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Erdoğan Atalay:

"It hit like a bomb"

[Es hat eingeschlagen wie eine Bombe]

by Elisabeth Singer

Interview published by Teleschau Mediendienst in August 2009

Link to original German article è here

Erdoğan Atalay acts for the 200st time as "Semir Gerkhan" in "Alarm für Cobra 11" (New episodes will be broadcasted beginning by the 3rd of September 2009 and from then every Thursday at a 20:15 o'clock, RTL). Erdoğan Atalay has played the principal role in RTL's action series "Alarm for Cobra 11" for 13 years.

In RTL's action series "Alarm for Cobra 11" Erdoğan Atalay has been chasing gangsters in incredible speed on German roads. Subsequently all episodes featured crashes and each explosion was followed by another. Since 2008 already Tom Beck acts as his sidekick "Ben Jäger" who supports him during all action-peppered investigations. Since the debut of this action-series Atalay has worked with many different partners. Meanwhile Atalay himself participates since the third instalment and has proven himself as someone you can bank on in the fickle landscape of TV shows. On Thursday, 3rd september RTL will open the 15th season of this succesful TV show by broadcasting episode No. 200.

In this interview 42 years old German-Turk Erdoğan Atalay, who lives with his wife and daughter of 8 years in Berlin, will tell for how long he still intends to walk through fire in the service of highway police and what he gets enthusiastic about in his private life.

Teleschau: What car do you like best when it comes to speeding on roads for TV shows?

Atalay: I appreciate my current official car a lot. I have been driving several cars already, but the BMW Type 3 deserves to be high in the charts. The car's handling is fantastic. Unfortunately technological enhancement goes on and on.

Teleschau: Unfortunately ?

Atalay: The handbrake is by now electronically controlled, which is a hindrance for drifting. A drift for 180 degrees is still possible, but to achieve a drift for 90 degrees has become an issue. Subsequently we are sometimes forced to modify the cars a big deal in order regain the capability to drift.

Teleschau: Does speed appeal to you? Could you imagine to take part in car races?

Atalay: Indeed I am the owner of a racing driver's license but I am lacking time, therefore I can't be involved in car races. That little time while I am not occupied already, I prefer to spend with my wife and daugther in Berlin. But in spite of that I would like to pilote the racing version of a jet-ski. During one of the shootings of our show I could test two of them, one had 270 PS and the other 400 PS. I kept speeding on the water for 9 hours. Due to that I wasn't able to move for the following three days because all my muscles were aching.

Teleschau: Would you have exptected to shoot 200 episodes of "Alarm für Cobra 11" when you got started 13 years ago?

Atalay: In the beginning nobody really trusted in the outcome. Anyway, because of the associated expenses one had been planning on realising only 7 episodes. Actually it was just meant to be a general test for whether home-made German action would appeal to our audience. But it hit like a bomb.

Teleschau: How would you explain its success?

Atalay: I am convinced it is due to the evolution of this TV show. In case you compare the contents of the early shows to the current ones, you'll hardly find common grounds. We are working hard on it but still there are always remaining new places where we haven't been yet. This is in main due to the scenarios and the general dramaturgy of the show. It accomplished - as well as the quality of the action scenes - an incredible degree of professionalism. Although this gets only that obvious for those kept the faith for a certain period of time. The format's enhancement is unbelieveable.

Teleschau: Have you been contributing to the development of your role?

Atalay: We are a team. The actors are involved in the development of all scripts. I keep on suggesting ideas. I consider it rather difficult to explain my character but if you name a situation, I can tell how Semir would react.

Teleschau: Does a role that you play for such a long time eventually become a part of your real personality?

Atalay: Sometimes Semir and I go shopping together. Pity, he has got a different taste than I. Then we are standing there, chatting. It might look weird for outsiders. (Laughing.) Well, seriously, you can't prevent that it dyes off.

Teleschau: The series shows accidents in succession, cars are flung through the air and people are dying - actually depiction of sheer horror. What makes it so appealing on the TV screen?

