The beloved man from Bremen is a superstar in Myanmar

Musician and actor Mickes Weber from Bremen hardly knows anyone in this country. But in Myanmar, the young man is considered a big star. Here is his story.

The 28-year-old became a star almost overnight with a casual rap performance in Myanmar (formerly Burma). The German immigrant has now been living in the country for four years, and more specifically in Rangoon (more than 5 million people), the capital of the Southeast Asian country. Meanwhile, Mickes played in TV series and filmed commercials. People on the street now ask him for autographs and selfies. It is recognized everywhere in Myanmar. In short, the man is a star in his new home.

12 o’clock to New Zealand

At the age of twelve, he moved to New Zealand as an only child with his mother and stepfather. Then came a turning point, pointing to the future. Stepfather was a computer effects specialist in films and took care of Peter Jackson’s “King Kong”. “I remember doing gymnastics on set and found it absolutely amazing. Ever since, I’ve been interested in the hustle and bustle of the movie,” Mickes once told “Weser Kurier.” There was a stopover in Bremen, then he moved to Myanmar in 2016.

Weber taught English to ex-child soldiers there and took care of prostitutes lost in misery. He finally fell in love there, learned Burmese. He then worked in an apprenticeship with a travel agency in Hamburg and wants to return to work in Myanmar as a tour guide and translator. “I was totally impressed with the country and the culture,” he told Morgenpost in 2019. “Burma has a lot of absurdities and it is a huge country, but hardly anyone knows anything about it.”

Quick and short appearance

In 2016, he sang spontaneously on stage with Burmese musicians he met in Germany, and they raped. The miniature clip with the giant spread 1.90 meters across YouTube and Facebook. Mikis, who called himself “Ko Mikis” (older brother), ended up on talk shows, there have been advertising contracts, supporting roles in the movie, and finally his first lead role in Liebesschnulze.

“Myanmar is as conservative as Germany in the 1950s,” he told deutschland.de at the end of 2020 of the country ruled by the army until 2011. The year 2015 saw the first free elections and a change of government.

Now the army staged another coup at the end of the week. There is a night curfew and a ban on gathering of more than five people. In the middle of it all was Mickes Weber, the star from Bremen.

@ Mickes Weber / Facebook

On the current situation in Myanmar

Weber told him, “A large group of 200 people have just passed from the house.” Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung In an interview. “The large gathering points for the protesters have been postponed because the police have stationed there with water cannons. (…) This means that there are a lot of small demos in the provinces. Those who don’t run show solidarity at the windows. They clap and water protesters with water or give the police water and flowers. You see nice pictures and that gives you a little hope. “

The 28-year-old also responded to a question about the very personal effects of the coup. Mickes said, “In my integrity, I don’t feel threatened at first. I think in the worst case I will be expelled from the country.” Of course, she will have concerns about his fiancée, Weber continued. But first and foremost I would be concerned about people here. New bad news every day, but also news of hope. “