Marie Bloching: From Supermarket to Superhero

2024 marks an exciting year for Germany’s cinematic universe. Sandra Hüller got nominated for an Oscar as best actor, Hagen – Im Tal der Nibelungen, starring Jannis Niewöhner just got released and Maxton Hall turned out to be a global success. Now, we are going to have a unique and empowering addition: On “Orange Day,” the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the new dramedy series Supermad (org. Angemessen Angry) premiered, with Marie Bloching in the lead role.

The story of the series follows Amelie, an ordinary housekeeper who develops supernatural powers after being assaulted and makes it her mission to take a stand against predatory men. Tackling a serious subject that is a harsh reality for many women and girls worldwide, Bloching’s powerful, relatable, and at times lighthearted performance brings a message of hope—hope to find the strength to reclaim one’s power and knowing you’re not alone.

The film and theater actor has long been a rising star among Germany’s young talents. In 2016, she was nominated for the Gunter Strack Television Award for her role as Paula in Rainer Kaufmann’s TV film Das Beste aller Zeiten. That same year, Bloching made her cinema debut in the comedy film Radio Heimat. However, most people probably know her as Lia, the supermarket clerk from the series Die Discounter. While Die Discounter is releasing its final season this year, Bloching’s career seems to be just getting started. Supermad marks her first lead role, proving that we can expect much more from her in the future.

SLEEK invited Bloching to discuss the feeling of power, superheroes, and life on set—and had the chance to learn more about Marie, Amelie, and Lia.

SLEEK: Hi Marie, who is your personal superhero?

Marie Bloching: My aunt Lore. Actually, she was my grandma’s sister, but we always called her aunt. She was a businesswoman and owned two cinemas at a time when not many women were running businesses like that. She was tough, funny, and loved eating and drinking. When someone offered her water, she’d say, “What? Are you trying to poison me?” She was truly special but also incredibly cool.

S: This month marked the premiere of your new series Supermad. What similarities do you share with Amelie from the show?

MB: I think it’s that feeling of being buried under so much and having to dig yourself out. That’s exactly what Amelie experiences in the series, and I feel like that sometimes too. That sense of powerlessness because you’re just overwhelmed.

S: What have you learned from Amelie?

MB: What I find cool about Amelie is how stubborn she is. I thought to myself, I should try that out sometime. She just follows through on things and stays true to herself. I feel like Amelie is someone who always listens to her gut instinct. And I think that’s amazing because I’ve found that my gut feeling is usually right too.

S: In Supermad, Amelie feels empowered by her superpowers and is able to protect herself and others. When do you feel powerful?

MB: When I go swimming in really cold water. Like in a lake, for example.

S: In the trailer for Supermad, we see Amelie fighting in a knitted mask and corset. What does this superhero uniform say about her?

MB: A corset can feel very restrictive on the one hand, but it can also be something that provides stability. And a uniform is something you can hide behind or cling to. In Amelie’s case, she mainly uses it to protect her identity. Most of the time, she wears a leather coat under the corset—a super cool combo. Towards the end, she only wears a long-sleeve shirt without the leather coat, which suddenly makes her appear much more personal and vulnerable.

S: Sounds like you had a lot of fun with the fittings. Was there any piece on set that you wanted to take home?

MB: Oh, I actually did take something home: a leopard-print catsuit. It was gifted to me because it came from the personal wardrobe of one of the costume designers. I even wore it last Christmas, paired with a thin, old scarf from aunt Lore.

S: What was the best moment on set for you?

MB: Definitely the stunt scenes. They were so physical, almost like dancing. When your body is trembling, or when you knock something away with just a hand movement—it really allows you to let go completely.

S: How does your work as an actor influence your daily life?

MB: Well, whenever I watch movies, I mostly pay attention to the actors work and don’t really notice how it’s been edited for example. But now I am trying more to understand why the director decided to film certain camera perspectives or scenes.

S: Since you started acting, how do you think the work on set and German productions, in general, have changed or evolved?

MB: I haven’t been doing this for very long, so I’m not sure I can say for sure, but I do feel like there’s been an effort to be more open and sensitive. Nowadays, almost every set has a designated confidant you can talk to about anything. But still, the money or power-hungry idiots do exist. I guess they can be very attractive to people.

S: In what genre do you see yourself in the future?

MB: I really want to work with people who want to address specific topics, send a message, and take their work seriously. People who have a vision. Comedy, like Die Discounter, is also super fun and cool, but in the future, I think I’d like to take on more serious roles.

S: What was the difference between working on the set of Die Discounter and Supermad?

MB: Well, for Die Discounter, we only did improv. That was definitely something I was able to bring to the set of Supermad. But in the end, we had a fixed script there. Plus, this time, the role was much bigger.

S: When you’re improvising, how deeply are you in character?

MB: That’s always hard to say. Somehow, the lines can blur a lot. Amelie, in a way, is also me. I don’t think actors transform into other people or anything like that. You can only act based on what you know, who you are, what you’ve experienced, and what you’ve read. And that’s what I did with Amelie for sure.