First Official German Erdoğan Atalay-Fanpage
- © Barbara Fuckner (Barbarella) 2002-2009
www.erdogan-atalay-fanpage.de/engl/
Interview in
2009:
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Erdoğan plays the main role in the TV series
"Alarm für Cobra 11" for 13 years.
Berlin - Things change so much while time goes by:
Only some years ago Erdoğan Atalay, who's already been ingested as the
Turkish "Chief Inspector Semir Gerkhan" in the successful TV series
"Alarm für Cobra 11" since 1996, was asked by other actors for how
long he intended to keep on playing in a series. "They felt that this way
you would get your face burned." But by now another kind of chats takes
place. "The very same collegues ask me nowadays whether I couldn't help
them to a role in the series."
When the production of "Alarm für Cobra
11" startet, the principal actor belonged to those who doubted a long
lifetime: "Nobody used to believe in the project." And the pessimists
appeared to be proven right immedeately. Because of the high costs caused by an
action-stuffed production, during which cars were shredded in succession, the
TV station was diminishing already its first order. Instead of the genuinely
planned 14 episodes the first season eventually consisted of only 9 episodes
after all.
Atalay, son of a German mother
and a a Turkish father, is a part of it since the 3rd episode (of hitherto 196
broadcasted ones). For a long time already strangers address him more
frequently by his film name. "No Problem. This guy Semir is a good friend
of mine." A good friend with different preferences: Thus cowboy boots Erdoğan
likes to wear would only be worn by Semir in case they were part part of a
camouflage for an undercover investigation.
Atalay lives with his wife and his
8 years old daughter nearby Kastanienalle. Despite that he just had himself
presented as ambassador for the charity project "ARCHE" (www.kinderprojekt-arche.de).
"The ARCHE in Cologne requires some help to get off the ground."
Since he's spending much time in the city of the famous cathedral, the 42 years
old wants to become committed to it. This was triggered by an experience during
the shooting in an ill-reputed area. While he had a break he was surrounded by
children and a lttle chat came into being. "Is it for real what you guys
do here?" - "No, that will be shown on TV!" - "But is it
then on TV for real?" - Whereupon Atalay tried to explain: "That's just
as if your parents are reading a fairy tale to you." The response
shattered him: "One of the small ones uttered indeed his parents had never
read anything to him. How terrible is that?"
When Erdoğan flies in
speeding car 30 metres through the air, one could say that hereby he's keeping
up a family tradition: "My Turkish grandfather was a pilot in the Red
Baron's squadron." The most famous Turk in a German TV series doesn't
speak Turkish. His first contingency plan, just in case is acting career would
come to a halt, had to be abandonned soon too: "For a career in
astronautics my English is to poor, and in Mathematics I was a disappointment too." There is a second
contingency plan though: "If it comes to it I would certainly become an
author."
© All rights worldwide by Berliner Zeitung / Andrea
Kurtz
© Photo by Webmaster Barbara Fuckner
Translation by Joachim Schulz - thanks J
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Note: The publication of this interview does not mean to
infringe on any copyrights. That's for the translation, too. |
Online May 25, 2009