That's why relatively speaking we had to have so many rehearsals with Susi and Horst until we arrived at the characters.
How did you find the actors?
Michael Grimm: For me, the deciding factor with the character of Susi was how she acted with the child. I wanted it to come across as really banal and casual; the two are good friends on the one hand but also mother and daughter on the other. I didn't want any faked caring attitudes or social romanticism. In this respect Hilde Dalik really stood out from the other actresses at the casting session. She was the one who interacted most casually with her 'daughter'.I first saw Gregor Seberg on stage and knew immediately he was the right one for the role. I didn't want someone with typical good looks in this role. That was important for the symbolism of the characters. Susi only recognizes Horst's attractiveness later on.
But at the same time she's attracted by his gangster image. It's almost like a kind of defiant flirtation when she keeps telling him he's a gangster....
Michael Grimm: In this sense "gangster" represents adventure. In the simple world the film is set in people have to supply themselves with a bit of action so they can still feel that they're alive. That's what Susi really longs for: she wants to feel she's alive. And that's the feeling she gets through Horst.
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