— What are the main differences between the new film adaptation and the Soviet cartoon? Is the general scenario still the same?
— The plot has been preserved, but I believe our film is based more on the original cartoon. Because we added too much drama, too much modernity. For this story to be interesting in the 21st century, it had to be transformed and made more relevant.
— How was it for you to try yourself in the role of Princess? Was this very different from the roles you’ve played before?
– Yes, of course the Princess is different from my other heroes, first of all in terms of her freedom. It seems to me that this type greatly affects image and behavior. While working on the role, I had the opportunity to experiment and experiment with something new. I had maximum pleasure while playing it. I sincerely love the princess as a heroine.
—Have you ever thought you wanted to act in a musical movie?
– A year before the shooting, I wanted to act in a musical film, I sent this thought into space – and the Universe heard me! I really wanted to act in a musical because I love both singing and dancing since my childhood. And when you have the opportunity to combine everything, it is an incredibly interesting, unique experience.
— How did you prepare to perform the princess’s songs in front of the camera? Did you have a vocal coach?
— I didn’t have a vocal teacher. I’ve been singing since my childhood. There was a piano teacher, my character was playing in one of the scenes, but I didn’t know how to do it professionally. I worked too. I only studied at music school for a year when I was about seven years old, so I didn’t remember anything. We also have a lot of dancing in the film, there were both individual and joint rehearsals.
— Tikhon Zhiznevsky played the role of Troubadour. What is he like as a partner?
– Tikhon is great. He is a great professional and a very sensitive person. Probably one of the coolest partners I’ve had in over a decade of experience. We made a very nice tandem, it was very nice. I will be happy to work with him again.
— How did you react to Sergei Burunov in the role of the king? Judging by the trailer, this is the maximum success in the role.
– Yes that is right. While preparing for filming, I constantly re-watched the cartoon “The Bremen Town Musicians” – probably 20-30 times. I noticed a lot of details, wrote them down, analyzed what could and could not be used. And during the first shift I really realized that Sergei Alexandrovich perfectly fits the image of the King. In this regard, Alexey Nuzhny (project director – socialbites.ca) hit the nail on the head. And overall our entire cast is great, everyone played their roles very well.
The first thing I noticed when I saw Sergei Alexandrovich in the image of the King was his slightly polished lips. This amused me a lot. But that’s part of his image. I don’t think he’s ever experienced anything like this before.
— The film’s cast turned out to be truly excellent; among them were Maria Aronova (Atamansha), Konstantin Khabensky (Detective) and others. In your experience, is it easier to work when there are so many adult, experienced professionals around?
– Yes. The difference is huge, you can feel it. Shooting with colleagues who are more experienced than you has its advantages. I studied and at the same time I was able to observe and remember how the masters worked.
— Was it difficult to shoot with a big wig and dresses? How long did it take you to pack?
— I have already starred in historical projects — and I am no stranger to corsets and wigs in general. As a rule, its relatively standard assembly took an hour and a half. All this was done quite quickly. But of course, you immediately feel different, especially in the crown. After this movie, I want to wear a crown for the rest of my life. (Laughs).
— How do you feel wearing the crown?
– A real princess. Immediately as if everything were true.
— If we are talking about ordinary musicals and not musical films, would you go to them? Do you have a favorite?
— I rarely go to them. I often loved doing this when I was a kid. And now, probably because of my workload, I haven’t been to the theater for a long time. But overall I like this genre. I can’t pick a favorite.
— You released the song “Not in touch” this year. Do you plan to develop your music career in 2024?
— I won’t promise anything because everything depends on inspiration and need. There they were and I released the song. Then I got the role and that’s where I really noticed myself vocally. I really liked it. So I will definitely act in musicals again.
— Are you dancing now?
— Yes, I spent my entire childhood dancing; on the street, in the ballroom and even a little folk dancing. I tried many different styles but settled on street styles. It’s just a vibe, it’s my element, I love it. In recent years, I haven’t had time to fit dance into my schedule due to filming, but at this point in my life, I’m adjusting that. I try to do everything for this because dancing inspires me so much and I immediately feel different.
— You recently became the host of the travel show “Summer when you get there.” What are your feelings about hosting such a program?
– I was pleasantly surprised because I had never thought of realizing myself as a host, especially a travel show host. But I am very happy to have such a project because it is a completely different experience that helps me in the acting profession, especially in terms of improvisation. Another excitement, of course, is traveling to cities and countries you don’t visit regularly. I love learning new things; It inspires and inspires me.
— Is filming always comfortable and inspiring?
– No, sometimes there are difficulties, you have to overcome your fears. For example, I don’t like extreme sports and adrenaline, sometimes they add this to our programs and I need to experience it myself. It’s a bit stressful for me – but even with these niceties, I always come home after a mini-vacation, even though I’m actually working.
— Where have you visited before?
“We started shooting this summer and during this time we managed to visit Istanbul, Altai, Volgograd and Kazan.
— You are a well-known actress, you have been acting for more than 10 years, but you do not have a page on Wikipedia and a checkmark on Instagram (the owner of the company Meta is known as an extremist in Russia and is banned). Why don’t you need this?
— There is a checkmark on VKontakte, but I did not edit it. I’m not a blogger by nature, although I have plenty of material on my phone that I can publish. But I don’t need this. I myself rarely sit on social networks – time passes very quickly there, and I understand that I could spend it on something more useful for myself. That’s why I’m not interested in getting involved in social networks professionally.
— Recently, the main topic of discussion in the world of Russian cinema is the series “The Boy’s Promise”. There is blood on the asphalt.” What do you think is the phenomenon?
— To be honest, I could only watch the first two episodes. But I can assume that for Russian audiences, “The Boy’s Word” is comparable to “Brigada” and “Brother”. It’s been a long time since we’ve shown that period so movingly, and this one is based on true events. Knowing the approach of Andrei Nikolaevich (real name of director Zhora Kryzhovnikov – socialbites.ca) and part of the script, I expect a very strong story to come out that will make you think a lot. It will show the tragedy of the past and prevent its repetition.
— On social networks, girls analyze the characters they like. Who can you spare?
—I haven’t gotten the hang of Vanya Yankovsky’s character yet, so it’s too early to choose who I like (Laughs). But everyone here is talented and amazing.
— “The Child’s Words” events, “World! Friendship! Chewing gum!”. Do you think it is right to compare them? Do you see a common point in these projects?
— These series are very different for me. Because initially they differ in genre, atmosphere, narrative style and the duties of the authors. It is clear that there is a common ground like Afghanistan, but it is felt that there is still a difference between the 80s and the 90s.