Sebastian Bezzel and Johanna Christine Gehlen
The actor couple is having “a lot of fun” on set
The married couple Sebastian Bezzel and Johanna Christine Gehlen shine as a married couple in the comedy series “Die StiNos”. How was filming together?
The new comedy series “The StiNos – particularly stinky normal” can now be seen on Joyn – and it is a real streaming tip. In the format lovingly and detailedly staged by director Iván Sáinz-Pardo (51), refreshingly funny and fabulously cast down to the smallest supporting role, the main actors are somehow normal at best: the too nice kindergarten teacher Beate (Johanna Christine Gehlen, 54, “Tatort: Blutsbande “), who is always struggling with depression, and the slightly simple-minded security employee Robert (Sebastian Bezzel, 53, Eberhoferkrimis), who values routine above all else. The couple and all the other characters created by screenwriters Stefan Stuckmann (born 1982) and Anna Keil (born 1984) – family, friends, neighbors and strangers – provide lots of wordplay and situational comedy. The quick change between game scenes and fictional interviews with the protagonists does the rest.
Another special feature of the format: Sebastian Bezzel and Johanna Christine Gehlen have been married in real life since 2009 and are parents of two children. In a double interview with spot on news, they reveal what role this played in the filming.
What is it like to be in front of the camera together when you know each other so well?
Sebastian Bezzel: Johanna and I have no problem with that, on the contrary, we enjoy this time in which we can fully concentrate on something that we enjoy.
Johanna Christine Gehlen: It’s really enriching to have this space as a couple at work. We both love our jobs. Accompanying each other in the search for our characters strengthens our attention to each other and our mutual respect.
How do you manage to stay serious in front of the camera?
Sebastian Bezzel: Especially in comedies, it’s important to be serious and to take the situation you’re playing very seriously. Only then can it really be fun. But of course it can always happen that you have to laugh, but that doesn’t happen that often.
Johanna Christine Gehlen: Often the “funny situation” is anything but funny for the character you are playing. This makes it easier not to have to laugh straight away, even during short breaks in filming. Plus, a lot of the comedy comes later in the editing room.
“Die StiNos” is your second joint series project after “Da is’ ja nix” (2020, NDR). What was different this time?
Sebastian Bezzel: Basically, I learned from “There’s nothing” that I like playing with Johanna, but that wasn’t a surprise. We were both heavily involved in the development of the books beforehand, as the idea for the series partly came from us. With “The StiNos” everything was actually ready at the moment of the request – i.e. the books. All we had to do was learn our lines and get started.
Johanna Christine Gehlen: It was also clear to me after filming “There’s nothing” that I would really like to film with Sebastian again. It’s a gift when the outside world sees it the same way.
Do your two children watch your films – if so, what do they say?
Sebastian Bezzel: Yes, that happens sometimes, but not everything. They both always find it really funny – but maybe they’re just being friendly towards us and are actually bored. At least they don’t find it embarrassing, which is a huge success with teenagers.
Johanna Christine Gehlen: It has to happen. Not all projects find the children exciting.
In “The StiNos” they play a “normal” married couple. How normal is your own family life?
Sebastian Bezzel: Pretty much. Like most families, we struggle through everyday life with school, work and other obligations.
Johanna Christine Gehlen: Yes, that’s what it looks like…
SpotOnNews
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
