Conscious On Set: The Righteous Gems’ Kerstin Schulze on Taking part in Sola and Staying Grounded
Kerstin Schulze is a power of nature—an actor, elite health coach, and founding father of a performance-focused wellness firm whose strategy to motion is as intentional as it’s highly effective. Finest recognized for her position as Sola, the mysterious German nanny with a shocking kung fu twist on HBO comedy The Righteous Gems, Schulze brings a novel mix of bodily self-discipline and grounded presence to each position she inhabits (a spread that additionally encompasses “Exercise Tina” Fey for Reserving.com and a killer clown on American Horror Story: Roanoke).
On this dialog, we discover how mindfulness manifests in her coaching, performing course of, and day by day life and what it takes to remain centered whereas navigating high-performance environments each on display and off.
Angela Stubbs: You play Sola, a German nanny and kung-fu practitioner on the newest season of The Righteous Gems. Are you able to focus on what initially drew you to the character Sola, which traits you share together with her, and the way your day-to-day persona differs from hers?
Kerstin Schulze: Once I first obtained the script and audition discover for Sola, the outline known as for a tall, German or Scandinavian lady who may do kung fu and was very centered. And instantly, I believed—that is me. I felt such a robust connection to the character; I didn’t need to think about how she may really feel as a result of, in so some ways, I’ve lived her expertise. I’ve all the time been a caretaker and a nurturer at coronary heart. Bodily, I’m robust, and with over 30 years spent serving to folks really feel higher about themselves, I understood Sola’s mission on a deep degree. She’s all about serving to others—and that resonated with me utterly.
What I beloved about Sola is that she’s grounded and nurturing, but robust. Once I constructed her backstory, I imagined she got here from a rich European household the place, regardless of having the whole lot, she felt emotionally uncared for. That gave her a function: to work with households, not for cash, however to assist youngsters discover stability and convey damaged houses again collectively. That motivation formed how I performed her.
I understood Sola’s mission on a deep degree. She’s all about serving to others—and that resonated with me utterly.
I additionally had a really particular imaginative and prescient for her look. I drew inspiration from Mrs. Bower in Frankenstein—very German, very stern, all the time put collectively. The present truly used that precise look within the closing model, which I beloved.
The vary they gave her made the position particular—from the extraordinary struggle scenes to her emotional reference to Child Billy in the long run. That second the place she tells him, “They want you,” was so highly effective. And her bond with Tiffany, this candy, pure soul, felt extremely significant. Tiffany’s innocence and sincerity introduced out the protector in Sola, and I linked to the purity and depth of that relationship.
Sola seems like such a grounded and self-aware character, and it struck me that to painting somebody like her convincingly, an actor has to deliver an actual depth of presence and consciousness. That sort of groundedness can come from life expertise, mindfulness, and even bodily practices like kung fu, which performs a key position in who Sola is.
This has me questioning concerning the duality of getting ready for the bodily calls for of kung fu whereas cultivating the interior consciousness and emotional depth wanted to embody Sola on set, particularly amid the chaos and power of filming.
Even earlier than I acquired the position, I used to be deeply concerned in martial arts and mindfulness practices like meditation. I meditate day by day—it’s a non-negotiable a part of my life. I exploit it to floor myself, and I actually imagine within the energy of constructive affirmations. When my thoughts begins drifting into destructive ideas, I attempt to redirect them. That day by day observe of mindfulness helped me keep centered not simply in life, however particularly on set, the place there’s a lot chaos occurring round you.
Whenever you’re filming, there are lots of of individuals on set—cameras, administrators, crew—so having these instruments got here in useful. I may focus, block out all of the distractions, and simply be current in Sola’s world. It allowed me to attach deeply with who she is and to reply authentically, particularly in scenes with Child Billy. The groundedness folks see in Sola on display is the groundedness I’ve labored laborious to domesticate in myself.
That day by day observe of mindfulness helped me keep centered not simply in life, however particularly on set, the place there’s a lot chaos occurring round you.
However I didn’t all the time have that. It began after my divorce, after I was 40. That was a turning level for me. I went to remedy, I dedicated to meditation, and I did numerous interior work to know myself extra clearly. I needed to ask laborious questions, like why I selected a relationship that was so destructive. That journey towards self-awareness modified the whole lot for me. And now, 10 years later, I really feel just like the universe introduced me this position as a result of it displays exactly the place I’m in life. Sola is grounded, purposeful, and robust—and so am I.
