Secular columnist Anna Gorbashova
The cinema "October" hosted the premiere of James Mangold's film "Wolverine: Immortal" in 3D. Hollywood action movie legendary character from the world of “X-Men” was represented by Russian actress Svetlana Khodchenkova, who was lucky enough to play the mutant antagonist Hugh Jackman.
The premiere of the Hollywood film with the participation of the Russian star was attended by writer Pavel Sanaev and his wife, model Alena Fonina, actresses Olesya Sudzilovskaya, Daria Poverennova, Ravshana Kurkova, actors Pavel Derevyanko and Stanislav Duzhnikov, TV presenter Anfisa Chekhova with her husband Guram Babliashvili, as well as the editor-in-chief of Interview magazine Alena Doletskaya .
Since the film takes place in Japan, the atmosphere in the cinema was appropriate. Guests were greeted by Japanese warriors in medieval armor and geishas in kimonos, with umbrellas and baskets of lilies. At the buffet table they were treated to sushi, Japanese beer and sake. The only thing missing was cherry blossoms and the yakuza, which the film couldn’t do without.
Showman Grigory Pogosyan at the Oktyabr cinema before the premiere of James Mangold's film Wolverine: Immortal
Svetlana Khodchenkova appeared on the red carpet among the last guests and immediately disappeared into the VIP bar, where television cameras were waiting for her. Until Svetlana appeared in the hall, the guests were entertained by a group of Japanese drummers - they drummed for a long time and conscientiously.
He was the first to greet the audience general manager film company "XX Century Fox CIS" Vadim Smirnov: "Thank you for coming, but you couldn't help but do it because you got the tickets for free."
Smirnov was joined by 20th Century Fox Europe President Paul Higginson. “I’m upset, I thought that Vadim would now introduce me as Jackman’s understudy. We wanted to do something unique, special. I think you will see that we have achieved this,” Higgins expressed hope and invited Svetlana Khodchenkova to the stage.
“I’m very glad that you are here. This is a very important evening for me. Everything I taught flew out of my head, I’m so worried,” Svetlana apologized. - I hope you like it. I have not seen the film and will watch it with you. We had an amazing team. I'm proud of this work. Everything I did, I did for us - for Russia, no matter how pretentious it may sound. Enjoy watching!"
The viewing began with a video greeting from the leading actor Hugh Jackman: “Hello, Russia! I would like to be with you, but now I’m busy with another project.” By the way, Hugh visited the capital a couple of years ago as part of a promotional tour for the film “Real Steel.”
According to the plot of the film, the hero of the popular Marvel comic book series Logan (Hugh Jackman), a mutant known throughout the world as Wolverine, ends up in Japan, where he has not been since World War II. In 1945, he, an immortal, managed to save the young soldier Shingen Yashida from a nuclear explosion in Nagasaki. Many years later, Yashida, dying, calls upon Wolverine to entrust him with the protection of his granddaughter Mariko, the only heir to the giant empire. But this is not all that the ungrateful Yashida wants from Wolverine...
Hiding from the Yakuza with a wealthy heiress, Logan is surprised to discover that he is no longer immortal. And it’s all the fault of Yashida’s doctor, aka the mutant Viper, played by Svetlana Khodchenkova. Svetlana’s role is small, in general - 15-20 minutes of screen time, and yet it is key. If it were not for the Viper, Wolverine would not have had the opportunity to feel mortal and think. In the last episode, the Viper, as befits a snake, “throws off its skin” - and the beautiful Khodchenko appears before the audience completely bald. By the way, a closely shaved skull (even if it’s a fake one) doesn’t spoil Svetlana at all.
RIA Novosti. Ekaterina Chesnokova
Actress Svetlana Khodchenkova at the Oktyabr cinema before the premiere of James Mangold's film "Wolverine: The Immortal"
According to director James Mangold, he wanted to break the canons of a film based on a comic book, so that all the action and tension were associated not with action feats, but with the character of his character. inner world. And James succeeded. It’s just not clear why for endless close-ups and dialogues with a pretense of drama needed a 3D format...
