno - How did you first hear about the film?

KB: I read the script, met the director and the producers. I thought the script was great, it was a different role for me. But it was a big challenge for me - it was super-hard, I broke both my ankles and my nose in the process, but making the film believable was our biggest concern.

How did you get the part?

KB: Well - it wasn't easy - I nearly missed out because of my broken ankles! I went to an audition in Los Angeles and they said, "Look, we know you can act, but can you play football?" They gave me trial for three weeks - I trained too hard and broke my ankles. On the day of the trial I just couldn't do it and I didn't get the part. Danny Cannon (the director) was very disappointed. When I was walking off the pitch I thought, "no, I've got to show them", so I went back and challenged Danny to try to get the ball from me. I had learnt a few things about keeping the ball - he couldn't get it off me so I got the part…

The filming of the live footage has broken new ground...

AA: They way we've done it is tremendous. The real footage of the games is intercut with our set-ups. We've got real football people involved in this movie, but we're not just throwing football in for the sake of it. It's the story that matters. The football is just a continuation of the story. The action that you see is so good because we have access - we had FIFA on board, we had adidas, we had Newcastle, Beckham, Raul, Zidane, Eriksson and a director who loves football. It's made by football people so when you do see football it compliments the story.

KB: We had footballers acting and actors playing football - and it worked! David Beckham was great, Zinedine Zidane was great, they were very natural, easy going, having fun for a couple of hours. To have them in the film gives us a sense of reality which you don't see usually. Most of the time you just see doubles in films pretending to be someone else. But in this one we have all the best footballers in the world in front of the cameras. People are going to believe the story because of that.

How much has the backing from FIFA helped?

KB: It has made a huge difference. They are giving so much access to teams like Real Madrid and all their superstars.  This is the first time it has happened. It will give us a sense of reality that we don't see in other films.

AA: FIFA made us credible. Many other parties looked at it and said, well if FIFA are involved we need to be involved too.

What can we expect from the two parts of Goal! to come?

KB: When I finished watching the first film, I thought the second one had better be amazing because the first one is so good. We have a big responsibility with the second one because the first one is emotional, it's so exciting. But I think the second one is going to be even better.

Oct 15, 2005 at 00:15 o\clock

Q/A session with kuno becker "goal"

by: kunoonline

Do you see any similarities in your own story to that of Santiago’s that you have used to bring him to life on screen?

Of course we are similar, we both have dreams and aspirations which we chase but what I love about acting is that you have the opportunity to play someone who is completely different. It is great to go to work and play a character who reacts in different ways and make it convincing – that is what being an actor is all about.

How have you approached Santiago knowing how his story will develop over the trilogy?

I see the character in different stages. The first film sees a simple guy from LA trying to follow his dreams of being a professional footballer. The second film sees him living his dream and the third film shows Santiago going back to basics. The films will chart a career of a footballer and how he reacts as a person to his changing life.

Do you think the hopes and dreams at the heart of this film will appeal beyond the world of football?

Yes this film is great because it is not just about football, it is really the story of a young boy following his dreams. The films show what is really like to be a footballer. It is not what you see on TV, in magazines and in the news, it is not all about what clothes you wear and what you drive, it really is hard work and I admire anyone who has the skill to be a great footballer.

How good are your football skills?

Well they are improving… My free kick has got quite good! The film has some great football scenes which have been choreographed and I do try my best but if you are looking for great football you want to look to the professionals in the film like Alan Shearer, Jermaine Junas and Kieron Dyer! I was so excited to be working on a film with so many great players, they make it look effortless but it took months of training for me to even come close to replicating their moves!

What additional training did you have for that aspect of your role?

I had 3 months of basic and intensive training with coaches, choreographers and trainers – it was a great opportunity to try something new as an actor. It would have been boring if I had been a great footballer from the get go, I viewed it as a challenge and I think I did well.

Did you pick up any injuries during the making of the film?

Yes I had so many injuries! My body is not used to it so I had stress fractures in both my ankles which meant I couldn’t do anything for 3 weeks! I broke my nose in one scene but Danny (the director) used that in the film – so I hope it looks realistic! Of course I also had general muscle injuries but I had so much fun shooting that I didn’t care!

Who was the best football player in the cast?

In the cast there are all the professional players for Newcastle, Liverpool and Chelsea to name a few who were amazing to watch in action. But in terms of actors I would have to say Alessandro.

Who was the worst football player in the cast?

Is it bad to say me?! I am really improving but I am never going to be as good as Beckham!

Who is your favourite all time football player and why?

Where do I begin? My team is Real Madrid so I admire Beckham, Zidane and Raul who are all in the film. Outside of that is Ronaldinho who is just a great player.

Which football team do you support?

Real Madrid and now of course Newcastle. I loved the city, the people and the game.

Did you find this movie daunting knowing that you need to please football fans as well as film fans?

Yes because we wanted to make it believable and I think we have been successful; we had some of the world’s best football professionals working on the film and helping us to make it look right. However, for me the film is more about the rise of Santiago as a man. I wanted to make sure that I expressed the characters emotions and that I made him believable – if the audience root for Santiago they will believe in the story and the football.

What was your favourite moment filming Goal! ?

I can’t pick one, it was great to go on set everyday and enjoy my work. I loved working with a team who are passionate about what they are doing and who strived to make a great film. I love acting and so this is my dream.