The Bavarian Roots Of Actor Flula Borg

Flula Borg is a German actor, comedian, and musician, known for his comedic personality. He was born and raised in Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany, where he started his performance career as a traditional Bavarian Schuhplattler dancer. He quickly transitioned into becoming a techno DJ and, after being voted the 3rd Sexiest North Bavarian Male, he gained the confidence to enter the Scion National Hypeman Contest, which he unintentionally won.

Flula Borg's career beginnings

Flula Borg was born and raised in Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany, where he started his performance career as a traditional Bavarian Schuhplattler dancer. He quickly transitioned into becoming a techno DJ and, after being voted the 3rd Sexiest North Bavarian Male, he entered and won the Scion National Hypeman Contest.

Encouraged by his win, Borg moved to Los Angeles, California, to pursue a career in music and acting. To attract the attention of Hollywood, he turned to YouTube to share his original songs, creative remixes, and late-night vlogs about American culture and language. His YouTube channel quickly gained over 750,000 subscribers and 100 million views, earning him recognition as one of Variety's "Ten Comics to Watch". Several of his videos went viral, including "Jennifer Is A Party Pooper", which led to a series of TV appearances and launched his acting career.

Borg's breakout role came in 2015 when he played a co-leader of the German a cappella group Das Sound Machine in the film Pitch Perfect 2. He reprised this role for Peacock's Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin, which has been renewed for a second season. Following this, Borg took on a more villainous role as Javelin in James Gunn's The Suicide Squad. To achieve the physique of a supervillain, he ate 6,000 calories a day and trained with celebrity trainer Paolo Mascitti for months.

Borg's distinctive voice has allowed him to take on voice acting roles in productions such as Fox Pictures' Ferdinand, Disney's Ralph Breaks the Internet, and Apple's Luck. He has also appeared in dozens of TV shows, including Archer, Rugrats, and Centaurworld.

Borg's acting career

Flula Borg's acting career began in his hometown of Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany, where he started his performance career as a traditional Bavarian Schuhplattler dancer. He quickly transitioned into becoming a techno DJ and, after being voted the 3rd Sexiest North Bavarian Male, he entered and won the Scion Hypeman Contest. This unexpected win encouraged him to relocate to Los Angeles, California, to pursue his music and acting career.

To gain exposure in Hollywood, Borg turned to YouTube to share his original songs, creative remixes, and late-night vlogs about American culture and language. His YouTube channel quickly amassed over 750k subscribers and 100 million views, earning him recognition as one of Variety's "Ten Comics to Watch". Several of his videos went viral, including "Jennifer is a Party Pooper", which led to TV appearances on programs like The Today Show and ESPN's SportsCenter.

Borg's breakout acting role came in 2015 when he played a leader of the German a cappella group Das Sound Machine in Universal Pictures' Pitch Perfect 2, starring alongside Rebel Wilson and Anna Kendrick. He reprised this role in Peacock's Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin, which has been renewed for a second season. Following this, Borg took on the role of Javelin in James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, undergoing a physical transformation by eating 6,000 calories a day to achieve a supervillain body. To accompany the film's release, he put out "SuperVillain", a techno-dance EP with music inspired by The Suicide Squad.

Borg's distinctive voice has allowed him to pursue voice acting roles in feature films such as Ferdinand, Ralph Breaks the Internet, and Luck, as well as in TV shows like Archer, Rugrats, and Centaurworld. His live-action TV credits include Curb Your Enthusiasm, Silicon Valley, Workaholics, and The Good Place. He has also been a frequent guest on Conan, hosted by Conan O'Brien, and has worked with O'Brien on other projects. In addition to acting, Borg has produced projects, including Orion Pictures' Buddymoon, which he starred in and executive produced. The film won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Slamdance Film Festival.

His YouTube channel

Flula Borg's YouTube channel, which he launched in 2007, has been a significant platform for his creative endeavours and a springboard for his career in entertainment. With over 350 videos, the channel has garnered more than 750,000 subscribers and 100 million views.

Borg's channel features a diverse range of content, including vlogs, AutoTunes, celebrity interviews, and EDM tracks. His vlogs, such as "Jennifer is a Party Pooper" and "Flula in Germany," offer a unique perspective on American culture and language through the eyes of a German entertainer. The AutoTunes series, where he records cover songs live in a car, has been particularly popular. One of his most notable AutoTunes collaborations is with YouTube celebrity Chester See, as they covered "No Diggity" by Blackstreet, accumulating over four million views and earning a Streamy Award nomination in 2014.

Borg's YouTube channel also showcases his skill in conducting celebrity interviews. He has interviewed a range of prominent figures, from Will Ferrell and the cast of Anchorman 2 to Tina Fey and Anna Kendrick of Pitch Perfect 2. He often creates EDM tracks from sound clips gathered during these interviews, blending his love for music and entertainment.

