The last "Veterinarian Dr. Mertens" season starts. Series star Elisabeth Lanz celebrated "many little farewells", as she says in an interview.
The seventh and final season of the TV series "Tierärztin Dr. Mertens" (2006-2021) starts with six new episodes on Tuesday (9 February) and is broadcast on Tuesday at 8:15 pm on the first with a sports-related break. The grand finale will take place on March 23rd. In an interview with spot on news, she reveals how the leading actress Elisabeth Lanz will watch this very last episode, how she said goodbye and what plans the Austrian actress has for her 50th birthday, which is due in early summer.
The last season of "Veterinarian Dr. Mertens" starts now. How do you feel about it?
Elisabeth Lanz: From the outside it looks like I was the "vet" for 15 years. But that wasn't the case. We only planned from season to season. Sometimes there was a continuation a little more, sometimes less. But we never had any certainty. Besides, I'm always out and about at many weddings anyway. But it was a miracle that we were the first to shoot new episodes last year during these tough times. On the other hand, it was foreseeable for me that we would not continue shooting now. In the end, I am happy that I have been able to stand by people in these times with a series that may warm the families a little from the heart.
Besides your colleagues, what will you miss most of your time as a "veterinarian"?
Lanz: Perhaps I will miss the intensive interaction with the animals and animal trainers. I will probably not miss the city of Leipzig, where the series was shot, because I will continue to visit my friends there regularly. Over the course of 15 years, the city has become something of a home contact point for me.
Is there an animal that you are particularly fond of?
Lanz: To be able to experience elephants so closely was a great gift. Since I had dealt with them so often, it was almost normal. I can't even imagine that this won't be possible anymore. Maybe I can stop by again anyway …
How was the last day of shooting? Was there a celebration afterwards? Have tears flowed?
Lanz: My departure from the series was a little different. There was the last day of filming with my series father, the last day of filming with my series children, with my colleague, the zoo interns, the zoo and so on. Say there were many little farewells. The very last day of shooting, especially last year due to the circumstances, was just pure luck and great relief. We have all been healthy and actually managed to finish the episodes.
Was there no farewell party?
Lanz: But we already had a farewell party, but on an outdoor terrace, where we could be with each other at great distances. The place was great, we could see all of Leipzig and had a wonderful sunset. It was a very, very nice evening.
Did you bring a souvenir from the set?
Lanz: Maybe I did that after the first season – although I no longer know what it could have been. In the meantime it had become so normal and natural that I didn't even think about it. But I have stored the essential things in my memory anyway, they are not material.
How are you going to watch the final episode? Are you going to celebrate it somehow?
Lanz: I hope that I will have the time to watch the broadcast on television. In this way I accompany the audience. I've always enjoyed doing that. It's a bit like in the theater, where you also have contact with the audience. I feel the same way when I accompany an initial broadcast. Then I have the feeling that I can perceive the audience's reactions on a very subtle level. After that, I always get reactions on the various platforms. Maybe I will actually toast it with a glass of champagne the last time it was broadcast.
What comes next? Can you already reveal something about one of the upcoming projects?
Lanz: There is a lot going on and there are really a lot of nice, funny things. Among other things, I will be seen as a Viennese drug dealer, campsite operator or murderer. In another film, I play a woman my age who is attacked by the father of her young lover because he doesn't like this relationship at all (laughs).
Speaking of Vienna, you are Austrian. How big is the cohesion of Austrian actors in Germany? Know each other? Do you follow each other's careers?
Lanz: A little. When I moved to Germany, it wasn't that permeable between Austria and Germany. In the meantime, things have changed and of course I am always incredibly happy when I meet my colleagues, especially because we can then get started in the most difficult dialect. It's great fun.
Are there also official meetings?
Lanz: At the Berlinale there have always been Austrian get-together evenings where you could meet up with colleagues.
You will celebrate your 50th birthday in June. Do you have any plans? Or are you not celebrating that anyway?
Lanz: I am a contradicting spirit. I never celebrated my birthdays in a big way, and I didn't care about round ones. But now that it doesn't work that way, I'd kind of like it (laughs). That's kind of my rebellious streak. In the end, of course, reason will prevail, because otherwise it would be really stupid. In these times you don't need a rebellion, solidarity is much, much, much more important right now. I'll just let myself be guided and whatever I'm allowed to do I'll do …