LORD OF THE DANCE If turning up early to a party is the best way to call the tunes, Christoph Waltz did not get the memo. It is only a decade since the actor, epicurean and acerbic philosopher won his big break at the age of 53, but he is now surveying Hollywood from the summit. And as nick scott finds, his worldview is unique.

photography brian bowen smith fashion direction grace gilfeather t’s common knowledge that Orson Welles, during the making notwithstanding, it’s impossible here to suppress a question: of the 1950 action flickThe Black Rose, insisted on a mink-fur what would Ernst Stavro Blofeld think of all this? For those late lining for his character’s coat, despite the fact that it would in the room, Waltz is the latest of seven actors to play a character Inever appear on celluloid. Rumour also has it that George Clooney, who has a confounding set of guises. Blofeld is a 20-stone during the filming of Alfonso Cuarón’s out-of-this-world sci- former amateur weightlifter with a black crew-cut atop Benito fi thrillerGravity , insisted on a slice of California being created Mussolini features, a 12-stone silver-haired fox with nasal outside his trailer on the set in Surrey — landscaped garden, syphilis and green-tinted contact lenses, or a six-foot-three basketball court, hot tub, custom-made beach hut and all. bruiser with a gold-capped tooth and droopy grey moustache, So we were naturally unfazed when a two-time Academy depending on whether you take Ian Fleming’s descriptions in Award-winning actor with a well-documented appreciation of all the novels Thunderball, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and You things oenological asked for Only Live Twice as gospel. a bottle of Pauillac Château “We’re actually governed by Take the film adaptations Lafite Rothschild 1er Cru mediocre people, and that’s as your source, and Blofeld 2010 (“or similar”) to be on becomes, in the earlier films, site for his photoshoot with why the course of events in our nothing but a close-up of The Rake. “I thought, like a society is mediocre at best.” a hand stroking a cat; in smart alec, that I was making the later ones, a villainous a sophisticated joke about how the so-called talent can go a little presence personified by Donald Pleasence, Max von Sydow overboard with the perks,” says Christoph Waltz as we embark on and Telly Savalas, among others; and, most recently of all, the the interview some days later. “They’d asked me if I had any special five-foot-six Austrian gentleman photographed in these pages requests — drink or food — and they gave me this fabulous bottle of — a man whose naturally affable features can, at a twitch, convey wine, and I was so embarrassed. Embarrassed but flattered.” oceans of inner malevolence at the shout of the word ‘action!’ Waltz, 63, is a genuine epicurean. He’d definitely identify Having survived the helicopter crash at the end of 2015’s Spectre, with a concept alluded to by the comedy personality David Blofeld is back in the Bond franchise’s 25th outing, No Time to Mitchell in his book Thinking About It Only Makes It Worse — the Die, although the leading antagonist’s podium has been taken by Opening spread: ‘valve decision’, the notion that once you experience better, Rami Malek, playing a villain by the name of Safin. Burgundy silk and wool your newly piqued sensibilities (whether via your palate, your At the time of writing, so-far-released clues about the single-breasted suit, Ermenegildo Zegna; eardrums or your sleep quality on a plane) can’t go back. “I jigsaw in which Blofeld appears to be a corner piece show teal brushed cotton shirt and red and silver silk appreciate a good drop, and once you taste the good stuff it’s him in prison attire with facial injuries, placing him in the diamond tie, both Emma difficult to drink plonk — as with talking to certain people, or disfigured, dastardly movie-villain canon alongside Anakin Willis; orange and blue silk peacock pocket-square, taking certain jobs,” Waltz says. Does that go for the rolled leaf Skywalker, Scarface and The Joker as well as previous Bond New & Lingwood; brown cotton socks, London Sock he’s clutching in some of the shots here? “Very much so — but baddies Alec Trevelyan (from GoldenEye) and Le Chiffre Company; burgundy leather it’s the same thing. I would rather not smoke than smoke some (Casino Royale), not to mention the character’s former self as shoes, George Cleverley. vile herb. I’d rather not drink than drink some crappy plonk. portrayed by Pleasence in You Only Live Twice. L.U.C 1937 Classic watch from the L.U.C collection You don’t want to fall into the trap of inflationary indulgence So — to rewind a bit — what would Blofeld’s reflections featuring a white dial with roman numerals, COSC- because you lose your appreciation. be on restrained indulgence in all things bacchanalian? “You certified chronometer set “It’s nice to have special occasions here and there, and I think should ask him,” Waltz says. “I have no idea. It’s actually a fun in stainless steel on a black alligator strap, Chopard. by choosing quality you can put dots on the i’s and sort of string game to play, that kind of inquiry… You can play that same

