P E O P L E
POTENTE FORCE
Since charging into cinemas as
the scarlet-haired heroine of
1998’
s
Run Lola Run
,
Franka
Potente has blossomed into
America’s favourite German
actress, starring opposite Johnny
Depp in
Blow
and playing Jason
Bourne’s love interest in the
blockbuster action series. In
August, Potente makes a return to
the small screen, playing a brothel
madam in
Copper
,
a much-
anticipated drama series about a
policeman in 1860s New York.
So how do you divide your time
between America, where you do a lot
of your work, and Germany, where
you were born?
►
My life, my family is here in the US so
that’s where I live. However I have a close
bond to my friends and family abroad and
we Skype and visit often. My life here
didn’t happen overnight, so the
adjustments didn’t feel that drastic. At the
end of the day, any kind of change is a
challenge at first. I love and embrace
change. I find it vital and inspiring, so I am
not afraid of it.
Has the fact that you are German and
have an accent been an obstacle
when landing roles in America?
►
I don’t really think about that. When I am
cast in the US, people are aware of me
being German and 90% of the time that’s
something they want for the part.
Hollywood is so much more open to
European actors and accents now, it
seems. Because the culture is now so
much more open to that, it becomes more
part of scripts, of stories told.
What are your memories of growing
up in the small town of Dülmen?
►
Like most children I had the urge to
express myself. I would put on little
shows and performances, and
happened to always have a kind
audience. In a way, becoming an actor
was maybe also a way to break out of
the small-town environment.
You enrolled in the Otto Falckenberg
School of Performing Arts in Munich.
What was it like studying there?
►
Being accepted at the acting school
in Munich was the absolute Holy Grail
for me. I was in heaven. Being able to
thrive in a creative environment like
that with like-minded people was
overwhelmingly awesome for the
small-town girl I was.
At 17 you took the bold decision to
go to Texas as an exchange student.
That must have been an eye-opening
experience.
►
It really opened me up to travelling, the
freedom of expressing myself in another
language, and a different way of life. In
that sense it was hard at first coming back
and finishing school. But when you are 17
a lot of things are a challenge and there
are new dreams and challenges every day.
Just how big a boost to your career
was landing the lead in
Run Lola Run
?
►
Without a doubt
Lola
was the most
important stepping stone for me as a
person and an actor, and for my career.
Of course I had no idea when I made the
movie! I learned so much from [director
and ex-boyfriend] Tom Tykwer. I think
back often to how we made the film, which
didn’t cost a lot of money, and it makes me
remember that all it takes to create
something that appeals to people is a ton
of enthusiasm and love for what you do.
That will always show.
As brothel madam Eva Heissen in
Copper
you have to walk around in
period costumes. How uncomfortable
were those corsets and hoop skirts?
►
Corsets are alright. Hoop skirts can be a
challenge but you learn to deal with it.
When you have a break you loosen the
costume or simply give yourself a break by
taking it off.
What attracted you to the TV series?
►
It came across as a very ambitious
project. US television has become an
amazing outlet to tell stories. A lot of great
directors, actors and writers gravitate
towards TV because it is so difficult to get
movies off the ground these days. What I
like about a series versus a movie is that
you have a lot of time to unfold your
character’s story. With
Copper,
the story
of immigrants from Europe trying to adapt
to life in America is kind of my own story,
so I can relate to that.
gesinnten in einem kreativen Umfeld wir-
ken zu können, war für mich als Kleinstadt-
mädchen absolut fantastisch.
Wie stark hat die Hauptrolle in
Lola
rennt
Ihrer Karriere geholfen?
►
Lola war für mich als Person, als
Schauspielerin und für meine Karriere
zweifellos das wichtigste Sprungbrett.
Das war mir natürlich überhaupt nicht
klar, als wir den Film drehten. Ich habe
wahnsinnig viel von [Regisseur und Ex-
Freund] Tom Tykwer gelernt. Ich denke
oft an den Dreh zurück. Der Film hat nicht
viel Geld gekostet und führt mir immer
wieder vor Augen, dass man nur viel Be-
geisterung und Liebe für das, was man
tut benötigt, um etwas zu schaffen, das
die Leute mögen. Man kann es einem
Film ansehen.
Als Bordellmutter Eva Heissen in
Copper
tragen Sie historische Klei-
dung. Wie ungemütlich sind Korsett
und Reifrock?
►
Korsetts sind okay. Reifröcke stellen
eine gewisse Herausforderung dar, aber
man lernt, mit ihnen umzugehen. In Dreh-
pausen lockert man einfach das Kostüm.
Was hat Sie an der Serie begeistert?
►
Sie erschienmir als ein sehr ehrgeiziges
Projekt. Das US-Fernsehen hat sich zu
einem fantastischen Medium für das Er-
zählen von Geschichten entwickelt. Viele
hervorragende Regisseure, Schauspieler
und Autoren gehen zum Fernsehen, weil
es so schwierig geworden ist, ein Kinopro-
jekt umzusetzen. Bei
Copper
liegt in den
Schicksalen europäischer Immigranten,
die sich dem Leben in Amerika anpassen
müssen, auch ein Stück meiner eigenen
Geschichte. Darum kann ich mich mit der
Rolle identifizieren.
«
Lola war
für mich als
Person, als
Schauspielerin
und für meine
Karriere
zweifellos das
wichtigste
Sprungbrett »
Foto: Allstar
Franka Potente in Tom
Tykwer’s Film
Lola rennt
German actress Franka
Potente in Run Lola Run
22
—
GW
