Young actors often say they knew they wanted to perform from a very early age. For this performer, the spark came when she was ten years old. The spark was almost accidental. She first dipped into cinema while studying at a ballet school, and a director known for musketeer adventures noticed her. He needed a girl for the role of little Jacqueline, and she was cast in that part. That project became a turning point, followed by a long pause as she planned a ballet career. She later enrolled in a renowned acting school but left due to an injury to her leg.
When the question turns to returning to filmmaking, she credits her mother and an agency they connected with during the first project. After finishing school, she was determined to pursue acting and eventually entered a prestigious film school.
The interviewer asks about the recent TV series “Sagittarius,” where she played one of the leading roles. The setting stretches from Pyatigorsk to St. Petersburg, following a violinist who arrives in a city and encounters a girl who asks for help hiding drugs. The main idea of the project centers on how a single, unexpected decision can alter a life dramatically, even for someone with a kind and good heart who nonetheless finds themselves swept into an unforeseen adventure.
Her character Leroy is described as a true “bad girl.” When pressed about similarities between herself and the character, she explains that they are distinct people. While an actor brings elements of themselves to a role, Leroy’s backstory centers on a child who escaped an orphanage and then fell under the influence of the wrong crowd. The character is essentially a nameless person with no fixed address, driven by a basic need to survive amid difficult circumstances from early childhood.
The protagonist is a violinist, and the question arises whether she herself plays any musical instruments. She explains that she studied piano in ballet school but never mastered it. In college she began improving on the ukulele, and while she can play only a little, she views the ukulele as a starting point. She sometimes longs to brighten an evening with friends and create a cozy atmosphere with a melodic guitar.
The conversation shifts to musical taste. She considers herself a music lover who enjoys a wide range of styles. The era of strict subcultures is fading, and today people listen to what they personally like rather than belonging to a particular scene. She jokes about having belonged to a subculture in the past but is glad she moved away from that phase. Time has shown her that there was never a need to tie identity to a single movement.
When asked about a project she loves most, she recalls a film that feels like a personal milestone. She notes that she was still studying when it shot, and a producer she admired opened doors and offered opportunities that helped her learn how to shape a character effectively.
Regarding formal acting training, she acknowledges that many successful actors do not hold degrees in acting. She believes education remains a choice and a resource. In cinema today, there are directors who seek actors without formal training, yet the academy still provides essential skills such as voice, diction, fencing basics, and stage combat, among other foundations.
On the topic of quantity of projects, she reflects that she previously favored feature films but now sees television series as highly capable of delivering quality and impact. In her view, some TV series rival or even surpass many feature films in strength. As for favorites among shows, she hesitates to pick a single title, but she lists several worthy projects including Container, Epidemic, Happy Ending, Vampires of the Midband, Kidney, Tenderness, and House Arrest as memorable experiences.
When asked which director she would most like to work with, she mentions Gaspar Noé and expresses a desire to discuss his approach and the way he builds scenes. She admires the band of collaborators around him and finds the process genuinely intriguing. She adds that she hopes to work with actors like Meryl Streep, Irina Muravyova, and Danya Vorobyov in the future. Meeting Irina Muravyova feels like a dream, given her status in the industry, while collaboration with Danya Vorobyov is anticipated with optimism.
Imagining a dream project, she would love to step into a Soviet-era film and believes a time-travel opportunity could make that possible. She would especially enjoy portraying Tosya in the film Girls, knowing the character is light and lively.
Her hairstyle, a defining feature for many fans, has sparked discussion. She grew up with long hair, and her first bob for a fitness series was a challenge. Although she shed tears during the cut, she grew to appreciate playing with appearances and even plans to experiment with pink highlights in the future.
Fan reactions to the haircut ranged from harsh criticism to admiration. Some viewers preferred her long hair, but the overall response settled over time, and she continued to move forward with confidence, noting that appearances can change while the core remains the same.
Regarding dealing with haters, she shares that there was no single turning point. Negative feedback appeared briefly, and she chose to distance herself from it rather than letting it define her. She believes discussions about appearance in the comments can miss the bigger point and questions why society assigns so much importance to trivial things like shaving armpits when it is not a meaningful measure of character or talent.
Balancing a busy career with family life is a constant question. She notes the current era encourages chasing long-term goals while also avoiding a rigid, nonstop schedule. She aims to maintain a healthy balance between professional commitments and living a full life. A recent period involved working across two cities and three projects in quick succession, with mornings spent in Moscow, evenings in St. Petersburg, and back to the airport for another shoot. She reflects on the experience with a touch of humor, wondering if she might be a masochist for thriving on such intensity.