Words by Alexandra Schmidt

In Conversation with Tina Ruland: “Women have far more interesting stories to tell”

Opel recently invited us to Split to experience the newest additions to the Opel Astra family and to get a closer look at the brand’s developments in electric mobility. Between test drives along the Croatian coast and time spent on the road, the trip naturally became a moment to slow down and talk. Fräulein Magazin sat down with German actress Tina Ruland, who many will recognize from her role as Uschi in the cult film Manta, Manta and her work in numerous TV series and films including Nicht von schlechten Eltern, Tatort, and Das Traumschiff. We spoke with her on the backseat of the new Astra Sports Tourer, somewhere between stops, about her perspective on the industry, the hurdles she and other women face, and why a reliable car can be so much more than just a way to get from one place to another.

Alexandra Schmidt: You’ve been in film and television for over 35 years. When you look back, what’s changed?

Tina Ruland: When I first started, actors were supposed to stay a bit of a mystery. You didn’t share too much about yourself, especially not in public. It was about keeping that illusion alive. If I played a murderer in Tatort, people weren’t meant to see me, they were meant to see the character.

 

People connect more when they actually believe the story, when they can imagine it happening next door, to themselves or to someone they know. Those kinds of formats have always worked best. Lindenstraße was so successful because it felt like it could be the house next door. And people want to be entertained. Especially in difficult times, they crave that even more.

And what has changed for women in the industry?

As a woman, and especially as an older woman, it’s pretty dreadful right now. There’s no other way to say it. The best and most interesting stories have always been written for male leads. Women were often just there to support or decorate the scene. Which never made sense to me. Women have far more interesting stories to tell. Our lives are more layered. We’re career women, mothers, daughters, lovers, the other woman, the one who gets left. There are so many different experiences that come with being a woman.

 

We were on a good path for a while. But over the past five to eight years, things have shifted again completely. I really feel that. You become invisible again as a woman.

Men are often allowed to age on screen and are seen as more charismatic or interesting. Women, on the other hand, often seem to disappear from scripts. How do you see this difference?

That’s a bigger, societal issue. The beauty industry, or whoever is behind it, has been telling us for years that we always need to be younger, prettier, and better. It’s not nearly as extreme for men. They’re told that aging, wrinkles and all, can actually be attractive. You see life in their faces, you see joy. With women, it’s treated completely differently. Which is absurd. You could easily look at women the same way. How beautiful it is to grow older.

And when older women do get roles, do you feel like they tend to fall into the same patterns?

More than that. There are hardly any really good, grounded roles to begin with. Most of the time, women are just there to feed the scene. Strong stories are rare. And what surprises me is that decision makers don’t seem to see that this is exactly what audiences respond to. Look at something like Frühling. It works because the story works, the casting works, people recognize themselves in it.

 

And then suddenly, you start adding influencers or reality TV personalities into the mix, hoping to pull in a new audience. But that’s not how it works. That audience isn’t watching television like that. And the people who have been watching all along just switch off.

What needs to change?

It’s always been said that the most important thing for a good film is the script. You need the right people telling the right stories. And maybe more young people should be writing, because they’re more open and they tell stories differently. They don’t have such a rigid way of thinking, and they don’t assume everything has to be cast young to reach a young audience.

Beyond age and gender discrimination, the industry is also dealing with shrinking budgets and lower pay. What has been your experience with that?

Across Germany, wages are generally going up with inflation. And I think we’re one of the few professions where pay just keeps going down. Most people don’t even notice. When I started, a 90-minute film would take at least 30 days to shoot. Today, it’s often under 20. And it’s still 90 minutes that need to be filled. On top of that, scenes are cut much faster now, so you actually need more shots, which takes more time.

 

The work has increased, but we have far less time. Seriously, a lot less. And we’re still paid by shooting day. So, in the end, I earn less per film, even though I give 100 percent. I don’t do half the work or only learn half my lines. It’s absurd, but that’s exactly how it feels.

Do you think the industry has lost its love for filmmaking?

I think they’ve completely forgotten that it only works if you love the film, if you love the project and the story. If you just go through the motions, the audience notices immediately, and they switch off. It’s so easy to tune out. You really have to captivate people. And that takes passion.

How do you switch off from all of this?

I surround myself with people who are good for me, people who love me and whom I love. And I love to travel and spend a lot of time with my children. I also love being in nature, it really calms me down.

After our trip to Split, you’re going straight on vacation with your family, right?

Yes, exactly. We’re going skiing. And I’m driving there electrically for the first time, which will be exciting.

When did you decide to switch to an electric car?

Since late summer, I’ve been driving fully electric. Before that, I had a hybrid. With the hybrid, the range wasn’t great, but now it’s really good. And I have to say, I’m really enjoying it, especially looking at fuel prices.

Was that one of the reasons you switched?

The prices weren’t the main reason. It was really about moving away from fossil fuels.

Do you have any essentials you always keep in your electric car?

The most important thing is already built in: the radio. I love turning it up as loud as possible and singing along, of course. I also like those little air fresheners you can clip in. I love it when my car smells like a spa.

Is your car always clean then?

No, unfortunately not. I’m not the tidiest. But my son really enjoys driving, and he’s much tidier. It’s funny, but I’ve noticed that men tend to keep their cars really clean, inside and out. But when it comes to the house, you always have to remind them.

So, that means it’s okay to eat crumbly stuff in your car?

I do eat crumbly stuff. [laughs] I’m not the kind of person who cleans up every little speck of dust immediately. I do care that the car looks nice, the color is important too, but above all it has to get me safely from A to B. Safety is my number one priority.

What makes a perfect car ride for you?

Nice weather, empty roads, and good music. And… I’m thinking, should I say the right passengers, or do I maybe just prefer driving alone? Actually, I think I like driving alone better. Then I can sing as loud as I want, no one gets annoyed. And I swear a lot in the car, all kinds of curse words. I’m really glad no one hears me, otherwise I’d probably get in big trouble.

So, which genre makes you really let go and sing your heart out?

I really love reggae, I turn it up loud. But I also just listen to the charts over and over. I guess I like a bit of everything.

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