Since 2009, Erich Altenkopf has played in the ARD telenovela “Storm of Love” as Dr. Michael Niederbühl has a leading role. The 53-year-old previously played on numerous stages. He was a member of the ensemble at the Theater in der Josefstadt for many years. Altenkopf lives in Vienna with his wife and two children.
In an interview with Eva Steinkellner-Klein, he explains why he still doesn’t get bored with his series character, how his relationship with fellow actress Lilian Klebow works and how many episodes of “Storm of Love” fans can still expect.
noe.ORF.at: Do you appear on the street as Dr. addressed Niederbühl?
Erich Altenkopf: Of course. I’m pretty much always addressed as Doctor, sometimes as Michael if they feel they know me better. Of course I’m happy because my parents always wanted me to become something sensible, a doctor wouldn’t have been bad. Today I can say that I am “the doctor of the nation” (laughs).
noe.ORF.at: Before that you played in theater for 10 years. What is it like then when you switch from the stage to a soap opera?
Altenkopf: At first I didn’t know whether it was really a good idea to go to Munich. But it turned out to be very varied. A new episode has to be shot every day for “Storm of Love”, so scenes that sometimes last two or three minutes have to be memorized completely and played in one piece. It’s like a mini play. I was really surprised, it’s really exciting.
noe.ORF.at: But don’t you feel like playing other characters?
Altenkopf: Over time, he has become such a multifaceted character that I have to say that when people write me such stories, I don’t stop with the character. I can now also bring in my own elements, for example playing the piano or dancing.
noe.ORF.at: You’ve been playing the piano since you were six years old. They spent their childhood in Lower Austria, in Wr. Neudorf, spent.
Altenkopf: I have always loved music from the bottom of my heart. I first heard boogie-woogie when I was 12 and I had the gift of being able to re-enact music that I had heard. That saved me, because I didn’t particularly like practicing as a child. Later I had my own band. I have always remained a musician.
noe.ORF.at: You have to drop your Austrian accent in “Storm of Love”. Is that difficult?
Altenkopf: I’m actually Viennese, but if I speak Viennese, they kick me out (laughs). Viennese is such an incredibly cool language, but it’s so difficult to figure it out. So sometimes we have to shoot scenes again because it’s not exactly High German.
noe.ORF.at: You are married to Lilian Klebow, a well-known actress from, for example, Soko Donau. How does a relationship between two actors work?
Altenkopf: Totally easy, a sure-fire success (laughs). We met in Vienna. She’s from Munich. So we swapped cities. Then she said, great, now I’ll meet the love of my life and then he’ll leave. But I always assured her that I would come home. And it’s still the same after 14 years.
noe.ORF.at: You have two children together. With Munich as your place of employment, so to speak, what is your role as a father?
Altenkopf: My wife has permanent responsibility. That’s maybe the secret of our relationship, that I know she has that responsibility. Because she has the same job as me, it’s not easy. The most important thing for me is that I experience all the important moments of my children. When I sign my contract for “Sturm der Liebe” it always says that I have to have my children’s and my wife’s birthdays off, as well as the start of school, etc.
noe.ORF.at: Besides “Storm of Love”, is there time for other projects?
Altenkopf: Not much, but because I’ve been here for so long, I sometimes have the opportunity. I am very grateful for that. Last year for Love Machine 2. It was a huge hassle for the production company, but of course it’s wonderful when I can play a completely different character, basically the opposite of Dr. Niederbuehl.
noe.ORF.at: Will “Storm of Love” ever be told to the end?
Altenkopf: Funny, a colleague who has been there for a long time said in one of the first episodes that he had a dream about the 5,000. Consequence. Everyone laughed, but well, it’s getting realistic (laughs).