Actress Yulia Peresild described the process of preparing for the space film The Challenge as a rigorous test. In a conversation with Svetlana Bondarchuk on YouTube, she admitted feeling like a white experimental mouse through much of the experience.
Peresild noted that many actresses completed the tests during preflight preparations. Her understudy, Alena Mordvina, trained for three months to prepare for the role, underscoring how demanding the program was for everyone involved.
Before any training began, Peresild underwent a series of medical evaluations, including gastroscopy and an MRI. Those procedures were unfamiliar to her, and she reflected that she had never encountered such devices before. The experience contributed to a sense of being part of a large, controlled study, which she described in terms that conveyed both awe and discomfort.
With a touch of humor and frustration, she recalled feeling like a test subject due to the sheer number of experiments conducted. The phrase she used captured how unusual and intense the experience felt, including the months of preparation that followed.
The vestibular chair session marked the first genuinely grueling challenge. The memory of the initial return after ten minutes sits at the core of her account. She laughed and conceded that surviving that moment was a prerequisite for continuing the journey, a sign that stamina mattered more than any other asset in those early days.
Peresild admitted that the intense scrutiny and criticism she faced sometimes stung. There were moments of pain and a sense of being unfairly judged. She acknowledged being criticized by some for choosing to participate in the project, yet she stood by her decision, emphasizing the resolve to prove herself beyond the expectations placed on her family or background.
The narrative in her remarks also touched on the broader atmosphere around the production. She recounted experiences of pressure and the weight of public attention that accompanied the film while it was being developed and released. The experience of working in space-themed cinema, she argued, had already become a defining part of her professional life and could not be dismissed or canceled, even amid controversy.
In reflecting on the public reception, it was clear that Peresild believed the project would stand on its own merits and contribute to her career in a lasting way. The journey she described illustrated how intense the preparation had been and how it would shape her professional biography in ways that could not be erased by any later events.
Looking back, Peresild asserted that her personal milestones had grown even larger in comparison to other achievements. She emphasized that while the road had been challenging, the experience ultimately marked a significant point in her artistic path and demonstrated a steadfast commitment to pursuing demanding, high-stakes roles.