Kerstin Schulze on Health and Being a Kung-Fu Nanny
It appears like your mindfulness and martial arts practices helped you meet Sola with a deep sense of presence, each bodily and emotionally. You talked about how a lot focus this position required—not simply within the struggle scenes but additionally in staying grounded amid the chaos on set. This jogs my memory of The Physique Retains the Rating by Bessel van der Kolk, which explores how our our bodies maintain onto expertise and the way that mind-body connection is essential to therapeutic and consciousness.
So I’m curious: Do you are feeling like your capacity to remain grounded on set and totally embody Sola got here from that long-term mind-body work you’ve completed? And the way has that consciousness formed the best way you strategy performing usually?
Our cells maintain the whole lot—our ideas, our feelings—they reside our experiences. I’ve all the time been a tricky lady. I needed to struggle to outlive. So the toughness in Sola got here naturally to me. What I needed to work on extra deeply was her softness—that quiet power. As ladies, I believe we’re nonetheless studying the best way to be each mushy and robust, and the best way to discover stability between the 2.
With Sola, she didn’t say a lot, however her presence spoke volumes. Her physique language carried the message. I believe that’s true for all of us—we will stroll right into a room and say a lot with out talking a phrase. All of it comes right down to how grounded, aware, and self-aware we’re. And when you realize who you might be, you may present up authentically—you may really pay attention with out being in your head, already getting ready your response.
The kung-fu nanny is the brain-child of Danny McBride as a result of, after all it’s! However let’s speak concerning the kung fu. Lots of people assembly you for the primary time won’t notice you may have an extended background as an athlete, going all the best way again to childhood. Do you are feeling that background made it simpler to step into the physicality of Sola—particularly the kung fu features? Or had been there new challenges that got here with studying and embodying that specific self-discipline?
I’ve been an athlete for so long as I can keep in mind—I competed within the Junior Olympics in Berlin after I was 12—in order that background positively helped. Once I acquired the position, they needed Sola to know kata (an in depth sequence of actions in karate, carried out as an train), which I wasn’t educated in. I had completed martial arts, kickboxing, weapons work with sticks and knives, however not kata particularly. So I discovered a kata grasp and educated each single day. I’m a really visible learner, so I’d examine his actions, then drill them till it regarded and felt genuine.
Due to my athletic coaching, I decide issues up shortly, and I took this critically—realizing hundreds of thousands of individuals would see it, I needed it to be proper. I educated all over the place: within the pool, in resort rooms, at house. Then, on set, they switched the digicam angles final minute, which meant I needed to improvise and modify on the spot. Realizing the aim behind every kata motion helped me keep grounded and adapt.
I educated all over the place: within the pool, in resort rooms, at house. Then, on set, they switched the digicam angles final minute. Realizing the aim behind every kata motion helped me keep grounded and adapt.
The struggle scenes had been intense—we solely noticed a fraction of what was filmed. I needed to decide up and throw somebody, smash a vase on a head (fiberglass, fortunately), pull somebody off a pool desk, slam a head on a piano. It was all very bodily. I did about 95% of my very own stunts as a result of I needed it to really feel actual. All my years of power and martial arts coaching actually got here into play.
What number of takes did you do for the entire kung fu scenes?
The kata scene by the water was intense—it was scorching scorching, and I most likely ran by way of the routine a minimum of 10 instances only for my solo photographs. Then we filmed from a number of angles, which took about half a day.
The struggle scenes had been a full-day shoot. We repeated them again and again. I labored intently with the stunt coordinators—I even needed to decide somebody up and flip them. The one half I didn’t do myself was the ultimate throw. I requested my stunt double to try this one as a result of I didn’t need to threat injuring anybody. I wasn’t assured I may safely execute that transfer.
You talked about coaching every single day for this position, however exterior of performing, you additionally work as a coach with everybody from actors to older adults, and also you’ve developed your individual program, Health for the Busy Way of life. Are you able to speak about how physique consciousness shapes the best way you design exercises, and what impressed you to create one thing particularly for folks with restricted time or distinctive bodily wants?
Health for the Busy Way of life began from my very own life—being a single mother, coaching shoppers all day, and nonetheless discovering time to remain match. I created environment friendly 30-minute exercises (and even 5-10 minute routines) that work for busy folks, vacationers, and people with accidents or stress. It’s all about working smarter, staying constant, and constructing power to assist your physique long-term.
There’s a saying—everybody ought to meditate for 10 minutes a day, and should you don’t have 10 minutes, it is best to meditate for an hour. The purpose is, the busier or extra pressured you might be, the extra you most likely want that pause. And I believe the identical applies to motion. Positive, there are days when accidents or time constraints make it laborious, however that doesn’t imply doing nothing. Even a couple of minutes of aware motion—like leg lifts within the kitchen or squats at your desk—could make a distinction.
