- That's how they separate friendship and work.
Anke Engelke (58) and Bastian Pastewka (52) will be seen together for the first time in a fictional series starting August 15th on Prime Video. "Perfectly Missed" is their first collaboration, where they play singles Maria and Ralf living in the small town of Marburg who have never met despite being perfect for each other. In an interview with news agency spot on news, the two actors discuss how the idea for the series came about and why Marburg was the perfect filming location. They also reveal what it was like playing a seemingly loving couple and whether they plan to team up again in the future.
What was different about working together on your first fictional series compared to your previous collaborations?
Anke Engelke: We've been seen together in smaller formats before, like when I was a guest on "Pastewka" or Bastian was on "Ladykracher", and of course we were part of the "Wochenshow" ensemble in the late 90s. But in those formats, no dramatic arcs were created for us. With Wolfgang and Anneliese, we occasionally came up with backstories for their past and career, but there was never a complex narrative. The essential difference this time is that we really wanted to tell a story.
How did the idea for the series come about?
Engelke: In October 2020, Bastian and I rented a conference room - with maximum distance due to the pandemic. We asked ourselves: "What have we done together so far and what would we like to do together again?" The "again" disappeared: "What would we like to do together?" We've been funny together, so we looked for other genres that interest us. Basti watches more crime or science fiction, which doesn't interest me as much. In the end, we decided that love should be the theme. Then Basti had the genius idea: "What if they don't meet, what if they don't know each other?"
Bastian Pastewka: And Anke said: "We'll call the series 'Never ever'." That was our working title. We let a few weeks pass, met again, and realized we were both excited about this idea. Then it was about who we are, where these characters live. Marburg as the setting was immediately clear.
Why Marburg?
Pastewka: Marburg has an old town that can be reached by two elevators. I had this image in my mind of the elevator cars passing each other with our characters inside.
Engelke: The picturesque charm of Marburg also appealed to you, I didn't know the city before. For the series, it was important that it wasn't a big city. Not because we know Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, and Cologne and everything seems to have been shot there, but also because of the idea: Where does everyday life take place? Most people in Germany don't live in big cities, and we wanted to explore that.
Pastewka: The exciting thing is also how unlikely it is that two people in this small town with its small timber-framed houses wouldn't run into each other. It's clear that you can't overlook a sports shop or a bookstore. So we set up a big improbability equation and built a small narrative puzzle. There's no scene that's interesting in itself, but each one has a connection: Maria and Ralf have a shared friend group without knowing it. Jochen, for example, is Maria's father's caretaker and also Ralf's best friend. We planted a lot at the beginning that we could harvest later.
How were the shootings then in the city?
Pastewka: We'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the people from Marburg City Council who had to close streets for us, put up announcements, or even set up the fair from our first episode just for us. They went above and beyond, and there was a lot of responsibility and logistics involved.
Engelke: We've shot a lot and have a lot of experience under our belts, but I've never seen anything like this. A wonderful colleague from Marburg City really knew her stuff, understanding exactly what needed to be closed off and when, and what needed to be registered where and when we arrived with our ten trailers. It's incredible how much enthusiasm, heart, understanding, patience, and competence we encountered. I'd be delighted if people wanted to visit Marburg because of the series.
What was important to you about your two characters, Maria and Ralf?
Pastewka: We liked that the characters had a lot of history and were suddenly facing a kind of fresh start. Maria realizes she's missed some opportunities, like writing a book or resolving a conflict with her rival, and she's also dealing with a love triangle. Ralf has two daughters and is going through a divorce. We've also built a whole world of characters, as this isn't just a series starring Engelke and Pastewka, but an ensemble series. Every character has their role, even the divorce lawyer from the first episode who reappears later.
Was it funny for you to play a supposed couple?
Engelke: Not at all. We can separate our friendship from the fact that we're playing a couple in the series. I was more worried about being in such a responsible position. We were part of the executive producer team and sat in the writers' room. I thought at times, "Oh God, I'm doing something I'm not actually qualified to do." (laughs)
You two often make each other laugh. How difficult was it to stay serious?
Engelke: There are enough people on set who won't find it funny if we're messing around and holding everything up. A lot is choreographed, and we don't have time because, for example, the light is about to change or a rainstorm is approaching.
Pastewka: Every scene has a purpose and fits into the puzzle. We didn't have the time or the desire to experiment too much or break out of our characters. We serve the piece, that's what this specific series is about.
Engelke: We really paid attention to that. We had such great people in the team who wouldn't say, "Could you please hurry up or tone down the jokes?" They wouldn't dare to tell us that because they find us funny, which I don't hold against them. (laughs)
Did you learn something new about each other during the shoot?
Engelke: I learned that Basti could be a good director. He has a keen eye and a great sense of timing and dramaturgy. He sees how the characters develop. In the writers' room, I noticed how he already has the end of a scene in mind when developing it. I've never seen him do that before. Those arcs, I didn't quite manage to pull off. On set, I'm more of a moment person. I want to feel something in that moment and then I can play it.
Pastewka: Anke is much bolder. She takes on complex tasks right away. She's the first to say, "That sounds totally exhausting. When does it start?" And she's incredibly meticulous in her character development. In "Perfectly Missed," her messy hair and nose piercing were crucial.
Engelke: I need a biography like that, and I have to tell the story without verbalizing what the role's past could have been. I want to be a projection surface. I want people to project onto me and say, "Yes, I know people like that, I was once wild and a bit crazy."
Pastewka: Unfortunately, that's not possible for me because I only have this one face (laughs). At least we decided that this time, I get a beard. My request for glasses was rejected by our camerawoman due to reflection. But I'm grateful I didn't have to get a nose piercing or new hairstyle every day. I just slipped into my sports vest.
And what do you have in common at work?
Engelke: It's known that we're both overachievers, which often comes across as unpleasant, as seen in 'LOL' where they said, "What have they prepared?" Free spirits like Teddy or Kurt Krömer have nothing in their pockets and still pull something out, that's the injustice of the world, how talented they are. We have to rehearse until we get it right.
Pastewka: I believe that people sometimes say we might be difficult. I defend myself with the claim that it's always in the service of the project.
A fictional series is now completed. What other joint projects can you imagine, perhaps a podcast?
Engelke: We're both already quite busy with podcasts.
Pastewka: Right now, it's just so nice to have this series that it's impossible to immediately push another "untitled Engelke-Pastewka-project."
Engelke: What's certain is that we won't narrow our gaze and only play one role. Instead, we'll keep our options open and see what people trust us with creatively. Basti has recently done things he probably wouldn't have thought of two years ago, and a lot has happened for me too, not because I said in an interview what I'd like to play.
Would you bring back a successful duo like Jenny and Mel or Wolfgang and Anneliese?
Engelke: We're not committing to that. I think we'll say: Not right now, but who knows, maybe someday? Just before 'LOL,' we also thought: What about Wolfgang and Anneliese? But they're never really gone, they have their own lives.
Pastewka: You still have them in your body, you can just switch on: Servus, how's it going!
Engelke: In the past, Bastian and I have worked together in various formats, such as guest appearances on each other's shows or as part of the "Wochenshow" ensemble in the late 90s. However, these collaborations didn't involve developing complex narratives like in our current project.
Pastewka: Reflecting on our past collaborations, we realized that the 90s were a significant period for us. We both had promising careers and were part of successful comedy shows during that time. It's interesting to see how our paths have evolved since then, leading us to collaborate once again in this fictional series set in Marburg.
