Certainly, seeing this picture of Stefan brought tears to my eyes. From what I have gleaned he was a gentle, peace-loving person, if a troubled soul. A skilled surfer, someone who lived for his love of nature and outdoor activity. A thousand miles removed from his bravado, bombastic on-screen portrayal of Markus.
It is so easy to confuse or conflate the real person with their on-screen persona. Sometimes, we have to remind ourselves, that it is the experience of being an underling that grants the outsider a deep observation of ‘the character’ they are to portray.
Tim Roth, the UK actor, noted for his hard-man portrayals of, for example the socio-pathic neo-nazi skinhead in ‘Made in Britain’, his work for Tarantino etc, was a victim of extensive bullying while at school. His experience provided the raw material for being able to portray social scum. Likewise, Ozzy Osbourne, the self-styled ‘Prince of Darkness’ of heavy metal, was a serially bullied pap while at school. He learned to overcome ‘stage-fright’ by using his creative imagination.
I think Stefan had a sense of purpose. From what I know, he was a central influence in spreading ‘good feeling’ around the cast and crew of FA/SML during its making.
R.I.P. Stefan.
We all wish you had had the opportunities to build on your searing character performance in FA/SML. That was not to be, as for many an aspiring young actor. But it was good, that you found solace and self-affirmation in pitching yourself against the raging elements of the sea.
Everytime, anytime someone watches FA/SML, you come alive again.