The identical is true for meditation. Individuals usually really feel that in the event that they don’t have half-hour, it’s not price it. However even one minute of acutely aware respiratory can shift your state. Simply taking note of the breath—the way it feels coming in and going out—grounds you.
The way you begin the day is the whole lot, however most individuals underestimate it. I all the time inform my shoppers to be grateful earlier than they even get away from bed. Be grateful that you simply awakened, that you could stroll, open your fridge, and step exterior. Simply these small moments of mindfulness can utterly shift your mindset.
Beginning your day with gratitude grounds you. That’s what meditation is—coming again to what issues. Respiration. Being alive.
Beginning your day with gratitude grounds you. That’s what meditation is—coming again to what issues—respiratory, being alive. Every thing else—targets, cash, stress—is simply noise. Life is fragile. We neglect that. We chase a lot, however actual peace comes from connection, presence, and treating our our bodies and minds with care.
So why wouldn’t we take 5 minutes to talk kindly to ourselves? To maneuver? You don’t want a gymnasium. You are able to do curls sitting down or glute work whereas folding laundry. It’s all in the way you select to see it.
Selecting Progress Over Worry
On a bigger-picture degree, on the subject of memorizing strains, do you may have any mindfulness practices or bodily habits that make it easier to keep grounded? Are you somebody who struggles with memorization, or do you may have any go-to ideas or tips for operating strains—particularly should you’re feeling caught or underneath stress?
One of the simplest ways I be taught strains is thru aware motion—I stroll or train whereas operating them. On set, you’re by no means simply sitting nonetheless delivering a line; you’re all the time doing one thing. So studying strains whereas shifting helps make it really feel extra pure in efficiency.
One other large a part of it’s understanding the which means behind the phrases. Even when I don’t keep in mind each phrase precisely, if I do know what I’m making an attempt to say and what I’m making an attempt to get from the opposite particular person within the scene, it comes by way of. It’s all concerning the goal—why am I on this scene, what’s my character making an attempt to perform, and the way does that transfer the story ahead? Whenever you’re clear on that, and the writing is powerful, the strains are likely to move naturally.
That stated, I additionally report my strains and hearken to them on repeat, like music—typically even whereas I sleep. And I learn the script again and again till it’s simply in me. The repetition helps it really feel genuine, like second nature.
An enormous breakthrough for me was realizing it’s not nearly studying strains, however really understanding what I’m saying, identical to in meditation, the place slowing down forces you to listen to your self, which could be scary for some.
Worry of being alone with our ideas is actual. The thoughts doesn’t simply decelerate as a result of we would like it to—and we will’t flip it off. However as a substitute of attaching to each thought or emotion, we will observe them, title them, and allow them to go like climate, creating distance between us and the story we inform ourselves.
No, the thoughts by no means totally shuts off—completely. I all the time say 10% is what occurs to us, and 90% is how we reply. Our thoughts may keep busy, however our consciousness—our acutely aware state—decides what we do with that. So if I really feel anxious, I’ll ask myself: Why? Perhaps I’ve an excessive amount of on my plate. Then I do know I must breathe, speak to somebody, or take a step again.
Once I created Sola after which discovered myself on set with all these A-list stars, there have been positively moments of impostor syndrome. However I’ve realized that these emotions have a tendency to come back proper earlier than progress.
Identical with unhappiness. As an alternative of labeling it as destructive, I enable it. I ask myself: What’s behind this sense? And I give myself a 10-minute pity get together if I must—however then I transfer on.
The very last thing I need to ask is: In the event you may share one aware perception that’s helped you deliver Sola to life, or one which’s guiding you in your individual life proper now, what wouldn’t it be?
Via Sola, I’ve realized that once we really feel that overwhelming imposter syndrome, it usually simply means we’re leveling up.
Once I created Sola after which discovered myself on set with all these A-list stars, there have been positively moments of impostor syndrome. However I’ve realized that these emotions have a tendency to come back proper earlier than progress. Each time I’ve felt that doubt, it’s truly been an indication I’m entering into one thing greater.
So now, as a substitute of resisting it, I embrace it. I remind myself: I can do that. I used to be simply supplied one other position in a characteristic movie, and previously, I may need second-guessed myself. However now, I strategy it with gratitude and with out judgment.
I believe we develop into our subsequent chapters by entering into the unknown. And that unknown could be stunning—since you be taught, you stretch, and also you evolve.
With Sola, some components felt acquainted, however others had been completely new. I’ve by no means been a nanny or a kung fu grasp, and I’ve by no means needed to cope with somebody like Child Billy! However I embraced it. And that’s the most important lesson: Embrace what comes, be taught from it, and don’t decide your self alongside the best way.