Norwegian actor and TV writer-director Henriette Steenstrup says she "loves" "Ted Lasso," and it's easy to see why. Her first project as showrunner, Pørni, Viaplay's hit comedy being remade for seasons 4 and 5 by Netflix, displayed similar qualities: a rare ability to combine comedy with heartwarming drama while also Don't shy away from serious issues.
The multi-talented Norwegian talent has been named for her upcoming shows Nepobaby and Triage, commissioned by TV2 Norway type10 European TV creators to watch in 2022 are exploring new scenes while staying true to their work patterns. "I love mixing genres," the "Ragnarok" and "Lily Hammer" star said ahead of the TV series' visual showcase in Gothenburg, where she will speak later this month and serve as a judge for the Nordic Series Screenplay Awards President.
Currently in development, Triage is set in an Oslo hospital emergency room, where nurses are forced to make difficult decisions day in and day out. "That's what triage is: making a choice - which patient to treat first, and that's what you do in the ER and in real life," said Stenstrup, who will play one of the three/four main female characters explain. Like her lead role as childcare worker Pernille in "Pørni," Steenstrup said her intention with "Triage" was to "portray the people on the front lines, the undervalued and almost invisible health workers."
To ensure maximum authenticity of the script and performance, Steenstrup spent more than ten days in an Oslo emergency room. “It has been an incredible experience and I am so grateful to the wonderful professionals who helped me.”
Thematically, the show will depict various aspects of Norwegian society. "It will be a 'Norway in miniature' reflecting people's fears, dreams and major concerns, from aging to mental illness."
“In a way,” Stenstrup added, making a broader point, “health care is one of the biggest problems in our society and a real headache for politicians. You can put a lot of money into it. , but there are always priorities that need to take precedence.”
The producer said that to make the plot more interesting, she introduced a crime element, in which a nurse lies and hides a darker side. When asked if he would play a villain, Sternstrup immediately said: "Absolutely not! I've never been cast as a mystery woman. I'm not mysterious enough!"
Tonally, the show will be fast-paced and suspenseful, but also have lighter moments. "To survive, you need humor, kindness and empathy. Nurses are not just angels in white. They are super ninjas in white, given what they are up against!" said Sternstrup.
With a first draft of season one in hand, the showrunner hopes to have Triage go into production later this year for her Eldorado Content Club, which she formed two years ago with Pørni showrunners Ida Håndlykken Kvernstrøm and Bård Fjulsrud (formerly in Monster Script). "Norwegian TV is our commissioner, but they are looking for partners. It will be high-end budget," admits Steenstrup, who says A-list actors will join the series and studio work will be needed to build the hospital sets.
Meanwhile, Eldorado Content Club's first greenlit series, "Nepobaby," is being edited for Norway's TV2 and its distribution partners Nordisk Film Distribution and France's Oble Group.
Vivild Falk Berg, who plays Steenstrup's daughter Hanna in "Pørni," joins the cast of "Nepobaby" as 25-year-old Emma, raised by a working-class single mother who suddenly discovers she is a Norwegian The daughter of a shipping magnate and one of his heirs had four siblings. Sternstrup is one of Berg's siblings, including Nicolai Clive Bloch (Beforeigners, The Sandham Murders), Christine Gers Rue (Game of Thrones) and Helle Rigg Ea (Peak TV).
"Nepobaby" is often used in the United States to describe someone who benefits from being the child of a famous person. In Norway, we don’t have that many famous people,” Steenstrup quipped, “but we do have a lot of rich people. So the real nepobaby in Norway are the offspring of rich people," she said.
Streenstrup, who co-created the show with Siri Seljeseth (Promising Young and Promising), said: “Initially I wanted to write something for Vivild — she’s so talented! — and then I came up with the title, The Third , I was inspired by my family’s legacy. “Basically, it’s about family relationships, legacy, how money changes you and the people around you.”
Asked about the show's run and the stories that excite her, Sternstrup, whose acting career spans more than three decades in plays, films and series, said: "I'm a fan of all genres, and It's a mix of all genres. I was watching "Black Dove" just now, and it was very cool. Love it! I love crime, I love sports stories - I love "Ted Russo" a lot - I love boxing, gangster movies, the only genre I don't really like is science fiction, although I can watch Thrones. Games" and also likes "Harry Potter."
And Nordic content? "It's high-end quality," she says, "from writers and cinematographers to actors and directors. Plus, the Nordic perspective on things has something to offer everyone. The Danes and Swedes have long been the champions, but There is a strong rise in Finnish, Icelandic and American Norwegians now, and in Norway we are very good at reaching all age groups, including the younger demographic, and I think Skam is the key to opening the door for Norwegian content to global markets,” she said.
Looking to the future, the talented talent, who recently won the Telenor Culture Award 2024 for her ability to "bring comedy into seriousness and seriousness into comedy," says she will continue to experiment with comedy across different formats. type. "That's who I am, I can't help but watch comedy in my daily life, even in the worst situations, and that's what I love to see on screen."