“The Anders Family” star Moritz Treuenfels
“I can well imagine couples therapy”
“The Anders Family – Man Number 1”: The married couple Katja (Natalie Spinell) and Oliver Koch (Felix Hellmann) have reached a critical point and need the therapeutic help of Fabian Anders (Moritz Treuenfels, M.).
© ZDF / Steffen Junghans
Moritz Treuenfels plays the “Anders Family” therapist. But what does he think about couples therapy?
Moritz von Treuenfels (35) or Moritz Treuenfels, as he calls himself, is the focus of the entertaining and also educational television film series “The Anders Family” (since 2023). As couples therapist Fabian Anders, he is both a hero and an anti-hero. Because as cleverly as he deals professionally with the couples seeking help, he has so little control as an abandoned husband and an involuntary member of a patchwork family. The fourth film “The Anders Family – Man Number 1” (April 14th, 8:15 p.m., ZDF) is on the program on Sunday. In an interview with the news agency spot on news, the actor explains why the films are so realistic.
What feedback after the first “Ander Family” films in 2023 will you not forget?
Moritz Treuenfels: The sentence: “It’s like with us – it’s good that we’re not the only crazy family.” A friend of mine who is currently going through a breakup said this. In general, I heard very positive comments from those around me, which made me very happy. Young people, but also older generations, were able to gain a lot from the films because, on the one hand, they recognized a lot of things in their family and, on the other hand, they were also able to get to know new things, such as the “surrogate grandparent” or the “nest model”.
What do you particularly like about your role Fabian Anders?
Treuenfels: I like someone who is interested and empathetic, as well as having the talent to get into difficult situations, even catastrophes. On the one hand, he is very professional in his practice and focused on the other person, but on the other hand, he is completely overwhelmed in everyday life.
What do you personally think of couples therapy or mediation?
Treuenfels: Harald Krassnitzer and Ann-Kathrin Kramer, as a couple in episode three [“Die rosarote Brille”, 7. April, Red.] Sitting on the couch in Fabian’s practice, they said in an interview that couples therapy was something like dental prophylaxis. I can just agree with it. I totally believe that you have to take care of things so that things will become clearer and easier. I haven’t been to couples therapy myself, but I can well imagine it.
Speaking of Kramer and Krassnitzer, each episode is also about an external relationship or marriage in crisis, played by a real couple of actors. What do you think about this idea?
Treuenfels: The therapy cases are, so to speak, a separate strand and form a parallel to the family life of the Anders family. It’s great fun to see how similar things are in some ways and how differently Fabian behaves as a therapist, as a family man and as an ex-husband. The fact that the couples are together in real life is of course particularly great and leads to many funny moments on set.
Do you also notice the familiarity between the actors?
Treuenfels: Absolutely. I’m always somewhat investigative – as Fabian, but also as Moritz. How does the couple relate to each other? What role does it play here, who and what is true about it? It’s exciting to see that they know exactly how to interact with each other in a playful way and, for example, meet and encourage each other through humor. On the other hand, of course, there are also very established and professional actors who do their job.
What do you learn from the films for your own life?
Treuenfels: That every family is somehow “different”. That there is no one classic model, but that each family has individual problems and solutions. I myself come from a large family – so I always recognize many things that are also discussed in our films. What’s fun about the films is that you get to learn about so many different concepts and examples.
Jealousy always plays a big role in the “Anders Family” films. How can this be kept under control?
Treuenfels: Oh, a good question. I myself can be jealous and to a certain extent that’s maybe not wrong – at least that’s what a therapist once told me. Wanting to control the other person or not having trust, on the other hand, does. As always, it helps if you talk about it. If jealousy is a major issue, professional help is needed. The skepticism about taking advantage of this will hopefully diminish when you watch “The Anders Family”.
The Anders family is working on their patchwork happiness – if you want to call it that. What are good conditions for this?
Treuenfels: Whether patchwork or not, no family is perfect. Talking to each other is always important. Looking at the problems and needs, not being afraid to deal with them and knowing that you can get help.
And what do you think of the so-called nest model practiced in the films – especially on such an idyllic property?
Treuenfels: I think it can make total sense if the children live in the house or apartment and the parents take turns living with them. I know some families who do it this way. Being able to afford this is of course a challenge. The Anders family’s farm is special and not at all self-evident, I think that’s something that definitely needs to be said about it. But it’s also good to have such a wonderful place as a setting, despite all the arguments and adversities. You should feel strengthened and happy after the films.