Leonard Lansink has been a successful TV detective on ZDF for over 20 years. But his youth was less glamorous, as he now reveals on the “NDR Talk Show”.
Hamburg – The “NDR Talk Show” is entering the next round. Once again, Barbara Schöneberger (49) and Hubertus Meyer-Burckhardt (67) welcome interesting guests: including Patrick Lindner (63), Hannah Herzsprung (42), Stefanie Heinzmann (34) and Leonard Lansink (68). The latter surprised on January 5, 2024 with a confession about his difficult childhood.
Leonard Lansink is now a non-smoker because of “Wilsberg”: “That’s not so nice for television”
Since 1998, Leonard Lansink has played the private detective Georg Wilsberg in the ZDF crime series of the same name. The fact that he is often reduced to this role doesn’t bother him, as he reveals to Barbara Schöneberger on the “NDR Talk Show”. He even stopped smoking for his role. “I stopped smoking because Wilsberg doesn’t smoke either. That’s not nice for television. I was a chain smoker, I really liked smoking,” says the actor honestly.
Then things get more personal and Leonard Lansink talks about his difficult childhood. The “Wilsberg” star grew up with his grandparents. But before he came of age, both of his caregivers died. He was able to stay with his French teacher until his 18th birthday. But what followed was a difficult youth, as Leonard Lansink openly reveals.
Leonard Lansink wasn’t Wilsberg at all to begin with
As Wilsberg, Leonard Lansink has become an integral part of the German television landscape; after all, the actor has been investigating on ZDF since 1998. However, the series itself celebrated its premiere in 1995 – back then with Joachim Król as Georg Wilsberg. For him, however, it was over after the first episode (“And the dead are let rest”). The second episode (“In old friendship”) only ran three years later. In it, Lansink then embodied Wilsberg – including another change: the title hero, who was initially a stamp dealer, became an antiquarian.
“I was an asshole”: “Wilsberg” star Leonard Lansink on his difficult youth
“I was an asshole,” said Leonard Lansink. “I wasn’t nice as a child or as a teenager. “I’m still working on it now,” said the actor honestly. This confession surprises Barbara Schöneberger. “When would you say you became easier to care for?” she wants to know. “I think around 30. I’m a late developer,” replies the “Wilsberg” star with a smile.
Speaking of Leonard Lansink: For some, acting remains a lifeless art. Leonard Lansink is all the more grateful for his role in “Wilsberg”. The 67-year-old knows about the problems within his industry. Sources used: NDR/NDR Talk Show – episode from January 5th, 2024