On July 16, a new one was released Russian comedy“Horoscope for luck” with Svetlana Khodchenkova in one of the main roles. Fairy tale, but quite true story an office employee from St. Petersburg who decided to deal with problems through astrology. Magic action The predictions initially had a positive result, however, over time, the marketer Max has to run from one girlfriend to another. And everything would have been fine if he had not been in love with one of the young ladies, realizing that the second was crazy about him.
“Horoscope for Good Luck” has proven itself not to be an average comedy, but a film that is a storehouse of positive emotions. I want to watch and rewatch the film, because the leading actors tried to recreate a truly wonderful movie on the screen.
Cast replete with star names: Svetlana Khodchenkova, Anya Chipovskaya, Dmitry Endaltsev, Dmitry Nagiev, Gosha Kutsenko, Vitaly Khaev, Boris Smolkin, Timur Batrutdinov and Dmitry Khrustalev. The St. Petersburg premiere was opened by girls: Svetlana Khodchenkova and Anna Chipovskaya. The invitees were amazed not only by the roles of the girls, but also by their natural beauty. The actresses wished the audience to feel the boundless happiness and lightness that hovered every day on the set and permeated the entire film.
- Svetlana, why did you agree to participate in the “Horoscope for Good Luck” project? What is attractive about this job?
Among the many scripts that I am given to study, this one was distinguished by its lightness and heart. There are very few good ones today family films, captivating the viewer not with special effects, but with its main idea. Having seen the final result on the big screen, I can proudly say that the director’s idea was a success! The tape came out extremely kind and positive.
- How do you feel about astrology? Having encountered such a phenomenon in the film, did you want to get an individual horoscope or prediction?
I don't believe in this kind of thing and I'm very skeptical about horoscopes. I just don’t have time to keep track of them! They say that I am a typical representative of my zodiac sign (Aquarius), but people from the outside know better. There is nothing more individual than your own plans. When you really want something, you need to work on yourself, the situation and the problem, and not look for a solution in a conversation with an astrologer.
- Svetlana, you have a very diverse repertoire behind you. What genre became your favorite and liked the most?
Genre as a concept gets boring very quickly and boredom sets in. An actor, like anyone creative personality, you can’t get hung up on one thing, you need to be in constant search. In my personal opinion, cinema should not only be of high quality, but memorable. Good movies rarely appear on the big screen, and too few of them want to be re-watched later. I speak as a person close to cinema - now there are practically no legendary films as there were before. But there are many theatrical productions I'm truly happy! My last offer was to participate in the Phantom of the Opera project. The production director tried to persuade me for a long time, enticing me with the idea that tickets to “The Phantom of the Opera” would be sold out just for my participation in it. It was a pity to disappoint him, but I won’t play for fame and fees. I’m sure the situation will change soon, because one-day films, even commercially, are much more unprofitable than cult films.
- What is your dream job?
My agent constantly receives offers to participate in various projects, and it’s not always cinema. Happiness is in the right to choose! So, recently I was invited to the KVN house to take part in the filming of the new season. Unfortunately, due to my busy schedule, I was forced to refuse. Although, in my free time I enjoy going to the KVN house, just as a spectator. KVN Major League has captivated me since childhood, I am proud that among the participants there are many of my friends and acquaintances. I repeat, due to lack of free time, I rarely can afford to go out. My theatrical activity sometimes it reschedules filming, but I’m glad that the theater continues to be in demand. There are many offers, some of them are serious dramatic roles, and children's. Recently I was invited to participate in the ballet production of “The Nutcracker”, but I had to refuse. Of course, I seriously study ballet, but it’s difficult to call me a professional dancer. I'm afraid people would buy tickets to the Nutcracker ballet just to see how far my technique is from the ideal (laughs).
- Hollywood exploded with praise for your beauty and talent. Now you are mainly in Russia - have you really stopped inviting people?
I don’t waste my time on trifles, I only participate in films that interest me. There really is a lot of work in Russia, and when really cool scripts come from Hollywood, I have to refuse, because I’m already filming. Producers in America and Russia are similar. Both of them do not like to wait - they have their own deadlines.
- And if you choose between Hollywood and Russian films, what would you choose?
Everywhere there are both good and not very successful paintings. I won’t choose by country - Hollywood is good, but in Russia you relax your soul! I can't be away from home for too long.
