Milena Tscharntke: getting on famously

Milena Tscharntke and Maximilian Mundt have only worked together once — but it’s clear from their bouncy dialogue and frequent laughter that they share a bond beyond their day jobs.

- Braden Bjella

Despite their friendship, Mundt jokes that, on screen, they have only played enemies. He met Tscharntke on the train to a costume fitting for the 2016 German film Radio Heimat and the two ended up spending the nearly four-hour journey together. “We stepped out of the train best friends,” Tscharntke recalls — a statement that elicits an audible “awww” from Mundt.

Today, both are occupied with their own projects: Mundt is the star of Netflix’s How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast), while Tscharntke’s film The Roads Not Taken premiered this February at the Berlinale Film Festival. Tscharntke also recently starred in Druck, an innovative web series that rolled out across YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp and more.

Expanding their work into streaming services has meant more opportunities for the young actors, both nationally and internationally. “You went to England and they recognised you in the subway!” Mundt’s voice is filled with both appreciation and surprise. “Many producers and writers for streaming services are really young and diverse. That’s why they tell a lot of interesting and diverse stories,” he says. “The outcome is that there are very young stories,” adds Tscharntke. “That’s interesting for us, to play these roles.”