LET'S DATE: KUNO BECKER
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.
