Fast confession - Matěj Dejdar: Being the son of a famous father can be limiting

Matěj, at first glance I was captivated by the tattoo on your left arm, Bart Simpson's face. Does it relate to your dad, Martin Dejdar, in any way?

Yes it does. I already had two before, and whoever's ever gotten a tattoo knows that it's a bit like a drug. I was wondering what to get next and I do admit that when choosing the motive I was sort of banking on that if I get Bart tattooed, my dad wouldn't be as mad as he had been when I got the first one. But he was mad anyway.

Dad isn't really a fan of tattoos. And I didn't stay true to my word that I wouldn't get a tattoo. But of course the main reason behind this motif is the connection of The Simpsons to my childhood and my dad, who voiced Bart Simpson in the Czech dub. The role belongs to him and the character symbolizes him partially. At least in my eyes. My first tattoo is also family related - three arrows, symbolizing dad, mom and my sister.

Prodej luxusního mezonetu 3+kk se střešní, Praha 5

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Seems that you have nice family relationships. How do you actually remember your childhood? After all, it was different than most kids'...

I had a great childhood, we traveled a lot. Dad sometimes took me to filming, that was great.

Do you remember the moment that you realized you were the child of a famous dad?

When we went to a restaurant, for example, and everyone wanted to take photos with him.

Did you mind?

I did mind because I was really hungry and had to wait for dad to finish taking pics. The next thing was that I hated questions like "What's it like to watch your dad on TV?" When you hear it 30 times a month, it gets annoying.

What is it like, to watch your dad on TV?

When I was really small, I couldn't understand why he was hugging or kissing other women on TV that weren't mom. But these things are childish, of course. Objectively I didn't really mind anything about my dad's popularity, on the contrary, sometimes it was advantageous.

I took it as it was. I'm a rather chill guy and rumors or tabloid articles don't faze me. Two years ago I had a personal experience with the paparazzi, too. I absolutely didn't understand what they were expecting to find out. They didn't find out anything, so in the end they at least wrote what kinda clothes I wear and what I drive.

What about you and fashion, anyway? Most hockey players are quite serious about their appearance.

Well, I'm probably a bit of a metrosexual too (laugh). But it does happen to me that I fall in love with a pair of jeans and then I wear it all the time. Washed, of course. It may surprise some people, but I really don't care about expensive brand things. I like Zara, for example, which is middle range, price-wise.

People say that being the son of a famous father is hard, but it's even harder to be successful in the same field. Would you like to follow in your dad's footsteps?

I wouldn't mind. But I think I could only star in comedies. Two years ago I got a role in director Tomáš Magnusek's movie, Kluci z hor, which was a drama. And you have to have experience for that. I played the young version of my dad, and it was fine. They say I'm a younger copy of him. I didn't have to do any extra dramatic scenes, it was fun.

What was it like, being in front of the camera with your dad? Didn't it feel restricting?

We didn't actually meet on set, fortunately, but he was still helping me a lot. What did surprise me though, is how long everything took there.

Matěj, what did you want to be when you were still a child?

As far as I can remember, since first grade I've always only wanted to play hockey.

Whose idea was it to sign you up for hockey and why?

I had a classmate who played it, and I wanted to try it with him. Back then dad started filming the series Poslední sezóna which is about professional hockey, so I found myself in hockey even more.

Over ten years ago your dad founded a celebrity hockey team HC Olymp, though its purpose is mostly charity. Did your dad also have ambitions in hockey as a kid?

I don't know; however, dad only learned to play hockey when I did. At that time he was already at the age when most hockey professionals are thinking about retiring. But he's good at it, he's in his element. He likes playing football or tennis too. He's really into sports and actually a really multi-talented actor, too. Whatever he touches he's good at.

Pursuig a career in hockey is a big sacrifice for the whole family. Who used to take you to practice?

That's true. Mom's the one who did most of the daily practice with me. Getting up in the morning was the worst. We had to be on the ice at 6 am. Luckily that was only once a week. During the rest of the week, we had practice after school. But I still didn't have much time to be bored like other kids.

Prodej luxusního rodinného domu na Praze 6, Praha 6

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And you went to a regular state elementary school?

Yeah, we more or less moved to the US when I was in seventh grade and I finished elementary school there.

Did Czech kids treat you different at school because you're the son of a famous actor?

Not the kids, but the teachers always made up problems. There were only a few that weren't letting me have it. Every day there was something. My mom always used to say it was my fault, she never admitted that a teacher could have it out for me. But that was the right thing, I guess. These days teachers are almost afraid to speak up. Parents often think their kid is a saint, and the teacher has no support. In my case it just wasn't always fair.

You started seventh grade in America, it must have been a big change. How did you put up with it?

Of course my English wasn't good enough to let me fit in immediately. But my first year I went to a hockey academy, that was great. Next year I was already in a normal school, it was terrible. And the last year of elementary school I went through in the Czech Republic. Till then it was just mom and my sister with me. When I went back to America after that, I lived in Connecticut alone. That's when I learned to take care of myself.

Can you imagine finding a partner there and staying there for good?

No, I like the Czech Republic better. One more reason is having a girlfriend here. She's Slovak, same as if she were Czech. Slavs are very different from Americans. Americans have a different sense of humor, way of thinking, they're much nicer as people. It's a pity the Czechs are always mad about something. That's the only thing I mind.

When you mentioned your girlfriend - like many other hockey players, you too dipped your toe into the "model" waters...

Not intentionally. True, she's a Czech Miss, but aside from that she's a real estate agent. So if you happen to be looking for a flat...

Did she get any for the two of you? Do you live together?

Not yet. At my age I'd already prefer it, but we're still in the planning phase. We've only been together for four months after all, we're still getting to know each other, and living together is a serious step.

How did you meet?

Dad was filming a movie in Slovakia.

I knew it, we're back to movies. It's like that environment is somehow attracting you.

To tell the truth, I'm gonna have to decide whether to go back to America to study and play hockey, or stay here. But I have to say, I don't really feel like going there. Last year I successfully graduated from a Czech grammar school which I was attending online alongside attending school in the US, so I'm a little done with studies for now.

The folks are trying to persuade me, but I'd prefer to stay here. I'd like to work already, something like working with movies. If not in front of the camera then behind it, in production or so. Dad probably wouldn't exactly be thrilled, he sees me more as a sportsman. So it's a backup plan of sorts for now, if hockey didn't work out.

I'm not intending to quite hang it up yet. If I don't leave for the US, I'm planning to try Kadaň, big league.

What's your lifelong dream?

To be happy!

I really hope that that works out for you. And thank you for the interview.