Barbara Sukowa in 12 Monkeys: Work is Intellectually Fascinating and Emotionally Gratifying

Mind Your Body with Stephanie Stephens features celebrities and high achievers age 45+ who share their latest projects, healthy living secrets and more. 

It’s a lofty goal. Katarina Jones, played by German actress Barbara Sukowa, is intent upon restoring the world. No one had better get in her way on Syfy’s 12 Monkeys. After all, Jones has survived a plague and seen billions of lives lost. She’s on a mission.

At 66, Barbara is a multifaceted and accomplished stage performer, with a long roster of plumb roles to her credit. She’s appeared in a diverse list of films and received awards at Venice, Cannes and other festivals. She is a classical music narrator and singer, and has performed with many of the world’s most famous orchestras and symphonies.

Watch 12 Monkeys on Syfy Monday nights, 9 p.m. ET/PT. But now, enjoy getting to know the many sides and talents of Barbara Sukowa here.

Barbara, how does it feel to be doing a second season of the show? Congratulations to all.

This season is really exciting. I got the script and couldn’t wait! We’re dealing with time travel even more now—the nature of time and what it does, which I find totally fascinating. Plus we’re going deeper into all the characters. The women have such strong roles and there are life-altering things happening. My role is really a lot of fun.

In fact, we actors are really happy to dig into something that is so intellectually fascinating and emotionally gratifying. Then there’s the bromance between the two boys, Cole and Ramse, with more humor. And no, you don’t have to watch the first season to understand the second.

As Jones, you bear a major responsibility: operating the time machine to restore the world.  What don’t we know about her?

She is mysterious and that’s also part of her allure. She doesn’t let people in very much. Maybe she’s deeply traumatized over the loss of her daughter. In the second season, sometimes she really comes out and lets that hard shell open.

Jones is a very disciplined person and work is her focus. She feels really superior to others, which is not a great character trait. She also gets impatient with people who don’t follow her. All of this will be questioned this season. It’s going to be really tough for her and she already is not easy on herself.

For you, not Jones: What will the real 2043 look like?

I’m a real optimist. But I really grasp that our world is in danger if we continue the way we are now. I think there will be a lot more renewable energy and there will be a women’s movement. Technology will continue to advance and there will be more virtual reality. Remember there are always counter-movements, those that slow life. Imagine lots of people in a room who aren’t on their phones. And then there’s telepathy—a lot of different things are possible.

You began on stage and proceeded to accrue an impressive list of credits there—and accolades and awards. Are you missing theater at all, or maybe you’re still doing some when you can fit it in?

I just turned something down because I’m doing 12 Monkeys. Theater is very important to me, because of who’s involved with it—which actor, director—and it’s group work. I will be on stage at a big concert in Gothenburg, Sweden on June 3, a performance of the cantata Gurrelieder conducted by Kent Nagano: two choirs, a double orchestra and more.

You’re also a classical music narrator and singer. Tell us more about this. This page on the Los Angeles Philharmonic site does an excellent job of describing your work in this genre.

I have done Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf narration—always done by opera singers previously. In the 19^th century, it was traditional for people to narrate to piano playing. I’ve performed Schoenberg’s Pierrot lunaire many times. I have found a niche in classical music—some narration and some singing.

You have a group, the X-Patsys: You started the group in 1998 with artists Robert Longo and Jon Kessler, and you added more musicians. Anything new here?

We are all so very busy, but we are working on some new material—rock format, guitar heavy. We cover music but we change or blend it. Maybe we’d take a German folk song and put it into this rock format. Or maybe we’d take a poem from the 17^th century and put it with a Schumann song in rock format.

Now to health: Are you taking care of yours, and if so, tell us what you eat?

I started to read labels around age 18 or 19. I don’t buy things that don’t sound like food, and I’ve been that way all my life. I do go through phases, during which I eat meat for maybe three months then don’t. I do eat lots of vegetables. It’s the same with dairy—I’ll eat it then stop.

How about exercise?

That is my weak point, and I’ve tried all sorts of things, like yoga and Pilates, but I get so bored. But I am really active and walk a lot. I have a garden, and I have stairs in the house. I do go through phases with this too. Plus, it is just hard to be consistent when you travel so much.

That mental balance goal: How do you achieve it, if you do? What role does emotional health play in your overall sense of well-being?

I started meditating about a year ago. I can’t say it’s the greatest thing, but I really do feel I need something like this. It’s challenging because the mind wanders. I have always been a person who needs these quiet moments. I don’t have a radio or TV going all the time. It’s very important to have awareness, to know when you tense up and then to stop that.

Awareness also ties to relationships. You may realize you did something you really don’t want to do, or that you hurt somebody, or said something you really didn’t mean to.

Thanks for keeping time with us here at Parade.com.