Sandra Hüller, a celebrated German actress known for her versatile roles, initially gave a hard pass to playing a fascist character. However, she was eventually convinced to take on the role of Hedwig, a fascist wife, in the film The Zone of Interest.
The movie centers around fictionalized portrayals of the Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss and his family, showing how they continue with their daily lives while residing next to the death camps.
The film even clinched two Oscars this year at the 96th Academy Awards—one for the best international film and another for the best sound category.
Why Sandra Hüller was Hesitant of Playing a Nazi Character?
Sandra Hüller has “always refused to play Fascists”—which, of course, come her way quite often as a German actress in international productions.
Hüller, like many German actors, grappled with the complex issue of playing characters from that era. Because for her, it’s hard to glorify or make light of such a grim part of history.
The actress also had reservations about actors who seemed to enjoy acting as Nazis and the risk of making their actions look good. She went on to say in an interview with The New Yorker:
I didn’t like the idea of putting on a Nazi uniform like that, or using language like that—to get close to the energy of that, or to discover there would be fun in that. I have seen colleagues that actually have fun doing it. Maybe it’s still in their bodies from former generations. They like to change their language and speak like that”—the tone of her voice changed, her usually soft-spoken, careful speech becoming harsh and rat-a-tat. Reverting to her own voice, she asked, “Why do they do it? They could speak like a normal person.”
Hüller didn’t like projects that use the Nazi era as a dramatic backdrop without focusing on the real horrors of Fascism. She felt it can take away from the seriousness of the Holocaust. Intriguingly, she was later drawn to a Nazi project.
Sandra Hüller Took a Surprising Decision by Portraying a Nazi in The Zone of Interest
Despite her initial reservations about playing a fascist character, Sandra Hüller was drawn to The Zone of Interest. The film, directed by Jonathan Glazer, doesn’t rely on dramatic action. Instead, it focuses on how the characters try to live normally despite the horrors of the Holocaust. In Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast she said:
“Jonathan found a way to do it that I can’t really explain – it puts it to another level. And it’s a sort of spiritual thing. I can’t really explain it.”
Hüller was impressed by Glazer’s dedication to showing the Nazi era accurately. They both wanted to avoid clichés and show the Holocaust respectfully. This made Hüller feel confident about tackling the tough role.
She believed Glazer understood her worries and aimed to portray Nazism in a thought-provoking way, not just for entertainment. The 45-year-old liked that the film focused on the characters’ psychology instead of just showing violence. Interestingly, Hüller’s own pet—a black Weimaraner—played Dilla, the Höss family’s dog in the movie.
Watch The Zone of Interest on Prime Video or on Apple TV+.
