Leonie Benesch: She felt like an outsider at the Waldorf School

Leonie Benesch
She felt like an outsider at the Waldorf school

Leonie Benesch (32) is currently one of the most sought-after actresses in Germany: The film “The Teacher’s Room”, in which she plays the main role of a dedicated teacher, is this year’s German Oscar candidate. In an interview with the weekly newspaper “Die Zeit”, Benesch revealed what feelings she associates with her own school days. “My family moved around a lot, I attended the Waldorf school in Göppingen, Bielefeld and Tübingen,” she reports in an interview.

Today she believes that the moves would have been more difficult for her if she had attended public schools. “The people at the Waldorf school thought similarly and wore the same flowing robes everywhere. It was as if I had just changed schools in the same village.”

“The eco-child even at the Waldorf school”

Nevertheless, she was in the Feeling like an outsider during school. “I was always the new kid and even at the Waldorf school I was the eco-friendly kid. My younger brothers and I wore second-hand clothes before it was cool,” says Benesch. She was called “the carrot” because of her red hair. She “felt it was worse at the time than it was.” Still, it hurt not to belong. Then she had thoughts like this: “I remember thinking: At some point you’ll regret it. At some point I’ll be famous!”

The desire to be famous developed early on: “When I was eleven or twelve years old, I asked myself: What would I have to do to make everyone look up to me?” At that time she also visited a children’s circus and was always at the top of the human pyramids as the youngest and lightest. “In those moments I realized what power I have.”

In the film “The Teacher’s Room” Leonie Benesch plays the young mathematics and sports teacher Carla Nowak. With her attempt to uncover thefts at school, she not only antagonizes the teaching staff, but also parents and students. The film is nominated for Best International Film at the Oscars. The award ceremony will take place on March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles.

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