This page: yourself along — it makes it worthwhile.” Yet Waltz, a man who thing with power, or influencing others, or dictating terms, Grey and cream tick-weave seems to spend a good portion of his life fixing his pupils on a gold and then it really depends on the awareness and the intellect sportcoat, grey and cream tick-weave dress shirt, tan needle of truth in the fetid haystack of falsity that dominates modern and the education and the level of existence of the person who crepe trousers, and grey and cream tick-weave neck-tie, existence, has no time for what he calls “professed expertise”. exercises that influence… What I’m trying here is to make my all Ralph Lauren Purple “‘Aficionado’ is a nice word,” he says, “but ‘connoisseur’? Really? own clumsy segue — into politics.” Label; navy felt fedora, Lock & Co.; Green silk paisley Just get on with it and enjoy it and make it special.” Tangent complete, the floodgates open. “We’re actually print pocket square, New & Lingwood; burgundy leather The risk of slipping a clumsy segue into the conversation governed by mediocre people, and that’s why the course of shoes, George Cleverley.

79 events in our society is mediocre at best. It should be excellent ask, because Bond, over the past 50 years, always tunes into people who influence our lives. It would make an enormous the momentary zeitgeist,” Waltz says. “We’re now on number difference… To watch how this one person can drag down, 25, and over the course of 50 years, that’s remarkable. These dramatically — like some wild beast that drags down its prey [writers and makers] seem to feel the pulse because Bond has into its hole — the lives of not everybody but immense masses become an institution. It tunes in and it speaks to people for the of people around the world… I am referring of course to past 50 years. That’s more than a generation. President 45, and it’s shocking to watch.” “Bond has become maybe not yet the collective sub- Would Blofeld not admire Trump? “I would never grant conscience but certainly an element in the collective conscience. him the honour of comparing him to Blofeld — a ‘connoisseur’ Anybody can quote from Bond, a kid or an adult. People who’ve of the power game [compared with] this barbarian, primitive seen the first Bond movie when they were, let’s say, 15, they’re Cro-Magnon, bullying now almost 70. It’s incredible. everyone into submission “Bond has become an And actually, we’re still talking just because he has the institution. It speaks to people about one and the same machinery behind him. It’s character, even though the interesting that humanity for the past 50 years. That’s gestalt that youngsters today takes this swing, from a good more than a generation.” talk about is entirely different wine and a good cigar to the because it tunes straight into extreme opposite — the sophisticated pleasures that make life the zeitgeist and it tunes straight into the moment. I find that enjoyable and celebratory as opposed to the wild barbarian phenomenon — one that slowly, slowly turns from a pop culture into swinging into the kneecaps of everybody on Earth… ” a historical phenomenon — I find that really, really fascinating.” Does Waltz have any explanation as to why — in a world so Is societal observation like that an important aspect, an parsimonious with its talent-to-success ratio, one in which only important criterion, when choosing whether to take a role? He maestros become concert pianists, and even sports prodigies chuckles gently. “No. That would mean putting the bar a little often sacrifice their childhoods only to fail to make the cut — high. I think if I made that a criterion I’d be reading a lot more so many of us in the English-speaking world feel compelled [rather than] sitting at home practising piano and drinking the to ponder ‘least-harmful flaws’ over ‘greatest strengths’ at the occasional good drop.” ballot box? “Because it goes by the same rules, only inverted,” he says. “Anybody with their two cents’ worth in place shies Theatrical family away from [politics], and it shouldn’t be like that. It should be The aptronym gods have given us William Wordsworth, the classic Greek or Roman idea of it being the highest honour Usain Bolt and the former World Series poker champ Chris to serve society for a period of time and dedicate our lives to it; Moneymaker, to name just three famous figures with bizarrely to be given periods of time to be the best we can possibly muster. apt surnames. But they were in the mood for subtler wordplay But it’s exactly the inverse — ‘Grab it while you can and never when they bestowed overnight success upon a 53-year-old man mind the consequences’. I shudder when I think of it.” named Waltz, a word that comes from the German verb meaning Returning from bitter reality to the more palatable realms ‘to turn around’, hence the dance genre that emanated from the of unrealistic realism, Waltz has in the past mentioned that his folk music of the western Tyrol region in Waltz’s native Austria. Cream wool safari jacket and brown and gold long-sleeved attraction to the role of Blofeld was in part related to Spectre (the He’s candid, humorously so, about how frustrating those three cotton polo shirt, Cifonelli; movie) touching upon the zeitgeist-y topic of internet-enabled decades in the wilderness were (“It feels like someone keeps light grey wool flannel pleated Manny trousers, Rubinacci at data harvesting in the post-Edward Snowden era. (“This movie trying to switch the light on, but the dimmer switch is broken,” The Rake; brown cotton socks, London Sock Company; tan is… speaking about relevant social issues in a way that few Bonds he once said. “And then sometimes the bulb blows altogether”). suede loafers, Edward Green. have done before,” is how Waltz put it before Spectre’s release.) Waltz was born in Vienna in 1956 into a theatrical family. His L.U.C 1937 Classic watch from What can he reveal about the next instalment of a franchise maternal grandmother was the Viennese Burgtheater actress the L.U.C collection featuring a white dial with roman numerals, whose culture of secrecy and controlled ‘leaks’ resembles Maria Mayen; his step-grandfather another Burgtheater COSC-certified chronometer that of the actual British Secret Service? As little as one might actor, Emmerich Reimers; his mother, Elisabeth Urbancic, was set in stainless steel on a black alligator strap, Chopard. expect. “In terms of Bond it’s an interesting question that you a costume design; and his father, Johannes Waltz, a German

