“The stories of the players behind the sport – how they handle pressure and how things unfold for them – are extremely exciting.”
Benny O. Arthur might be an actor, model and perhaps the best-dressed among the Berlin Tennis Open 2026 stands, but has also been a passionate tennis enthusiast since childhood. Together with bett1.de the “Call My Agent: Berlin” and “Django” actor shares his life between rest and endurance as well as between novelty and familiarity with us.
How did you sleep last night?
Not that great, to be honest. It was probably partly due to the heat. But this might be a good moment to chat with the people from bett1.de.
As a model and actor, you surely have a hectic daily routine that requires a lot of discipline. What are your must-haves to start the day feeling refreshed and balanced?
I don’t think I have a real, set routine. But what grounds me the most – especially when you travel a lot or live abroad – is staying in touch with my loved ones. Calling my sister or winding down the evening with friends, those are the real grounding things for me.
What role does sport play in terms of regeneration, health, and mental health for you in everyday life?
“Just going for a run helps immensely to clear your head.”
I think especially when you are on the move a lot, exercise is incredibly important as a routine. It centers you; it makes you feel connected to yourself again. Just going for a run helps immensely to clear your head.
You have done quite a few sports so far. Is there something from that competitive mindset that you take with you to film sets?
I think it’s really discipline and perseverance. You have to stick with it. You need a lot of body control and also have to do a lot of waiting. It mostly shows in the endurance you need during night shoots. When you film at night, it’s completely exhausting. You can immediately tell whether you have the physical stamina or not.
“I'm so grateful I had such good access to it growing up.”
Tennis is actually one of your personal skills. Tell us more about your relationship with the sport.
Yes, I used to play tennis after school and was part of a tennis club. Recently, I’ve found my way back to it because I’ve been renting courts with my friends. It’s a great sport, and I’m so grateful I had such good access to it growing up. Tennis is often quite an exclusive sport that many people don’t really get a chance to experience. If you ever get the chance, you should definitely grab a racket and hit the court yourself instead of just watching it on video. It’s a great way to just let everything out.
What is it like for you to now be a spectator yourself at such a major competition, the Berlin Tennis Open, as a guest of bett1.de?
It’s amazing. As I said, I got to experience the sport very early on, and now being here with such good seats watching the tennis stars is totally cool. I am especially fascinated by the storytelling behind these matches. As an actor, the stories of the players behind the sport – how they handle pressure and how things unfold for them – are extremely exciting.
Now about you and your story: What surprises people most about you when they get to know you?
I think people are often surprised that I am much less serious than I might appear at first glance. I can poke fun at myself and I’m actually a pretty funny guy.
Your roles often share slight similarities – such as pushing boundaries and breaking down rigid stereotypes of masculinity. Is that something that runs like a red thread through your life?
I believe you always bring a bit of yourself into a role. For me, the common thread might be that I I’ve always been the kind of person that’s hard to fit into a rigid box. Even if you don’t do it intentionally, it breaks up existing structures. People see that, and they notice that is where really interesting stories are being told.
“You always get to learn new things, like horseback riding or a new language.”
On another note – when was the last time you did something for the first time?
I recently had to learn Spanish for a casting. I was told that the character didn’t need to be a native speaker, but I’ve always had a passion for languages. So I traveled to Spain for the callback. I wanted to do the scenes without making it obvious that I don’t actually speak the language fluently. That’s exactly what thrills me about this job: You always get to learn new things, like horseback riding or a new language that you dive into with pure passion.
What makes it appealing for you to be here at the Berlin Tennis Open today, surrounded by an environment of sport, culture, and the creative scene?
This is where elite athletic performance meets human stories. I’ve realized that I often get very emotional at sporting events. Even during the Olympics or the World Cup, I get incredibly invested in the players because there is such an intense personal story behind it. That tension on the court absolutely shines through.