“Erika de Lestrade is the wife of François, who is the son of the general. François is the half-brother of Laure. The brother and sister despise each other because François’s father left his mother for Laure’s mother for a time. Erika has a small 6-year-old child, and she struggles to understand and protect her son,” explains Erika’s actress, c.
This Austrian actress has already starred in a sitcom that called upon the paranormal. But if you remember “Salut les musclés,” she played an extraterrestrial: it was the famous Hilguegue. Today, she is trying to understand the appearance of Crop Circles. What is she hiding from us? And what if she really is someone from elsewhere?
During the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, we tried to discover who is behind this elegant, gentle, and charming woman who is Babsie Steger.
Nice-Premium: How did you get into your role in Mystère?
Babsie Steger: I did a lot of research on “crop circles” because it is a fascinating phenomenon. We don’t know where they come from. Scientists have found atoms in the soil that do not exist on Earth.
What I really liked about this saga is the fact that it discusses a phenomenon that exists. You just need to let your imagination work. If I had a son who would tell me: “Don’t be sad when I’m gone.” It’s true, it can happen. We don’t know at all if someone in the world knows where these signs come from; maybe they don’t say.
N-P: Do you believe in it?
B. S.: It’s not about believing or not believing. It’s a phenomenon we haven’t solved. We’ve found atoms that don’t exist on Earth. I’m not saying I believe in little green men. I think there are things on Earth we can’t understand. Look, there are people who heal without touching. There is an enormous amount of energy around us. I observe what is happening, but in any case, it is not something that scares me. Some are afraid because humans need to be rational to understand; but there are things we can’t understand. If we go a little further in imagination and open-mindedness, it’s something we know. Maybe from another life. It seems like I’m talking about reincarnation, but we don’t know if reincarnation exists, it’s not something that panics me.
N-P: What did you like about Mystère?
B.S.: It’s the family saga revolving around crop circles, super interesting. The story talks about a real phenomenon. It is very well written by the authors. Didier Albert came to this project kind of in a crisis because it wasn’t planned. He didn’t prepare anything; he shot during the day and edited his scenes for the next day. He’s the type who slept 2 or 3 hours per night for 7 months and beyond all that, he did extraordinary work. When you are part of a team like that, it’s fantastic! Plus, I, being a comedic character, played a dramatic role and was told it was good. I’m happy.
N-P: We discovered you in the role of the extraterrestrial surrounded by Musclés. What memories do you have?
B.S.: Very good memories. I was a classical dancer at the Vienna Opera. It was not my occupation at all. I arrived in Paris. I came to the spotlight through advertising. One day, I did an ad for the Club Dorothée. I was offered to do a sitcom.
N-P: Any regrets for leaving ballet shoes?
B.S.: I was a great athlete. I did all kinds of sports. I was a tennis champion at 14 without training. I trained twice a week and, at the same time, I did classical dance, although there, it was intense training, every day at the Opera. I did it out of passion. I decided to continue dancing. But in life, there’s justice. In dance, we talk like wine, when girls do evaluations, we talk of a good or bad batch. A good batch are those who will become soloists, and the average batch are the girls who will remain in the corps de ballet. I was hired as a very good batch with a girl, except that she was the director’s favorite. So, she got many shows more than me and I couldn’t quite understand. I went to the Princess Grace School in Monte Carlo. That’s how I arrived in France.
N-P: Dance was the springboard for your acting career.
B.S.: Yes, it’s very artistic. At the Opera, you learn everything: to dance, to act, to sing. It’s complete. It was a springboard. Moreover, I had many roles of athletes.
N-P: Would you like to get back on stage?
B.S.: Yes, I would like to do a comedic one-woman show. But since I don’t write very well, I would need to find someone with whom I could write and who could lend a hand. I would really like to. But I’m a bit crazy because doing a one-woman show is a terrible stress. Being all alone on stage… it’s very challenging.
N-P: Another passion besides sports and drama… it’s gastronomy.
B.S.: Yes, I love eating. I have a small restaurant in Paris called “Le petit Vienne”. But in fact, it’s anatomy that fascinates me. If I hadn’t been an actress, I think I would have been a doctor. I have studied books. I know quite a lot. I have friends who are food biochemists; these guys explain to you what cholesterol is and why you have it. When you have something, you always need to find the cause. Today, we don’t treat the cause. They ask you what you have and give you something to relieve you, but it doesn’t cure. You need to find out where it comes from. If you have a headache, there’s surely a reason. As soon as you look for the cause, your body stays healthy.
N-P: Then, the role you played in “Le Proc” was really for you?
B.S.: Yes, totally. I was in the labs. Unfortunately, the series ended.
N-P: Other series in the works?
B.S.: For now, I’m waiting a bit. I still have the energies of Mystère.
