“Manta Manta” star Timur Bartels: “I get naked photos of men!”

When is the man a man? Or is this question completely out of date?

Timur Bartels (27) is one of the most versatile artists of his generation. He rejects role clichés – and is often criticized or even attacked for precisely this.

“My basic idea is that it’s completely okay how you dress and how you present yourself,” says the actor and singer to BILD.

He: “It has nothing to do with sexuality. But since I’ve been painting my nails, for example, I’ve encountered question marks and irritation from many people.” And that’s especially true for men. “It’s just nail polish! But some also think I have a new sexuality.”

Bartels is always open with his girlfriend Mina, whom he met through the Tinder dating app. Hardly anything goes uncommented with him. And there are only a few inhibitions.

“I get a lot of nude pictures, whether I’m single or not. And more by men than by women.” How does he react to this assault? “I often send the appropriate paragraph in response. But I also find it legitimate to use the right to report these people immediately. And I think it’s good that the laws have been tightened.”

Timur Bartels is now very consciously dealing with his identity.

Bartels: “I’ve been doing therapy for six years. When I started, I had a lot of success with ‘The Red Bands’, but on the other hand I also had a lot of family problems, a recent breakup and also an overall depressive phase,” he says.

“Unfortunately, many still see it as a weakness when people go to a psychologist. I find strength in showing weakness – and tackling your darkest issues, the ones you fear the most.”

And what is male today? “Well – it would be easier for me to describe toxic masculinity. The question of what is male and what is female no longer makes any sense to me. The respective sex organs are obvious. And for everything else we don’t need drawers.”

Incidentally, this also applies to Timur Bartels professionally. His music – for the current number one movie „Manta Manta – Zwoter Teil“ he wrote the soundtrack “Nur wir zwei” – the Berliner deliberately does not release it with a large record company, but on his own initiative.

“I build my career ladder myself. I don’t want to be dependent, I want to keep my artistic freedom and independence.”

Privately, Timur Bartels has voluntarily renounced a piece of his independence and taken on responsibility – and took in an elderly couple from the Ukraine for ten months.

All in all, the experience enriched him: “I wasn’t used to eating together every day, to having a kind of family life. Sometimes we clashed, we discussed a lot – also about nail polish – but we continued along the same path. And I learned how important family is.”

So a dress rehearsal for your own family? “I could imagine having children. Children come when they come. But a life without children would also be conceivable for me. Because I have great respect for the responsibility.”