Every so often, the internet collectively loses its mind over a man who seems too good to be true, and this year, that man is Damian Hardung. The 27-year-old German actor has quickly become a global sensation thanks to Amazon Prime Video’s Maxton Hall — The World Between Us, a swoon-worthy mix of prep school romance, angst, and forbidden attraction.
Since the series premiered, timelines have been flooded with Hardung edits, slow-motion locker room clips, and fan-made montages set to heartbreak ballads.
Born on September 7, 1998, in Cologne, Germany, is a former child actor turned breakout leading man, and impressively a medical student. While most teens were stressing over exams, Hardung was starring in the hit German drama Club der roten Bänder and earning critical acclaim for roles in Clara and the Secret of the Bears and Die Holzbaronin.
At just 14, he attended a scholarship program for gifted students in New York City. Years later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he volunteered as a medical assistant, administering vaccinations alongside his brother, Leon.
Photo: Prime Video
The Maxton Hall Effect
Although Hardung has appeared in projects like Netflix’s How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast) and The Name of the Rose, it’s Maxton Hall — The World Between Us that turned him into an international phenomenon.
Adapted from Mona Kasten’s bestselling novel Save Me, the series follows scholarship student Ruby Bell and wealthy heir James Beaufort, played by Hardung. Their fiery chemistry, full of tension, longing glances, and forbidden romance, has become one of the most talked-about on-screen pairings of 2024.
The show’s first season was such a success that Amazon Prime Video renewed it for a second season, which premiered this month. The new episodes promise even more drama, and, yes, more shirtless Hardung scenes. One viral moment from episode one shows the actor drenched in champagne, flashing his abs and leaving social media gasping for air.
Outside of acting, Hardung is a passionate environmental activist. He teamed up with Greenpeace and traveled to Antarctica in 2022 to raise awareness about climate change. His advocacy work and genuine concern for the planet have made him even more appealing to fans who admire both his intellect and his integrity.
He’s also an award-winning actor, having earned honors from the Subtitle Film Festival, Sarajevo Youth Film Festival, and the Günter Strack TV Award. Earlier this year, he was nominated for Best Actor at the 2024 Deutscher Fernsehpreis for Maxton Hall.
Hardung’s career shows no signs of slowing down. He’s set to appear in several upcoming films, including Corpus Delicti, Into the Deep Blue, and La Variante de Lüneburg.
