Enjoys Small Things After Stairfall - Tanja Lanäus defies odds with swift return to Storm of Love after severe injury
Actress Tanja Lanäus has made a remarkable recovery after a serious injury in spring 2025. The star of Storm of Love broke several vertebrae and initially feared she might need long-term care. Yet, within two months, she returned to filming—far sooner than doctors had recommended.
Lanäus had played Yvonne Klee in the ARD series Storm of Love since January 2022. Her role was temporarily taken over by Tatjana Clasing in 2023 while she recovered from an earlier setback. This time, however, the injury was far more severe, leaving her with limited mobility for months.
During her recovery, she had to relearn basic movements, including walking and controlled breathing. Support from family, friends, and even neighbours helped her through the difficult period. To manage daily tasks, she adapted in inventive ways, such as using an extra-long grill tong to pick up objects from the floor. Against medical advice, Lanäus returned to the Storm of Love set after just two months. The production team eased her back into work, restricting her to three scenes a day while she wore a supportive back brace. Before her time on the soap opera, she had appeared in Forbidden Love as Juliane Roth and featured in German Playboy three times.
Lanäus defied expectations by resuming work far earlier than predicted. Her gradual return to filming was made possible by careful adjustments from the production team. The injury, though severe, did not stop her from reclaiming her role in the long-running series.
