Lena Klenke plays Steffi Graf
“I fell under the spell of this really great woman”
Toby Sebastian as Andre Agassi and Lena Klenke as Steffi Graf.
© Amazon Prime
“My respect for the role was huge,” explains Lena Klenke. The actress portrays tennis legend Steffi Graf in “Perfect Match”.
“The more I looked into her, the more I fell under the spell of this really great woman,” enthuses Lena Klenke (27) in an interview with spot on news Steffi Graf (54). The actress portrays the tennis legend in the film “Perfect Match”. The film is scheduled to appear on Amazon Prime Video in 2024 and will retell the love story between Graf and her husband Andre Agassi (53).
Klenke has been working as an actress in front of the camera since she was 13. Many people probably know the 27-year-old from the Netflix hit “How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast)”. She has been playing the role of Lisa Novak since 2019. The actress also appeared in a supporting role in the successful “Fack ju Göhte” films. As part of FilmWednesday on the First, Klenke can be seen in “Flunkyball” (8:15 p.m., the First) on September 20th. “A very special story of lost souls looking for love,” sums up the actress herself.
When did you realize that you wanted to become an actress?
Lena Klenke: Phew, there was never a moment. I was just able to gain experience in front of the camera early on and I loved it. And then I just wished I could keep doing it. And toi toi toi, I’ve been able to do that so far. I see it as a great gift and I’m very grateful for it.
Many people know you primarily from the Netflix hit “How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast)”, can you tell us something about the confirmed fourth season?
Klenke: Unfortunately nothing yet, except that we’ll be filming next year.
On Wednesday you can be seen in the film “Flunkyball”, drugs play a role here too… What can the audience expect?
Klenke: That’s very difficult to summarize. It’s definitely not the cozy, normal family film that you might initially expect. It is a very special story of lost souls looking for love.
A particularly big challenge awaits you in your new film “Perfect Match”, in which you portray tennis legend Steffi Graf. How much respect do you have for this role?
Klenke: The film has already been shot; we shot in Rome over the summer. My respect for the role was huge, I put a lot of pressure on myself, but I was very well prepared and I can say I gave it my best and I think it will be a really great film.
You were born in 1995, a few years before Graf ended his career. Unlike many millions of Germans, you did not actively experience your tennis career. How much did you know about Steffi Graf beforehand?
Klenke: Of course I knew the name and also her face, but the more I looked into her, the more I was drawn under the spell of this really great woman. It was a lot of fun researching everything about her and building my own version of Steffi.
Have you looked up some of your legendary games against Sabatini, Navratilova or Seles?
Klenke: Ever since I knew we were making this film, I’ve always had tennis playing in the background. I’ve studied a lot of their old games, but also followed the current tennis.
You play tennis yourself, how much did you have to practice for this role?
Klenke: I’ve actually never played tennis before, so this was a completely new challenge for me. In addition, I am left-handed and Steffi was right-handed. So I had to learn with the other hand and that created a really big knot in my brain.