Markus von Groot, a character in the Red Carpet Diaries series, is a Dutch director. He makes his first appearance in Book 1, Chapter 2.
Appearance
Markus has long neck-length brown hair, hazel eyes and pale skin. He wears an olive green blazer with a red pocket square over an orange button-up shirt.
Personality
Unique in both his manner of speaking and perspectives on subjects from cuisine to fashion, it is a belief of his own and his fans that this eccentricity is what makes his films so extraordinary. As a result of this belief, he also comes across as egotistical, such as touting himself as one of the best directors of his time and assuming actors can't reach his own heights of intellectual achievement. He is also both stoic and blunt to the point of callousness, such as feeling indifferent of the unrealistic expectations he has of his coworkers and bellitling them for their weaknesses. It gets to the point that he outright insults them and the studio executives after your character accidentally ruins a priceless painting by Remembrandt while doing nothing to restrain Victoria from lashing out to your character. He dwells little on insignificant matters or conversation. He often speaks in butchered American idioms.
It's also implied that he's wasteful, as his assistant Teja has complained that he rewrites scenes on a whim even after they've been filmed, effectively wasting time, resources, and her efforts.
Background
Originally from the Netherlands, Markus is regarded among the best in the European film industry. You also mention in Chapter 3 that he is the most famous European director. He came to America with hopes of continuing his directing success in Hollywood.
Chapters
Red Carpet Diaries
Book 1
- Chapter 2: Ain't No Party Like a Matt Rodriguez Party
- Chapter 4: Heroes and Hustlers
- Chapter 5: The Most Important Audition of Your Life, NBD
- Chapter 6: Day One Drama
- Chapter 7: Desert Dreaming
- Chapter 8: The Long Con
- Chapter 9: What Stays In Vegas
- Chapter 11: Wild and Free
- Chapter 12: Broken Arted
- Chapter 13: Rock Bottom (Mentioned)
- Chapter 14: The Friend Whisperer (Mentioned)
- Chapter 15: Take Two! (Mentioned)
- Chapter 16: The Big Premiere (Mentioned)
Book 2
- Chapter 1: Toast Of The Town
- Chapter 3: Grecian Spy-les
- Chapter 4: I'll Make You a Star (Mentioned)
- Chapter 13: What Goes Down Must Come Up (Mentioned; Determinant)
Book 3
- Chapter 2: Two Steps Forward...
- Chapter 7: Take Two (Mentioned)
- Chapter 17: The Wedding
Roommates with Benefits
Roommates with Benefits
- Chapter 20: Fade to Black (Mentioned)
Relationships
Teja Desai
Teja was Markus's assistant director of whom he was very demanding of. She described her job of being his Assistant Director as 90% babysitting. They had already worked together on a film called Obscura in a tiny European town and he demanded to enlarge the streets. They also worked on the film Tender Nothings together before his dramatic exit. He mainly asked her to run errands for him, such as getting him a pulled pork sandwich, or extravagant tasks with little to no notice.
Matt Rodriguez
Matt was one of the actors cast for a role in Markus' film, Tender Nothings. He looked down on Matt and didn't expect him to bring what he needed to the movie due to Matt's past in action films and relative inexperience in drama.
Your Character
Your Character was one of the actors vying for the opportunity to be in his first American film, Tender Nothings. Although your audition lands you the part, your nerves get the best of you and with one chance left, you're able to impress Markus with your talent. You quickly become his favorite, albeit that is short-lived. As you have told Seth, he is like a Dutch Voldemort.
In Book 2, Chapter 3, you run into him in Greece and have the option of making amends with him and sharing a meal. He understands that you would make a Tommy Phelps movie for the money, to free you financially to create art later.
Victoria Fontaine
Similar to Matt, Markus did not have high expectations for Victoria in Tender Nothings, seeing her as old news much like the rest of Hollywood was beginning to. She calls him the Mad Dutchman.
Susanna Mireille
Susanna is Markus's ex-wife. She starred in the movie 5 O'Clock Shadows. According to the tabloids, it was a messy breakup.
Trivia
- Markus von Groot's name implies that he has Dutch ancestry.
- He is described to be middle-aged and to have a thick Dutch accent.
- He confuses the movies Star Wars and Shrek.
- He strongly resembles Ted Levine's character Jame Gumb a.k.a. Buffalo Bill from the psychological thriller Silence of the Lambs (1991).
- He makes an appearance in Book 2, Chapter 3 when he is on the same location for his new movie called Escape.
- He reveals that he has created at least two movies under the alias 'Mark Groth': Puppy Preparatory and its sequel The Puplympic Games. They feature dogs as police detectives.
- In Book 3, he also mentions Puppy Preparatory: The Christmas Choir Copupdrum.
- In Book 3, you discover that he also works under the alias of Mario Grottini, a "reclusive producer of indie hits" with the reputation as an international playboy. He dodges the question if you ask how many aliases he has.
- He reveals that he has created at least two movies under the alias 'Mark Groth': Puppy Preparatory and its sequel The Puplympic Games. They feature dogs as police detectives.
- He appears to be a parody of Tommy Wiseau, who acted in and directed "The Room", due to sharing similarities such as being demanding and eccentric.
- He shares the same name as Markus Barnes from Alpha, Book 1.