Atalay: We are acting at the edge of seriousness- what we are showing is fiction. The explanation might be that the spectators can just lean back and watch it as bystanders. People are prone to like this kind of sensation and I am no exception. When the war in Irak commenced I expected people would be fed up with action because the TV news were full of it. But the audience is able to distinguish fiction and reality.

Teleschau: Are there still new challenges for you regarding the stunts you have to carry out for "Cobra 11" or is it only about repeating the same procedures all over?

Atalay: That I know indeed. But even though the stunts started looking increasingly similar, a certain spark of danger will always remain. Physics can be calculated but you can never anticipate the outcome to the full. So I keep on being alerted each and every time. Because if something really doesn't work out, it can bring you down. Albeit there is no use in fear, one ought indeed keep a certain respect.

Teleschau: Would you like to be involved in a big Hollywood production for once?

Atalay: Certainly, even though actually there is not much they would make in any other way. Different is that that they've got incredible much time at their hands. They shoot a car chase for a whole week, I would be bored to death and ask when we could go on (laughing). It would certainly be interesting to watch them work. But America is far, far away. One film exists nonetheless, where I'd been terribly happy if I had been involved, because I admire it that much: "Gran Torino" by Clint Eastwood. Fantastic script, sensationally realised. I would love to play in a film that is directed by Clint Eastwood.

Teleschau: Would you at all like to play anybody else then Semir Gerkan? Since this role accompanies you for 13 years?

Atalay: Of course. I don't want do something else at all costs, but if a project is interesting for me, I would enjoy it. Semir will indeed finally become a pensioner. Either because the spectators pension him off because they don't like watching him anymore (laughs) or because of my age.

Teleschau: You wrote for an episode of "Cobra" as well as the script for the cartoon feature "Alibaba" in 2002. Can you imagine to give up acting for this?

Atalay: Actors act as long as they can. There is no proper pension. Also acting has to do with passion and actually I've made my pastime my profession. I am lucky to be able to write scripts just for fun, there is no pressure for me. Every man does things he doesn't need to do but which are incredibly enjoyable.

Teleschau: Since May you are ambassador for children- and youths fund "Arche e.V." in Cologne. What led to this cooperation?

Atalay: I was watching a film about the work of Bernd Siggelkow (Note: founder of "The Ark"). The majority of Germany's population is unaware of the fact there are parts of Germany which are characterised by blatant poverty. More and more people slip into unemployment and because of the little money they obtain they can't make ends meet anymore. This concerns primarily the children.

Teleschau: Did you social commitment rise since your are yourself father of a daugther?

Atalay: Yes, even though I had been interested for a longer time. It can drive you literally mad to look at all the already existing social construction sites. That's why I support also other projects like direct help for Uganda or "Stiftung Lesen" (Foundation against analphabetism). You simply ask yourself what world we as adults want to present to our children. I am hoping that more people get committed if there is an association with my face.

Teleschau: You were born in Hanover and studied in Hamburg. By now you live with your family in Berlin. What do you like best about Berlin?

Atalay: Its huge size. Moreover I am a big admirer of certain old buildings and therefore I love the district "Unter den Linden". Albeit a lot was destroyed in Berlin, there are still unbelievably many beautiful areas. Also Berlin is a cosmopolitan city with an incredible scenery. There is always something new arising. You can do whatever you like and nobody is actually bothered. Berlin is tolerant city, full of birds of paradise.

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Photos in the original article:

[1] (Since 2008 Tom Beck is Atalay's buddy in RTL's TV show "Alarm für Cobra 11".

[2] Besides his work as an actor Erdoğan Atalay is a writer of scenarios and commited to a variety of social projects.

[3] Erdoğan Atalay doesn't intend to drop his role as Highway Police Officer Semir Gerkan in "Alarm für Cobra 11"

until the audience dismisses him as a pensioner.

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Translation by Joachim Schulz - so many thanks !

Online September 3, 2009