"In all friendship – the nurses" is back. Here Arzu Bazman talks about her baby, Corona and her wedding plans.
When "In all friendship – The nurses" (from February 25th always on Thursdays at 6:50 pm in the first) reports back with new episodes, Arzu Bazman (43) will be there again. In an interview with spot on news, the actress reveals how filming went at the end of her pregnancy and why she put her wedding on hold.
Their daughter was born in January 2020. How have you experienced the time since then?
Arzu Bazman: Of course, this corona crisis is very difficult for everyone. Personally, however, the first lockdown in the spring was very convenient for me. We were all at home because my partner also worked in the home office. And so far we are enjoying the time the three of us have.
You stood in front of the camera again in May for "In allerfreund"
Bazman: I was supposed to be back on set by the end of March, but the lockdown made it end of May. The return was very nice for me. I am a workhorse and very fussy. I really enjoy shooting. I also missed my colleagues, to whom I wanted to tell everything about babies and birth. So I was very happy to be able to go back to work. That is also a nice change. Having a child doesn't mean I have to sit at home. After all, when I am balanced as a mother, everyone benefits. Others need vacation for it, I am balanced when I can go to work.
How do you organize baby care with your partner?
Bazman: Because of Corona, we have strict security measures on set. I definitely won't take my little Lara with me. When I shoot, my partner is at home with her. We take turns there and that works great.
You can also be seen in the second season of the "In All Friendship" spin-off "The Nurses".
Bazman: Yes, filming was in the months before my daughter was born. I took part in the first four episodes, I'm not in the other four episodes because then I went on maternity leave. My pregnancy was not told, but hidden. After all, I already have three children in the main series …
What can the fans look forward to in the new "The Nurses" episodes?
Bazman: There are new faces in the second season, colleagues who enrich the series. I continue to support my best friend Friederike Linke alias Alexandra Lundqvist in this. We tell a lot of great stories. I was filming in Leipzig at the same time and commuting between Berlin, Leipzig and Halle – and that was very pregnant. But I felt very comfortable doing it. It was always a highlight to do everything possible with the costume designer to hide it. I already looked like a cracker that will burst anytime. We tried to hide my pregnancy with bags, coats, boxes and plants. It was very interesting and a wonderful time. I would have liked to have shot the other four episodes too. But that was no longer possible.
Did the corona measures change the result of the later filming of the main series?
Bazman: Personally, I don't think that changed anything about the show. We accepted as it is and shoot with masks and spacing. Everything on the set is separate and locked. I got used to it very quickly. It was a new challenge and we managed it well. We no longer touch the patient and when we touch, we do it with gloves and protective clothing. Of course you can see that. But the stories haven't changed. You don't have to hug someone to say that you are close to them. That works with body language, with the eyes. I'm actually quite happy with the result, I think it's a good thing.
Will the corona pandemic be a topic in the series?
Bazman: It's not an issue in the current scripts. We wear more face masks, keep our distance, and that's how the audience can tell. But it is not addressed.
They have been in the main series for a very long time. Have you ever been scared of ending up in a drawer?
Bazman: No. Of course there are people who will pigeonhole you. But I know what I can do as an actress. I've played this role for 20 years. Besides that, I shot a lot of other things. Nowadays I am happy that I can work and earn money to pay the rent. Nobody wanted to shoot a series in the past, they all pointed their fingers at me. Now everyone just wants to do a series and suddenly I'm envied … I'm grateful that I've been able to play this role for 20 years. And I am also grateful that this role opened many doors for me to other roles that I was allowed to do on the side. I am not unknown and always keep talking.
Do you often get spoken to on the street?
Bazman: Yes, very often. I am recognized everywhere. And I'm very happy about that. Without the fans, I wouldn't be where I am now and I wouldn't get as much feedback or as long as I play this role. It's like saying thank you to me and shows me that I did everything right. I am happy when I can make the audience happy. I am also happy when I meet colleagues whose work I watch at home.
Do you still have time to pursue hobbies such as sports in addition to children and turning?
Bazman: I don't feel like exercising at all – I come from competitive sports! I have enough exercise with my daughter, four floors up without an elevator, with shopping bags and a child, that's enough. But there is nowhere to go, fitness studios are closed and there are no sports groups. A couple of times I tried it alone in front of the TV. But I was so unmotivated that I could have had a chocolate bar on the side. I just need someone to drive me. After the third exercise, alone in front of the TV, I feel like having cake, and then I go to the kitchen and bake.
Have you struggled with excess pregnancy pounds?
Bazman: After gaining 22 pounds during pregnancy, I stopped stepping on the scales. I was really a cracker, really round. But I'm not one of those women who boast of sucking on a cucumber while pregnant and only gaining five kilos. I enjoyed my pregnancy. I didn't have any food cravings, but I gained weight anyway. The last three or four weeks I really broke up again. And some of the baby pounds are still there. At five kilos, I keep fighting. But I do not care. I've never been a fan of diets. After pregnancy, the body needs time to regenerate.
Are you missing out on contact with other mothers during the corona crisis?
Bazman: Yeah! I wanted to do so much: pekip, baby swimming, baby music group. None of that exists. I would have been very happy to get to know other mothers through it. But now everyone in my circle of friends has a child.
Your wedding has also been postponed because of corona and baby. Are there any new plans?
Bazman: There are no more plans at the moment. We've put that on hold for now. It probably won't work for the next year or two. We are still very happy with each other. All that's missing is the signature, but I don't want to do that with a mask. I'm actually not very romantic, but in this case it matters to me. When I say yes, I want to see my husband's face and his beautiful smile.