Patrick Güldenberg (born 1979) celebrates his debut as Bremerhaven commissioner Robert Petersen in Bremen’s “Tatort: Donuts” (April 2, 8:15 p.m.). In an interview with the news agency spot on news, the native of Hamburg explains what that means for him as an actor. He also raved about his role, which was outed with an anti-gay diss and reacted so wonderfully “normally”. He also tells of a formative childhood memory that also has to do with Sunday thrillers.
Patrick Güldenberg: I’m really happy that I’m now “Tatort” commissioner. It is an unusual format that is very closely linked to German television identity. Personally, I also really like watching the Sunday thrillers and have already spent many exciting evenings alone or together with friends.
Güldenberg: My parents are really happy and very proud. We used to do that on TV when I was a kid. At that time, the actor Diego Wallraff lived on the top floor of our house. He played a murderer in “Tatort” when I was about eight years old. Actually, of course, I wasn’t allowed to see the Sunday thriller, but my parents made an exception for this broadcast. I thought it was totally insane to see Diego Wallraff on TV, having met me in the stairwell a few days earlier.
Güldenberg: I actually find the new Bremen team very interesting, and not just because I’m part of it now (laughs). I’ve known Jasna Fritzi Bauer and Luise Wolfram for a long time. I spent many wild evenings with Jasna at the Berlin Volksbühne when we played together. And I’ve often seen Luise on stage in Berlin. In this respect, it was really a great pleasure for me that I am now in the team with them of all people. We really are a great trio. I’m also a big fan of the old Schimanski crime novels.
Güldenberg: This is a wonderfully written character that I really wanted to bring to life the first time I read the script. Robert Petersen stands for a new form of masculinity. In contrast to his superior Lennard [Bozidar Kocevski, born 1983], he tries to solve the case with teamwork, intuition, trust, improved communication and simply a different approach in general. He does things differently than many men did in the generation before him.
Güldenberg: I find it exciting that the character’s sexuality is told very naturally and calmly. I really liked that. One of the things we wanted with the initiative was that these characters come out of the sidekick corner and instead just live life like everyone else
Güldenberg: In “Tatort: Donuts” I’m the Bremerhaven commissioner who joins the Bremen investigators because the free port is in Bremerhaven’s urban area. How things will continue with Commissioner Petersen is not yet clear. But of course I would be happy if it continues.
Güldenberg: There was actually a second unit that shot all the stunt and night scenes for almost the entire shoot. We also shot in Bremerhaven’s free port: For customs reasons, it was logistically incredibly complex to get the whole team onto this site. But it was also a really great experience because it’s a place you don’t normally go to.
Güldenberg: I’ve always wanted to be an actor, ever since my first visit to the children’s theater, a Christmas fairy tale. I was very lucky that I grew up in Hamburg in the 1990s. There was a lot of filming going on there back then and so one day there was a notice for a casting at my school. I went there and was allowed to start playing straight away. Fortunately, my parents have always supported me, even though they come from a completely different context – they worked in the office. I am very grateful to them for that.
Güldenberg: I travel a lot and really enjoy doing sports. For example, I like to go climbing, do yoga and weight training. I’m also registered with the Urban Sports Club and I’m always trying out new sports there. I recently did a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu course. That was great. But I have a very illustrious, colorful circle of friends with whom I do a lot of different things. In general, I try to create a good work-life balance by making my life quite exciting.