The new film from the X-Men franchise, Wolverine: The Immortal, is sweeping the planet. The premiere has already taken place in London, a special screening in Seoul, which was attended by more than 3,500 fans of the comic book hero... In Russia, the film was released on July 25, and the day before the premiere of the film took place at the Oktyabr cinema. The fact is that for our country this fantastic blockbuster has special meaning, because one of the main female roles, namely the role of a mutant viper, played by Russian actress Svetlana Khodchenkova.
The Russian trace in Hollywood films is now very popular. And if previously it was reduced to episodes (if you go too far, in this summer’s super blockbuster “Pacific Rim” a pair of rangers - drivers of giant transformers - arrived from Russia), now more and more our stars are being trusted with significant roles. Danila Kozlovsky, the legend of Legend Number 17, is currently studying at the “dream factory” and is preparing to play the role of a vampire - Vladimir Mashkov practically settled there, on the other side of the ocean - we remember his work in the films “15 Minutes of Fame” and “Behind Enemy Lines” ".
The role of Konstantin Khabensky in the film “Wanted,” where he played in partnership with Angelina Jolie, is not considered an equally significant achievement - after all, the film was directed by our Timur Bekmambetov. But Yulia Snigir, who “appeared” in the latest “Die Hard” next to Bruce Willis himself - from the point of view of Western cinema - this is already an event... Oksana Akinshina - in "The Bourne Supremacy" and other films, Olga Kurylenko - Bond girl in "Quantum" mercy" and more...
The role of Khodchenkova could simply be a continuation of this series, but it also became a development.
Hollywood work of Svetlana Khodchenkova in the film “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” is small cameo role- has already made people talk about itself, that’s how it was played. As for the film "Wolverine. The Immortal", I think that in those countries where the essence does not focus on its native actress, watching it is not so interesting. And in this regard, it’s even good that the leading actor of Wolverine, Hugh Jackman, did not come to the premiere in Russia. Firstly, we’ve already had him twice. Represented the films "Real Steel" and "X-Men: Origins. Wolverine." Now you need to let your partner feel her moment of glory.
Second, Jackman, now 43, plays Wolverine as older, more seasoned and vulnerable. Comic book heroes only get younger in books. In fact, the viewer can already see how Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr., has changed in the next, third film in the franchise." Iron Man"(and there will be a fourth!). The same thing happens with Wolverine. Three young beautiful partners (one of whom is Khodchenkova), practically “three pillars” on which Hugh Jackman’s hero rests in his development. However, he is good on your own, but with partners - better.
To add flavor to the film, this time Japan was chosen as the country where the action takes place. And here we have a full set of “pop”: ninja-geisha-samurai, sakura-snow-kimono, Yakuza intrigues and so on. Country rising sun in the minds of Americans. There are also Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In the story, Wolverine, thanks to his mutant superpowers, saves a Japanese soldier during a nuclear explosion. He sacredly preserves the memory of his savior, but is concerned about how to make himself just as invulnerable. An aged soldier who devoted his life to studying the capabilities of the body, who became the head of an influential corporation, is on his deathbed. And asks Wolverine to come and say goodbye. But it turns out that not everything is calm in a traditional Japanese family. And the adventure begins. After all, Wolverine cannot help but fight for justice. The fight scenes are perhaps the best thing in this film, which by and large lacks "action". Particularly impressive is Wolverine's fight with the Japanese enemy on the roof of a super-fast express train (speed 500 km per hour). Wolverine holds onto the roof of the carriage with his blades. Japanese - with knives...
