Fashion Mg42 interviewed a rising Ukrainian star who is a member of international The Actors Home platform which helps actors with networking opportunities to gain expertise.
MAG42: What motivated you to start an acting career?
I would say — life! It gave me this chance, and I did not miss it. In 2011, when I was 4 years old, I had a photo shoot. Not the first one in my life, but it brought me into the world of cinema. Somehow my photos got to the casting director and I was invited to shoot the historical film “Toloka”. That is how it all started.
But the different manifestations of art settled in my life even earlier. When I was very little, I was involved in creative circles and we had concerts. After my performance, I did not want to leave the stage. I remember how I bowed several times to be applauded.
In all the years spent on the set, I have never regretted it. Acting has always helped me. I became free, sociable, patient and resilient. I learned to quickly learn and memorize texts, control my emotions, get into the image of my character, feel him and live his life. I am sure that you need to add a little creativity to every profession, and it will be much more interesting for you!
MAG42:What is your experience in the industry?
I have been in the acting industry for 12 years now.There are more than 50 projects in my filmography. It is good to start your career in childhood. Mostly I acted in TV series. For example, the project “Papanki” has 4 seasons. I can say that I grew up in this project. I got good experience in the full-length film “Infernal Khorugv or Cossack Christmas”. When I was still a child, filming a fairy tale was also fabulous for me. We had interesting costumes, locations, in general it was very cool. My filmography is varied. Comedies, dramas, historical films, melodramas, it was all there. I cannot say that I love comedy more than drama, no. The older I get, the more I would like to star in action movies. I am already doing different things for this, for example — playing sports.
MAG42: What is the first thing you do when researching and approaching a role?
I am trying to find out as much as possible about my hero, his environment, family, friends, and everything about them. I dig into the details.
More often than not, all the answers lie in the details. I did not come up with this myself. I have always been lucky with my mentors. For many years I was on the same stage with the best actors of Ukraine. In fact, next to them, I received these tips, observed them and learned on my own.
MAG42: What was your favorite role you played?
I will say that I really hope this role is somewhere in the not too distant future. Yes, I filmed a lot, but so far I only have my favorite characters. I can name them, this is the character “Vanya” from the series “Plantains”, the character Ihor from the series “Papanki”, Stopka from the series “Secret Love”, Vitya from the series “Native Blood”, Antoshka from the series “Desperate Householder. I also have a character that I really miss. This is Pugsley, from the musical “The Addams Family,” which I played before the war at the Kiev Operetta Theater.
MAG42: Has your acting career progressed as much as you expected?
I expected a lot and there was every chance to advance, but a war began in our country. Unfortunately! But I never gave up and I thank my parents for always supporting me. I had an invitation to filming in Estonia in 2022. And then, in order to apply myself, I switched to vocals and music, which have always been present in my life, and applied for the Lithuanian X Factor. By the way, this project breathed life into me, and I became so immersed in it that I managed to calmly reach the final and win third place. And what is most interesting is that it was thanks to acting that I did this. Because at the talent show everyone was a vocalist, and I was also an actor. I managed to make a show!
MAG42: What do you do in your everyday life?
Now I am 16 years old, I study at Mykola Lysenko Music Lyceum. My specialty is clarinet, and I also study piano. It is worth noting that music has always helped me in theater and acting, and acting helped me in music. By the way, I starred in a movie in which I played a boy pianist, it was the “Best of All” project.
I also do dubbing, I am an Ukrainian dubbing actor. This is another area of my activity. Ukrainian dubbing is considered one of the best in the world. I gave my voice to many characters in foreign films. “Gary Rubbed and the Philosopher’s Stone” character Harry, “Stranger Things” Mike, “Lion King” little Simba, “Avatar: the way of Water” character Loak, “Ron’s gone wrong” character Barney, “The Goldfinch” character Theo, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” character Freeman.
But in everyday life I like to watch movies, listen to music, play football and ski.
MAG42: What role do you see in your future?
I want something very interesting and exciting. I want to overcome all difficulties in that role. The one which is a challenge to me.
MAG42: Why is it good to be a part of The “Actors Home”platform?
In my opinion, an actor should always be in his own company in order to be always in the ranks, aware of all events, meetings, castings, master classes, and intensive courses. That is exactly how I operate with it. I have been used to this for a long time, and I just need it!
MAG42: Do you have any plans for future projects?
There are a lot of plans. I am not going to stop!
Photos: Private Archive D.S
