“At Home in the Mountains” star Thomas Unger
He was happy about this “bed scene”.
Since 2018, actor Thomas Unger has portrayed Georg Leitner in the family saga “At Home in the Mountains” – now the last two films are coming up.
© ARD Degeto/Arvid Uhlig
The last two “At Home in the Mountains” films are coming up. Thomas Unger will not forget a “bed scene” and great teamwork from the shoot.
“Desire and Reality” and “Shoulder to Shoulder” will be shown on May 10th and 17th at 8:15 p.m. on Das Erste. What Thomas Unger – who most recently appeared on stage as Markus Söder in the Singspiel am Nockherberg – will not forget from the filming of the final “At Home in the Mountains” episodes, he tells in an interview with the news agency spot on news .
The last two “At Home in the Mountains” films are coming up. What made the series so unique?
Thomas Unger: I like crime novels and medical series, but I think that “At Home in the Mountains” is neither of those things is something special and also a pleasant change in the television program. In addition, I personally feel very comfortable in a rural and alpine environment. Of course, as an actor, I’m also interested in unfamiliar terrain, but it can also be a place of the heart. With “At Home in the Mountains” everything just came together: I was able to deal with everyday problems in an incredibly beautiful area and lovely company. That was just beautiful.
What is special about the filming location in the Allgäu?
Unger: I think that this area is not yet very busy with film productions. That’s why people are so friendly and open to the film crews. In many places in the Bavarian Oberland there is already a kind of routine in dealing with these hordes that invade a location during a film production. All the equipment, the many vehicles, closures and the like can mess up everyday life in a small town. You have to rely on the goodwill of the local population – from bakeries to fire departments.
How did you get along with the local people?
Unger: A friendly relationship has developed over the years with Hubert Rupp and his family, whose farm is my film farm. We value each other very much and I also visit her privately. The same applies to the Hotel “Die Traube” and its employees. I was always accommodated there during production. But I also like to go there privately with my children. They also love “Die Traube” and the surrounding area in the small town of Thalkirchdorf with horses, cats and beautiful nature.
“At Home in the Mountains” is a family saga. How familiar was it behind the scenes?
Unger: It’s something like a family. At least I felt very comfortable with my colleagues in front of and behind the camera. There are so many people involved from all trades: from camera and lighting to sound to make-up and costume. I just saw some of them again in another production and was very happy about them.
What won’t you forget from filming the penultimate film “Desire and Reality”?
Unger: There is a scene in bed with Marie (Catherine Bode) and Georg (Thomas Unger) in which an almost cheerful dialogue develops. It was noticeably happy and playful – in contrast to the often problematic tone between the two. I was really happy for them both – and as an actor it was of course also pleasant because it was so relaxed. The producer also noticed this beautiful scene and even thanked us for it. In return, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the producer Martin Zimmermann, the Westside film production and Degeto for the six wonderful years in the Allgäu.
And what won’t you forget from filming the last film “Shoulder to Shoulder”?
Unger: I won’t forget that we first waited in the tractors for ages and then drove towards the village in a column. Many locals were also involved in this scene as extras. They showed great patience because everything in film always takes so long and has to be repeated so often. That was a great experience.
When you filmed this episode last year, the farmers’ protests were a big topic. What do you think of it?
Unger: That actually bothered me. Also because the last “At Home in the Mountains” episode is about helping a neighboring farm. I understand the farmers and their criticism because I also know the situation from my relatives in Lower Bavaria. Some regulations from Brussels and Berlin represent a major bureaucratic challenge that adds to the already demanding work. During the protests, people were able to learn many interesting details about life as a farmer.
Things always go up and down a lot in the “At Home in the Mountains” films. How fit do you have to be for a series like this?
Unger: Yes, it always looks so tiring (laughs). The truth is that we are driven everywhere, even if sometimes we would like to walk. But the risk of getting dirty, injured or otherwise interrupting the production process is simply too great.
Could you imagine living privately in the mountains?
Unger: Yes, having nature right under your nose would be a dream. Two team members from “At Home in the Mountains” actually moved to the Allgäu after getting to know the region through the production. Sometimes I miss being able to quickly get on my bike in the evening and ride up the mountain. We live near Munich, especially because the family connection with smaller children is important and of course very nice. This is the priority at the moment. But sometimes when I’m filming on the edge of the Alps or in the mountains, I just take my bike with me and then I’m very happy.
So is cycling your sport of choice to keep fit?
Unger: Yes, yes, the lovely topic of fitness… I recently did arm wrestling with my 14-year-old son – I had to work really hard to win. Of course I pretended it was easy for me, but soon he got me, even in terms of fitness or running (laughs). But I don’t do as much as I used to. By the way, it was actually really fun in the “Traube”: There is a small fitness room where my sons and I always did a fitness session with cycling, a treadmill and arm training on a wall bar before breakfast.