The love line is tortuous and confusing. Around Wolverine are three women, two of whom are Japanese. In his dreams, a fourth person still comes to him every night - Jane, who he killed, played by Famke Janssen. Svetlana Khodchenkova plays the green-eyed viper woman, who is also the personal oncologist of the dying boss. You can remember the brilliant Lydia Vertinskaya in the film “The Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors” in the role of Gadina-Anidag. The actress did a good job too. But nevertheless, how different these vipers are. The essence of Khodchenkova’s appearance is walking in tight outfits, sparkling with the special look of a snake in human form (the makeup artists tried incredibly hard) and masterly use of the sting: the forked tongue of the viper exudes deadly poison and serves as a powerful weapon during a kiss. Two episodes are especially amazing. When a viper, during a bloody battle with the yakuza at the funeral of the head of the clan, calmly films everything that happens on a mobile phone and, when she is reborn, sheds her skin... Thanks to latex outfits, she has lost weight (to the displeasure of Stanislav Govorukhin, who discovered Svetlana Khodchenkova for the cinema in the film “Bless woman" when she was still, as they say, "in the body"), the actress is tempted to compare with Catwoman performed by Anne Hattaway, Halle Berry and Michelle Pfeiffer. And also - with the heroines of the same "X-Men" - Mystique and Storm (the latter - again - Holy Berry). It must be said that our Svetlana fits very well into this series. And it suits her much more than roles in films such as, for example, “Love in the City or the remake” Office romance", where she plays Mymra. True, there was still something draconian in this Mymra. Hollywood saw it correctly...
Since the action of this part of “The Wolverine” takes place in Japan, the cinema designers chose the surroundings accordingly.
The first viewers of the film were greeted by geishas with lily flowers and Japanese warriors in armor.
Some guests also decided to go with the theme of the evening and dressed accordingly. I was most impressed by my unusual outfit Katya Lee. The girl appeared in an unusual asymmetrical dress, with blue lipstick on her lips and blue eyebrows.
The assembled guests, of course, were waiting for the appearance of the leading actors. Many were sure that he would come to the premiere himself Hugh Jackman.
Before the premiere, the actor addressed the audience from the screen and apologized for not being able to be with them that day. Jackman explained his absence by being busy with a new project. Hugh greeted and said goodbye to the audience in Russian. The last to arrive at the film premiere was the actress who plays the villainess Viper - charming Svetlana Khodchenkova. The actress appeared on the red carpet in a lush white and coral dress.
Khodchenkova was worried and, going on stage, admitted to the audience that she had forgotten her memorized speech:
I'm very glad you're here. This is an important evening for me. Everything I taught flew out of my head, I’m so worried... I hope you like it. I haven’t seen the film - I’ll watch it with you. We had an amazing team. I'm proud of this work. Everything I did, I did for us - for Russia, no matter how pretentious it may sound. I was interested in trying myself in the role of an absolute villain, because I am a well-mannered and friendly girl.Oh, and here was an opportunity to change and become a completely different person. Although, if you look at it, she is not a villain at all, but a devoted friend of her master. To be honest, before I was interested in something more fundamentalI wasn’t interested in literature and comics, but by the time I was approved for the role, I knew literally everything about my character Viper.
Based on the plot of the film “Wolverine. Immortal" main character Logan, aka Wolverine, goes to Japan to say goodbye to his dying friend. There the hero falls in love with the daughter of the head of the Yakuza clan. But everything turns out to be not so simple. Logan will have to confront her father Shingen, brother Samurai, Viper and other dangerous enemies.
Hiding from the Yakuza with his lover, Logan discovers that he is no longer immortal. The culprit for this is a doctor who turns out to be the mutant Viper (Svetlana Khodchenkova). The actress shows off in the frame in a green suit that imitates the skin of a snake.
An interesting fact is that in the last episodes Khodchenkova had to become... bald! True, radical measures were not needed for this: Khodchenkova used a “false” bald head. However, new image did not shock the audience: along with her hair, the actress did not lose her charm.
Irina Kapustina
“And also in the field of ballet, we are ahead of the rest,” Yuri Vizbor sang almost 50 years ago. Now our singers, athletes, actors, and models are in demand in the West. How do they feel there and is it difficult for an outsider to succeed abroad?
In 2013, the film “Wolverine: Immortal” was released in the series about the X-Men, comic book heroes with supernatural powers. Svetlana played in this Hollywood blockbuster main role, a villainess nicknamed the Viper, the mutant Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman, is at war with her. Luck smiled on our actress after Jessica Biel, whom the producers initially wanted to film, turned down the role.
Svetlana Khodchenkova, actress
But in the West they recognized Khodchenkova in 2011. Then the film “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” was released. a joint production of Great Britain, Germany and France. In it, the actress played a small role as the wife of a Soviet diplomat. The picture participated in competitive program Venice Film Festival, and Svetlana represented her on the red carpet. In addition, the film received several Oscar nominations. “It is thanks to small appearance in this film I ended up in “Wolverine,” says the actress.