80 81 This spread: Cream cashmere roll-neck, Anderson & Sheppard; tan crepe trousers, Ralph Lauren Purple Label; brown cotton socks, London Sock Company; brown leather loafers, George Cleverley.

82 84 “ Basterds which hestandssounsettling.) when about to murder a family hiding below the floorboards on other actorwhocouldmakethe taskofeulogisingaglassmilk into asingle,horriblyarresting portrait. (There reallyisno fine brushstrokesofcharmandmenace,mischiefmalice success —he’d foundtheperfectoutletforhisknackofblending And Waltz hadfoundmorethanafast-track to ‘overnight’ Waltz hadsaidof Tarantino, “You gavememy vocation back”. the 2009CannesFilm Festival, acceptinghisbest-actorgong, back.” movie He our us gave part… unplayable an written have to consider I might had I literally actors] poetry. my didn’t get “[The audition. auditioning for up the stepped other Waltz before hours movie the abandoning considering he was told producers He’deven question. in rolethe he’d filling had trouble of the told write,” ever Tarantino Iwill characters best one of the probably and I’ve written ever characters best blender II 2009 genre- the world war in Landa Hans Standartenführer of role for the candidate perfect the as Tarantino of Quentin Winnfield from Vyvyan Basterdin irresistible, SuezCanal-likelinkbetween Adrian Edmondson’s players oftheparlourgameSixDegreesKevin Baconan friendship thatnowaffords comedian struckupa the eponymousLiverpudlian (During thelatter, heand The All New Alexei Sayle Show nineties sketchprogramme ‘Weak Mustache’ intheearly Gravy Train Dr Hans-Joachim Dorfmann in the Channel 4 miniseries miniseries, andacoupleofappearances onBritishtelevision:as with occasionaltelevisionandmoviework. work, andspentthreedecadestreadingsimilarboardsalong home with his American first wife) to Germanyfortheatre embarking onalifecommutingfromLondon(wherehe’d made Vienna andtheLeeStrasberg InstituteinNew York before stage builder. Waltz trained attheMaxReinhardtSeminarin Attendez lacrème This lastpointwasbywayofreciprocation:onthepodiumat theattention to when he came fifties early his in was Waltz There wereturnsonGermanchildren’s T.V., historical Many of Waltz’s most brilliantly chilling moments in involvetinyfragments ofdialogue(“ Inglourious Basterds Inglourious inthelateeightiesandasaGermanvillainnamed PulpFiction ”), butaskedwhy Tarantino’s scriptsandhis The YoungOnes .) . . “I knew Landa was one of the one of the was Landa . “I knew close to thesoundsinmyhead.” and Samuel L. Jackson’s andSamuelL. Jules writer. It’s likeplayingmusic, music that is close to me and music thatisclosetomeand “Quentin isanincredible Au revoir, Shoshanna! The York New Times Inglourious Inglourious The ,”,

