Pre-premiere pitstopBerlin’s best barber with Aaron Altaras
En-route to the Berlin Film Festival, the up-and-coming actor had a close shave.
By Stories Editorial
13 February 2025 · 3 min read
For Aaron Altaras, Berlin’s best neighbourhood is unapologetically ordinary. “It never changes, and it’s extremely boring,” he says of Schöneberg — the place where he grew up and, to this day, still his favourite corner of the German capital. The 28-year-old actor, on the other hand, is far from ordinary. From his breakout role in Netflix drama Unorthodox, which launched him onto the international stage, to his lead in Cannes-winning miniseries Die Zweiflers, his career has been anything but mundane. But then again, sometimes opposites do attract.
When I meet Altaras on Sonnenallee, he’s on his way to Berlinale. “I think it’s one of the best festivals in the world,” he tells me. “They have a really specific idea of film — it's very political, very emotional.” And this hometown pride runs deep. Throughout the afternoon, our conversation revolves less around red carpets and more about the city’s everyday charm. Before the festival, we make a quick pit stop at his favourite barber, Goldene Finger, which he’s been frequenting for over a decade. “They put so much love into this place,” he says as we enter the cozy wooden-panelled establishment, its walls covered with photos and stories. He jokes that, someday, his picture will join them.
Even when bundled into the back of a van loaded with cameras and gear, Altaras balances a dry wit with a disarmingly open charm, switching effortlessly between childhood anecdotes, to thoughts on his favourite film (Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia), to musings on Madonna (he performs a lively rendition of ‘Hung Up’ for me), and his unrelenting hatred for Friedrichshain. Altaras is refreshingly grounded — an actor, yes, but also a Berliner through and through.
As we approach the Berlin Film Festival, Altaras seems entirely at ease, more like someone heading to meet friends than attending one of the world’s most celebrated cultural events. Unhurried and unassuming, he embodies the very spirit of the city he calls home — effortlessly weaving the extraordinary into the everyday.
“ I think the Berlin film festival is one of the best in the world. They have a really specific idea of film — it's very political, very emotional. ”
- Aaron Altaras
Act casual
What do you love most about Berlin?
The forests and parks. Underrated.
If you weren’t an actor what would you be doing?
Cooking, ideally. Until I burn out.
Who in the industry are you dying to work with?
Paolo Sorrentino, Josh Safdie, Ruben Östlund, Halina Reijn... the list is long.
What’s one line from a script that’s stuck with you?
“How can you hate people for loving.” (Mario, 2018)
What’s your party trick?
Never leaving. Works every time.
What 3 tracks have you had on repeat this month?
‘PERFuMITO NUEVO’ - Bad Bunny
‘These Waves’ - Young American Primitive
‘Human Nature’ - Madonna
What’s your go-to comfort film?
Four Weddings and a Funeral
A super-hyped film that you just don’t get?
Donnie Darko. Also Tenet — it makes no sense. I’m waiting for clarity on this matter to this day.
What’s the most challenging scene you’ve ever shot?
The birth of my baby boy in The Zweiflers.
What’s the one thing you never leave home without?
Chewing gum.
What’s the last thing you Googled?
Scores by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (compilation).
What was your screen time yesterday?
Enough.
If you could only eat one cuisine for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Italian, for obvious reasons.
What’s your dream role?
Boxer Johann “Rukeli” Trollmann. A Berlin legend of rebellion.
“ The best neighbourhood in Berlin is Schöneberg, because I'm from there. It never changes, it's extremely boring, and that's a beautiful thing. ”
- Aaron Altaras
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