For testing, Khodchenkova recorded a video, several scenes from the film and sent it to the studio. By the way, she starred in two looks: with a black wig (because I read that Viper is Armenian and has black hair) and without it, but the studio, contrary to the original, preferred the second option. “I asked the producers why they chose me, but I never received an answer,” says the actress. “You passed the audition well and we liked you,” they said.”
Svetlana speaks English well, but admits that acting was not easy: “I can improvise in Russian, and that’s why it’s easier. It’s difficult to improvise in a foreign language. In addition, it is more difficult to communicate with the director and understand him. I studied the language all my free time. And after filming, she continued to teach, specifically American English. But the accent still remains, you can’t completely get rid of it.” And for Svetlana’s colleagues it was a challenge to pronounce her last name. They tried, but in the end everyone called her Svetti, which, according to the actress, pleased her.
Khodchenkova developed a warm relationship with Hugh Jackman. He tried to help and even specially went out onto the set to throw in lines from under the camera. “I was told that this is an unprecedented thing for an actor of this level to throw lines at someone. But this happened to me, and I’m proud of it,” says Svetlana. – I often remember our acquaintance. I came to the site, and suddenly Hugh was running. Shouts: “Sveta! Hello! Let's get acquainted!" And hugs. I thought I was going to faint.”
Photo: still from the film “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy!”
According to the actress, there are only two differences between filming in Russia and America: language and scale. “The Wolverine pavilions seemed incredibly large to me,” she recalls. – Storyboards cover the entire wall, while our directors often neglect them. Also, and this surprised me, there is no strict schedule. A shooting day can last 20 hours – people work as long as they are in the mood.”
After the release of “Wolverine,” Svetlana assures, nothing changed in her life, and she did not feel any particular fame. “Do I dream of a career in Hollywood? Of course, deep down every actor thinks about the Oscar. And I would like to work in America,” she admits. – But I won’t select films by country. American studios found out about me, and offers began to come in. But there is a lot of work in Russia too. It happens that good scripts come from Hollywood, and I have to refuse because I’m already filming. Producers are the same everywhere: they don’t like to wait. American acting agents have one condition: that I live in the USA. But I don’t want to move there, because all my relatives are here. And I can’t be away from home for long, I love Moscow too much.”
Mikhail Gorevoy, actor
In 2002, he played a Russian scientist in the James Bond film Die Another Day. On December 3, Steven Spielberg's thriller "Bridge of Spies" about the release of an American pilot captured in the USSR, where he played one of the main roles - the second secretary of the USSR Embassy in the GDR Ivan Shishkin, will be released.
“I became the hero of a famous acting joke,” Mikhail smiles. – Spielberg calls the actor, invites him to act, and he replies: “Sorry, I can’t, I have a Christmas tree!” But I played with Stephen. His film “Bridge of Spies” was cast in a civilized manner, without stepping on anyone’s toes – the casting took place. This is how it is done in America. Actors interested in the role are sent the text of several scenes of the film, asked to play, record on a medium and send to the studio. I speak English, twelve years ago I starred in a Bond film, and in December the film with Jackie Chan “Following” will be released.
There is no pathos at all in both the director and Tom Hanks, who plays the main role in Bridge of Spies. When I first came to the set, Spielberg took me by the elbow, as if he was just waiting, took me aside and told me about his Jewish family from a small town, that his father spoke Russian. He values his actors and is genuinely interested in everyone.
Photo: still from the film “Bridge of Spies”
In general, I came to America in 1992 and lived for four years. He worked as a taxi driver, a nurse (caring for a mentally ill person), and a waiter. This gave me the opportunity to learn a language and absorb someone else’s lifestyle into my blood. Everything is different there: the attitude towards money, women, religion. Americans will drive three kilometers to a gas station where gas is one cent cheaper, but, for example, there are no more generous rich people. They donate huge sums to research. And the film process there is different. The cinema is private, there is no state cinema, like ours. Nobody interferes with someone else's work. If a specialist screws in a light bulb, then five will not advise how to do it. But in America there are no jelly banks with milk rivers, everyone works hard and tries to live happily. Having the baggage of life there, returning to Russia, I felt like an American, European Russian. But I am very local, my passion lies in my homeland. Here I play in the theater, stage plays as a director, teach at VGIK, and act in films.