is beingprivate inpublic”, butpressing himonthat,notforthe mischief —turnsthataxiomaround. He’s saidbeforethat, “Acting their careers. Waltz —again,thoseaptronymgodsmaking their driving at their deeper philosophies by talking blandly about disciples. Thankfully that’s notthecase.” today, andthey’d stillbepaintinglike Rembrandt’s [original] Rembrandt’s disciplescouldhavecontinued thelineuntil the caseinart,probablyevenmorethanpsychotherapy. and thentheymoveonbecometheirownentities,that’s straight to the source. They study that, they learn it, they know it or Adlerian orwhatever, becausethenpeoplemayaswellgo school any more. They’re not Freudian or Jungian or Reichian his firstwifeapsychotherapist — “theydon’t followaspecific both Waltz’s maternalgrandfather wasanotedpsychologist, like psychotherapists today” —itmightbe notedherethat the peopleIstudiedwiththenI’d haveaseriousproblem.It’s doing thisformorethan40yearsnow. IfIwasstillsittingon liberate yourselffromthoseinfluences,” hesays. “I’vebeen aforementioned illustriousinstitutions. “Sooner orlateryou comes to ‘method’, despitehavingbeenschooledinthose appearances, willattestfurthertohiscongeniality. a-thon, takinginhisvariouslate-night American talk-show babbling”.word ‘insights’of for “onslaught A YouTube Waltz- for hisinsightsatthecloseofourinterview, hesubstitutesthe bursts ofaffability and, indeed, modesty. When I thankhim the occasionalinterview, yethefrequentlydisarmsyouwith Django Unchained Waltz as the dentist-turned-bounty-hunter Dr. King Schultz in Tarantino, whose trust was again repaid with interest when he cast not written.I’mdependent—he’s not,hecanpicksomeoneelse.” my head. That’s it—it’s notcomplicatedatall. You can’t dowhat’s playing music,musicthatisclosetomeandthesoundsin it’s becauseQuentinisanincrediblewriter,” Waltz says. “It’s like realities hereferstoas ‘Quentin physics’. “That’s easytoanswer— squarely inthedirectionofafilmmakerwhoseabilitytojump delivery makesuchapotentcombination, Waltz batsthecredit Usually inacelebrityinterview, actors willdeflectquestions He’s certainlynochest-thumpingthespianwhenit threeyearslater, maydisagree. to sufferfoolsgladlyin quite pricklybutunwilling in thepast,andcanseemnot productions acrimoniously Waltz. He’s quittheatre thing wheninteracting with But this is the strange

ALAMY, REX FEATURES Bosses 2(2014);BigEyes (2014); Time toDie(2020); Alita: Battle Django Unchained (2012); The Angel (2019);Spectre (2015); Inglourious Basterds (2009); Legend of Tarzan (2016);No Christoph Waltz in Christoph Waltz Clockwise fromtopleft: and Carnage (2011). (2011). and Carnage

Horrible Horrible

85 “I would never grant [Trump] the honour of comparing him to Blofeld — a ‘connoisseur’ of the power game [compared with] this barbarian, primitive Cro-Magnon, bullying everyone into submission just because he has the machinery behind him.”

Yellow sunflower terry towelling resort polo, Orlebar Brown; black and ecru check Vitale Barberis Canonico pleated wool flannel Aleksandar trousers, Kit Blake at The Rake; black cotton socks, London Sock Company.

L.U.C 1937 Classic watch from the L.U.C collection featuring a white dial with roman numerals, COSC-certified chronometer set in stainless steel on a black alligator strap, Chopard. alligator strap, in stainlesssteelonablack certified chronometer set roman numerals, COSC- featuring awhitedialwith from theL.U.C collection L.U.C 1937Classicwatch printed tie, trouser, Shirtmakers white cottonshirt, jacket, Cream linen herringbone Huntsman Lardini Rubinacci ; brown wool Chopard ; tan silk ; tansilk ; Budd Budd . .