In addition to his original songs and remixes, Borg's channel has provided him with opportunities to work with other YouTube personalities and mainstream celebrities. He has collaborated with the likes of Rhett and Link, Miranda Sings, and Smosh, as well as Sir Mix-A-Lot, Ed Helms, and Dirk Nowitzki. His comedic video with Flynt Flossy of Turquoise Jeep, "Taste You Like Yogurt," has surpassed two million views.

The success of Borg's YouTube channel has not gone unnoticed. In 2014, his channel was listed on New Media Rockstars' Top 100 Channels, and he won the 2015 Streamy Award for Comedy, solidifying his recognition as one of the industry's top digital stars and comics to watch.

Borg's music career

Flula Borg's career in music began in Bavaria, Germany, where he started his performance career as a traditional Bavarian Schuhplattler dancer. He quickly transitioned into becoming a techno DJ and, after being voted the 3rd Sexiest North Bavarian Male, he entered and won the Scion National Hypeman Contest in 2008. This unexpected win encouraged him to move to Los Angeles to pursue his music and acting career.

To gain recognition in Hollywood, Borg turned to YouTube, sharing his original songs, creative remixes, and late-night vlogs about American culture and language. His YouTube channel, launched in 2007, quickly amassed over 750,000 subscribers and 100 million views. Some of his most popular videos include "Jennifer is a Party Pooper", "Flula in Germany", and his AutoTunes series, where he records cover songs live in a car. His AutoTunes video with YouTube celebrity Chester See, a cover of "No Diggity" by Blackstreet, garnered over four million views and was nominated for a Streamy Award in 2014.

In addition to his own channel, Borg has collaborated with other popular YouTube personalities such as Rhett and Link, Miranda Sings, and Smosh. His comedic video with Flynt Flossy of Turquoise Jeep, "Taste You Like Yogurt", has over two million views. In 2014, his channel was listed on New Media Rockstars' Top 100 Channels, and in 2015, he won the Streamy Award for Comedy.

Borg has also released several of his own music tracks. His 2011 single "Sweet Potato Casserole" reached No. 3 on Billboard's Next Big Sound chart, and his single "Dirk Nowitzki, German Moses" gained mainstream recognition during the Dallas Mavericks' NBA championship run. In 2014, he composed the theme song for Grace Helbig's podcast, "Not Too Deep", and in 2015, he created the theme song for "The Grace Helbig Show" on E! Entertainment Television.

In 2015, Borg released a five-track EP titled "I Want to Touch You", with videos for each track posted to his YouTube channel. The following year, he released a full-length album called "Animalbum", produced by Elan Gale, with songs related to animals, both real and mythological. In 2019, Borg released a single titled "Self Care Sunday", featuring the American comedic music group Ninja Sex Party, on Spotify.

Borg regularly performs live music and comedy and has hosted several music-related events, including College Battle of the Bands, the Chegg Textbooks & Tickets Tour, and Bedrocktoberfest in Los Angeles. He has also been featured multiple times on the main stage at VidCon and has appeared at various comedy festivals across North America. In 2018, he joined Conan O'Brien's comedy tour as the DJ, opening act, and sidekick.

His life in Los Angeles

Flula Borg moved to Los Angeles in his 20s to pursue a career in music and acting. He worked as a DJ, making personal appearances to showcase his lively personality. Borg's move to Los Angeles coincided with the advent of YouTube, which provided him with a new platform for self-expression. In 2007, he launched his YouTube channel, "Flula," and began posting vlogs documenting his adjustment to life in the city. That same year, he made his debut in the AT&T Originals Documentaries, serving as an on-camera guide for audiences exploring experiences like the Dallas Cowboys training camp and Comic Con.

Borg's online presence and unique content quickly gained traction. He began his AutoTune series in 2012, recording covers of popular songs in his car with a creative setup of instruments and simple recording equipment. By 2015, he had appeared in several mainstream productions, including "Pitch Perfect 2" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Road Chip." He also showcased his acting skills in the 2016 film "Buddymoon," which he co-wrote and starred in alongside David Giuntoli.

In addition to his film work, Borg has been actively involved in television. He has made multiple appearances on Conan O'Brien's show "Conan" and collaborated with him on various projects. He has also been a guest on several other talk shows, including "The Today Show" and ESPN's "SportsCenter." His breakout role in "Pitch Perfect 2" as the leader of the German a cappella group Das Sound Machine propelled him further into the spotlight.

Borg's success in Hollywood has led to him hosting and performing live music and comedy shows across various cities, including Los Angeles. He has been featured multiple times on the main stage at VidCon and is a regular on the comedy festival circuit, appearing at Just for Laughs festivals in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. In 2018, he joined Conan O'Brien's comedy tour, "Team Coco Presents Conan & Friends: An Evening of Stand-Up and Investment Tips," as the DJ, opening act, and sidekick.

Frequently asked questions