Polina Gagarina recently opened up about an intriguing offer she received from Konstantin Ernst, the managing director of Channel One, regarding an audition for the film The Challenge and even a chance to travel to space. The singer explained that she declined the opportunity due to her packed schedule, emphasizing how demanding her touring commitments were at the time. The revelation came during her YouTube program Podcast.Lab, where she spoke candidly about the interaction and its surreal nature.
Gagarina shared that the producers reached out with earnest enthusiasm, and at one point Ernst himself joined the communication, asking if she might still consider joining the casting process. Her response was practical and immediate: she reminded them that her calendar was tightly booked with concerts back-to-back, leaving little room for additional commitments. She joked about the impossible timing, noting that future opportunities would have to align with a more flexible schedule so she could even consider space travel, a notion that sounded equal parts exciting and absurd given her current duties.
In her reflections, Gagarina drew a parallel between her experience and what actress Yulia Peresild faced while filming The Challenge. She described Peresild as having transformed into something almost superhuman, a performer capable of extraordinary feats under extraordinary circumstances. The singer expressed deep admiration, likening the actress to a goddess for her perseverance and dedication under demanding conditions.
Meanwhile, the premiere of The Challenge unfolded in Moscow on Cosmonautics Day, signaling a significant moment in Russian cinema where science, space exploration, and storytelling intersect. The film widened its release across Russia shortly after, bringing to audiences a story that blends real-world spaceflight elements with dramatic narrative, and it was framed as a milestone event for the year’s cinematic calendar.
Former director Klim Shipenko later opened up about the production experiences behind The Challenge. He admitted that filming the project in space presented its own unique set of challenges, arguably rivaling or surpassing the difficulties encountered during the production of Salyut-7. Shipenko’s reflections offered a grounded perspective on what it takes to bring such an ambitious space-based story to life, highlighting the intense collaboration, meticulous planning, and high-stakes execution required to pull off scenes that demanded authenticity and technical precision.