FASHION ASSISTANT: VERONICA PEREZ PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANTS: KEVIN MCHUGH, BILL KENNEDY, KEVIN PERSHIN DIGITAL TECH: BRANDON SMITH PRODUCTION: VIEWFINDER PRODUCER: DANA BROCKMAN PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: CAROLYN BRUCH PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: DÏN MORRIS at theimpeachment trial,attheendofthird day, hesaid, ‘If we’ve statement lostitall.In[U.S.congressman] Adam Schiff’s accept asourguidancetomake sense oftheworld,thenI’mafraid kneeling isdisrespectful.Ifit’s thateasytoredefinewhat we respect. Butwithintwotweets, andonerant, all ofasudden Kneeling isnotasignofdisrespect, itisasignofheightened or someone? Always toshowmorerespectthanstandingup. during theanthemisallofasuddendefinedasdisrespectful. a symbol—seehowthekneelingat[American]footballgames meaning becomestheofword,andit’s thesamewith a wordandturnitaroundthroughsocialmediapress;thenew ends isdangerousandhugelyintentional. All ofasuddenthey take the hijackingoflanguagebybarbariansfortheirnefarious communication canbeanapproximationatbest,andthat’s why (today veryrestless)mind. “It’s nothingnewthatlanguageor confusing elements. A little bitlikesocialmedia…” like anapproximationatbest.It’s averycomplicatedwebof terms forblue.It’s likeInuitfor ‘white’. And sosuccessassuchis There’s an old example that Russians have, about15 different seeing, inyourinnereye,thesamecolourthatI’mtalkingabout. blue, andyouhearmesaythatdoesn’t meanthatyou’re feeling ofvalidation? “It’s liketalkingaboutcolour. When Isay — most gives the idiosyncratic being that is Christoph Waltz a Academy, BaftaandGoldenGlobeawards for what — critical response, box office success, personal opinion, but neverfindasingleonethatmatchesaverage weight.So calculate theaverage weight from a beach, you could taking athousandpebbles hypothesis thatstatesin can reinitinanymore.” there’s nothingandnoonewho but it’s toolate. This ravenous, raging, rabid beastisletlooseand he feelthatwe’re“Yes, yettoseethefullmaliceofitsinfluence? It’s oneofthemostdestructiveinstrumentspowerever.” Does participants andlinkspeople together in benevolentnetworks. the reallydull,today, believeitisabenignaffairthatamusesthe destructive forceofsocialmediahasbecomevisible,andonly “[That is]somethinginwhichIdonotparticipate!Recentlythe I findthatupsidedown,” hesays.Doesmeansocialmedia? live inanera wherelivingseemstobebothpublicandprivate, “Wefirst orlasttime,leadsusdownatangentialthoroughfare. “Now I ask you, why do we kneel in front of something Here, ourconversationreturnstowhatismoston Waltz’s He’s fondofaCarlJung believe itisabenignaffair.” visible. Onlythereally dull “The destructiveforce of social mediahasbecome Inglourious Basterds

physical sense,at least. enchantment atitsmarvels,parts companywith man seeminglytornbetweenfrustration atlife’s peccadillosand can saveusfrombanality, anexceptionallynuancedactor, anda they’re doing. That’s whyitcomesouthowdoes.” for anonymousshareholders. They investtheirlives into what family business.It’s notlistedonthestockexchangeforprofit make abigdealaboutit?No,theyjustgetonwithit.It’s a and craftsmanship onalevelthatyoucannotimagine.Dothey Those arecreativepeople. Those arepeoplewithexpertise ever seenbefore. They’re incredible. Those arespecialists. and theirotherplacesinGeneva,it’s nothinglikeyou’ve to associatemyselfwiththem.I’vevisitedtheirworkshop life. “Chopard aredear, dear friends,” hesays. “I’m very happy Serbian sybariteDušanin black comedyplay, version ofFrench playwright Yasmina Reza’s Tony award-winning Blofeld, LandaandSchultz—notablyinRomanPolanski’s screen we usetofindourplaceintheworldandsociety.” him. Unconditionally. And thatreferstoalltheotheranchors right isnotanymore,thenwe’re lost’. And I’mtotallywith production ofBeethoven’s only opera, in Antwerp thenGhent,andhasjustturnedhiscreativehandtoa of Verdi’sproduction operas aweekbythetimehewasteenager, hasdirecteda was acomposerandconductor, andwhowasattendingtwo The samecanbesaidofclassicalmusic: Waltz, whosestepfather antidote tomuchthatheperceivesbewrongwiththeworld. are farmorethanjustwellcurated indulgences —they’rean fine cigarsattheshoot,ittranspires duringourtimewith Waltz, aside, he’s inavery, verypositiveplace. The bottleofwineand Inglourious Basterds in Leth, anunhingeddatacruncherwholivesinabandonedchurch The Zero Theorem The And withfinewatchmakingserving asamicrocosmforallthat Watchmaking, hesays,isanotheredifyingpresenceinhis Waltz hasdoneplentytoimpressbetweenhisportrayals of And, philosophicalmisgivingsaboutthemodernworld placedhimmorethanadecadeago. , a2013futuristicfantasymoviefromtherabid Le DieuduCarnage Falstaff Downsizing for Opera Vlaanderen, performed the same lofty branch on which next, professionally Waltz ison to begininSpain,comingup principal photography is about Woody Allen film,forwhich With aleadroleinthenew of Terryimagination Gilliam. ; and with his turn as Qohen ; andwithhisturnasQohen Fidelio ; as the hard-partying ; asthehard-partying , in Vienna. , The Rake . Inthe 89