— Please tell us about your heroine in the TV series “Aunt Martha”. Who is he, what is his character?
—When you start talking about a character, one way or another, you uncover the plot through his or her actions. That’s why it’s a little difficult every time… Raising two children. She sees herself as their mother. I would say that most of the time he does it in a very ostentatious way – which doesn’t actually characterize him as a very kind person.
— The announcement states that your hero is the guardian of Vitalia’s character. Did you use your personal experience of motherhood when working on the image? How similar is your hero to the real you?
— How similar is my character to the real me? Not really. This time I almost didn’t get away from myself. Well, only if you add some of your own quirks. Here is a person with a completely different structure, worldview and priorities.
– You don’t seem to like him very much.
– It’s just different. No, I really liked that I was invited to play such a character.
— You worked a lot with the lead actress, 13-year-old Vitalia Kornienko, on the set of the series. Is it difficult to be with a teenager? How is this different from interacting with adult actors?
— In 2023, I collaborated with eight children and teens and was their movie parent. Having studied this topic, I can say that most of the children are more diligent, their manifestations are brighter… This is wonderful, a young organism – it lives like a youth. Eyes are not blurry, everything is interesting. But the only thing is that there is some kind of twist. I have an eight-year-old daughter and she is just a child. And they are not children at all anymore. And Vita is not a child anymore. But he’s also a child.
– So how to communicate?
“You just try to communicate respectfully, as equals, and then everything will be fine.” Because if you start treating them like children, then you won’t be accepted into the pack. (Laughs.)
– Have you been accepted?
— Yes, this is not the first time we have worked with Vita; This is our third joint project. However, in one of them they didn’t even intersect, but then I played her mother. So everything went well.
— The first season of the project was watched by tens of millions of viewers, and naturally, more followed. What do you think is the reason for its success?
— This is a well-written product. With the right players, the right platform, the right federal channel. Everything went well! It is possible. (Laughs.) Correct calculation, correct approach to the product – here are the numbers. It’s also a job. But luckily everyone was still in love with it.
— You recently announced your pregnancy, to which we sincerely congratulate you. Has your work schedule changed? Is maternity leave planned?
– I don’t know how it will proceed. I don’t sit with my belly button down while I continue to work. Then… There are pending projects, there are stalled projects. Well, I probably won’t be sitting there for long. (Laughs.) I really don’t like this.
— When was your first break from work?
— About three months, probably… But in general, no, already on the sixth day or so, I started to feel some kind of movement, I stayed in Budapest for a few days. And so to start the project yes within three months.
— Is your daughter Nadya also an actress?
– He says yes. But he is not very interested in this topic. He takes this calmly and does not like the atmosphere of the site very much.
— So there is no talk yet about giving him professional training and following in your footsteps?
– No, he will come to this himself, he will choose this himself. But of course it’s not about young Nadya, who will act in films.
– From where?
“I would leave his childhood behind.” If your soul really wants this, then yes. But now he is more interested in social networks. He doesn’t focus on the stage at all.
— You mainly take part in comedy projects. Want to step away from the comedy actor role?
— I want to work and I love working. And what kind of project and what kind of material… Let’s say we have very few producers or directors who are ready to resist. Artists are mostly approved based on the genre and role that is open to the director and producer. And to move away from the role – here the role must be entrusted to you and believed. In fact, as once in “Anna Nikolaevna” (in the series “Anna Nikolaevna Project” Zoya Berber played an android police officer. – “socialbites.ca”). The producer and I were shooting the project “Fartsa”, he introduced me to the director “Anna Nikolaevna” and said that I was the one who would do exactly what he needed. Because he has worked with me before and knows how I approach work.
– So it all depends on the director – if he sees you as a dramatic actor, then everything will be fine?
— You know, once upon a time when the Farza project started, [режиссер] Egor Baranov persuaded for a long time [продюсера] Alexandra Tsekalo approved me because she thought: “Yes, she plays well, everything is great, but a comedian from TNT is stalking the actress.” It’s hard to convince. Everyone knows that artists who work well can do it this way and that way. But no one is ready to work for the resistance.
— Did it turn out that managers do not want to take risks?
– Yes, this is a risk to some extent. And to some extent – why bother? A girl of a certain appearance, blonde – well, where are we going with her, why are we now going to turn her into Charlize Theron from the movie “Monster”? Anyway, no problem, I’ll wait. You know, there is a wonderful actress – Meryl Streep. At a certain age, when the inside and the outside come together, they begin to look at it completely differently. Then I’ll wait!
— In an interview, you admitted that working on your nails helps you gain energy. How did you come to master this practice?
“I don’t even remember where the legs came from, standing on spikes.” But this is not surprising! Some dive into cold water, some stand on nails, some do yoga, some meditate, some paint with watercolors, some draw gouache, some travel, some learn about countries, some just eat street food. Everyone finds their own practice! I also have plastic performances, that is, I constantly work with the body.
— In addition to theater and cinema, you also tried your hand as a TV presenter, especially in a program about travel. How is this job similar and different from acting?
– Discipline is needed both here and there. From this general. From the differences… There, on the set, you have to play, justify and appropriate. And here you are and your proposed conditions – everything you see with your eyes. Just open your eyes! Don’t make things up; This is probably where the most significant resistance lies. Often, artists begin to either act out, make something up, or introduce unnecessary dishonest emotions – “Oh, home! This is the house! And it’s just a house, find out what year it is and let me know, it might be interesting then. When you host a show, especially if it’s a travel show, it’s clear that your job is to see this new-to-you world in a welcoming light. But if nothing evokes emotion, then you need to reproduce it honestly. Be a mirror. And you fulfill the tasks given to you on the site.
— In which profession do you feel more comfortable?
— I feel comfortable everywhere. Actually, hello, I’m Zoya and I’m a workaholic. This job – one, this money – two, this opportunity to see new things – three. And so the list goes on. And it doesn’t matter if it is a site, project, theater. You should find positive things everywhere. Otherwise why are you living this life?
— The TV series “Real Boys”, which brought you fame, ended recently, although it seems like it started in a completely different life. How did you feel when you left the project?
– At its best. Before the last shift I actually felt like it was over, but I actually knew that at the beginning of the season. I cried and happily performed the last few scenes of the night shift when I arrived on the set already, received applause and went home. Everything is as it should be. Even if it has to be different. I’m so grateful, I really love this project. He gave me everything, and I gave him everything I could in return.
— “Real boys” are inextricably linked with your hometown, Perm. How often do you go there anymore?
— Most of the time I like Perm.
—Are they proud of you there?
– Hope. I don’t know, I didn’t go, I didn’t ask. My mother loves everything; This is the most important thing. Relatives and friends staying there are happy – that’s good. But the city itself lives and thrives; Don’t waste your time being happy for me.