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Report nowEsther Gemsch stood in front of the camera for the first time 50 years ago. The actress talks about the start of her career, the ups and downs in her life and a sexual assault.
Esther Gemsch, I would first like to formally apologize to you for being half an hour late.
Bruno, you don't have to apologize. Thanks to your lateness, I was just able to get some things done earlier. If I'd stayed at home this morning, I'd have just been shuffling this small stuff around again.
I'll ask you as many questions as possible in the next 45 minutes. And please answer as briefly and quickly as possible. If you don't like a question, you can also say "go on" once.
Okay, I'll try to keep it short.
Bern or Zurich?
That's a mean question. Let's put it this way: in reality it's Zurich, but in my heart it's still Bern, where I grew up.
Rosehip or camomile?
Rosehip. Camomile makes me think of being ill.
Bild: blue News
blue News editor Bruno Bötschi regularly talks to well-known personalities from Switzerland and abroad for the question-and-answer game "Bötschi fragt". He asks them lots of questions - always direct, often funny and sometimes profound. It always remains open until the very last question as to where the fast-paced ping-pong will lead.
Train or ship?
Ship - but under no circumstances a cruise ship.
What time of day do you have the best ideas?
In the middle of the night.
Does that mean you have the best ideas in your sleep?
No, I'm the kind of person who goes to bed late. A real owl.
When was the last time you sang on the street?
This morning I sang a song by Frédéric Chopin - until I realized that everyone around me was staring at me (laughs). But every now and then people also like it when I sing loudly on the street. It's definitely better than if I were constantly making a face.
What was the last news item in the newspaper that made you happy?
(Thinks for a moment) Sorry, at the moment I can't think of a headline that made me happy.
One more sentence about the new year, please.
I hope that in 2026 we will all come back to our senses and stop putting world peace at risk.
"I hope that we will all come to our senses again in 2026 and stop jeopardizing world peace": Esther Gemsch.
Image: Dan Cermak
In 2026 you can celebrate an anniversary ...
... I'll be 70 years old in the summer.
That's right - butI wasn't thinking about your milestone birthday.
What was it?
50 years ago, in 1976, you stepped onto the big screen for the first time - with the Belgian film "Rue haute".
Wow, I completely forgot about that! Great that you reminded me.
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Is it really true that you were discovered for your first movie role on the beach in Tunisia?
That's true. I was 19 when I saw the sea for the first time on vacation in Tunisia. I had burnt my skin so badly while sunbathing - I had smeared myself with milking fat to get as tanned as possible - that I was no longer allowed in the sun afterwards. Meanwhile, two guys kept following me around the hotel, which made me quite uncomfortable. At some point, they said they would like to hire me for a movie. At first I just thought: they're not in their right minds.
Was it the sunburn that made the men want to hire you?
No, no (laughs). The director and producer took notice of me because I spoke French and looked like the Belgian actress Annie Cordy (editor's note: Cordy plays the lead role in the film, Gemsch plays her in the retrospective).
What advice would you give to your younger self who was at the beginning of his career?
I would advise my younger self to act the way I did - to just take a better look in between before doing something rash. But I wouldn't actually want to give my younger self any advice. Because I would still be me - and when I was young, I hardly listened to other people's advice. I wanted to experience everything myself. There's a good chance that my younger self wouldn't listen to my advice.
You can currently be seen on Swiss television SRF in the art heist series "La linea della palma - Das Caravaggio-Komplott". What went through your mind when you were offered this role?
I remembered my time in Venice and the fact that I spoke Italian and French almost better than German 45 years ago.
Why was that?
In the 1970s and 1980s, I also worked as an actress in Italy in a Commedia dell'Arte theater group. In my younger years, I just did it. I was at home wherever my suitcase was - a traveler, curious and always on the move.
But back to your question: when I was asked to play the role of Duchessa in the series "La linea della palma - The Caravaggio Conspiracy", I immediately realized that it would be a challenge - not least because of the language, as I no longer speak Italian quite so perfectly.
You took on the challenge - and were quite successful. You were recently awarded the jury prize at the 61st Solothurn Film Festival for your portrayal of the Duchessa . The decision was based on the fact that you succeeded in portraying "a profound and complex character". What does such praise do to you?
(Ponders for a long time) This praise feels good. I had the feeling that my work as an actress had been noticed and that the jury had taken a very close look. That makes me very happy. The Duchessa is a supporting role. You don't have a lot of time and many opportunities to show the different facets of a character.
"I was able to earn good money as a voice actress, but at a high price: actresses who recorded commercials in the 1980s were dismissed as 'hookers'": Esther Gemsch.
Picture: Dan Cermak
How important is it in life to be in the right place at the right time?
That's half the battle. If I hadn't been in Tunisia in 1976, I probably wouldn't be an actress today.
In March 2025, you answered the question "Do you have the feeling that your type is more in demand again?" in the magazine "Tele": "At the moment, it feels like it. All the past years have been ups and downs." How did you manage not to let these ups and downs drive you crazy?
The responsibility for my three children played a big role. As a mother, I couldn't allow myself to lose my footing. There was always the question: how are we going to manage it all? I couldn't afford to lose myself in the idea of wanting to be the greatest actress. Drifting off into negative thoughts wasn't an option either. And complaining that nobody wanted to hire me was certainly not an option.
When the ups and downs almost drove you crazy, who was there to give you good advice?
Oh Bruno, to answer this question properly, I would have to tell you my whole life story - and explain why I didn't want to be an actress for a long time, no, couldn't be.
I have time.
At 24, I was hit by a terrible turning point - suddenly my life came to a standstill and nothing was as I knew it. During the filming of the TV series "Die Bretter, die die Welt bedeuten", director Dieter Wedel tried to rape me. He brutally abused me and injured me badly. After this horror experience, I fell into a deep hole. I couldn't work as an actress for more than ten years after that and instead retreated behind the camera.
How did you earn money?
I dubbed films, voiced commercials - and needed that thick pane of glass in the recording studio between me and other people like a protective shield. The pane gave me security and power. I was able to earn good money as a voice actress, but at a high price: actresses who dubbed commercials in the 1980s were dismissed as "hookers". Many of my acting colleagues wanted nothing to do with me.
How did you manage to get through those painful years?
Let's put it this way: I didn't care about other people's opinions for the most part. I knew what I was doing and why - and I took responsibility for it. I lived as secluded a life as possible. I went straight home from the recording studio after work. I didn't go out to eat in restaurants or attend parties. I probably hurt people who got too close to me.
You can already read the second part of the interview with actress Esther Gemsch at this link - or on Sunday, February 8, 2026, on blue News.
The TV series "La linea della palma - The Caravaggio Conspiracy" is available on Play Suisse at this link.