Anna Skidanova, actress of the TV series “Ekaterina”, “Moon”, “Closed School”
She played in the films “Scary Movie 5”, “Christie”, “Hercules”, “Woman in Gold”.
When my friend was going to the Cannes Film Festival in 2012, she asked her to get me accreditation. It was there that she first met producer Harvey Weinstein (films “Shakespeare in Love,” “Gangs of New York,” “Pulp Fiction.” - Note “Antennas”). A friend introduced me, and while introducing myself, I asked his name. Harvey was surprised by this turn of events.
A year later, again in Cannes, we crossed paths again, and he recalled this situation. She didn’t feel shy and, taking the opportunity, asked: “Do you have a role for a Russian actress now?” He asked me to pass on the contact information to his assistant, and a few days later they called me and invited me to Scary Movie 5. It was a real gift of fate! Yes, the role is small, but during filming I became friends with Julie Rappoport, who works for the Weinsteins, and she offered to try out for the thriller “Christie”, to play a student. Then, thanks to her acquaintance with the vice-president of the company, Harvey Victoria, Parker got into the film “Hercules” and the film “Woman in Gold,” which I am very proud of. Victoria invited me to appear in the BBC series “War and Peace”, but I had to refuse, because by that time I had created my own production company “October 24” and was working on my own project.
Anna with director Simon Curtis
Filming in Hollywood for the first time was scary, everything was unfamiliar, you didn’t know what would happen and how. At first I was surprised by the number of trailers, dressing rooms, and the huge selection of food that was delivered to the set. Now I can say that actors in the USA are more professional, the work process is organized at the highest level, everything is accurate - minute to minute, such training is worth learning. But the American filmmaking machine is still somewhat soulless. Our group relations go beyond the scope of the project, but they do not provide for this.
What is my secret to success? I think that three factors played a role: spontaneity, appearance, to say nothing, in Hollywood they pay attention to this; and a strange situation when meeting Harvey: he remembered a girl who did not recognize him.
Timur Bekmambetov, director and producer of Hollywood films
Filmed: “Wanted,” “President Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” “Apollo 18,” “Phantom.”
Spends most of his time in Los Angeles.
Here I am on a business trip – a long one. I don’t know yet when it will end. Hollywood is an opportunity to make new films, work with interesting people, such as Tim Burton. In Los Angeles you sit quietly in the studio or on film set- working on a film. And at six o'clock in the evening the lights turn off. That's it, the work is finished, and you are already at the resort. Do I feel like a Hollywood director? The main thing is to be yourself. And so in America they consider me a Russian director. There is probably envy. Something inside me tells me: you jumped high, guy. Although no one said this to my face. I have with many good relationship. For example, with actor Elijah Wood (the hobbit Frodo from “The Lord of the Rings.” - Note “Antennas”). Because I grew up in a different cultural environment, I have no fear of Hollywood stars. For me, the star is the actor Andrei Myagkov. I am in awe of him. Why haven't our actors achieved success in Hollywood? Because we have our own wonderful cinema. Our films have a huge audience. And she loves her stars. And why would they go to America to film in this case? It was poor Schwarzenegger who had nowhere to turn around in Austria, so he set off to conquer Hollywood.
Natalia Vodianova, supermodel, lives in France
Vodianova with her second husband Antoine Arnault
Larisa Kusakina, Natalya’s mother, says:
– Natasha first went abroad at the age of 17, when recruiters modeling agency Viva after casting in Nizhny Novgorod strongly recommended that she go to Paris. Oddly enough, my daughter was not eager to go there at all. Firstly, she was not at all fixated on a modeling career and did not believe in the rosy prospects that the recruiters painted for her. And secondly, at that time she was in love with young man named Sergei and didn’t want to part with him at all. By and large, if the agency representatives had not shown rare persistence, Natasha would not have gone anywhere at all. But they kept calling us, and my daughter gave up. Like, I’ll go, see what’s what, and come back. It took six months to complete the necessary documents. During this time, Natasha still had to learn English, but for the reasons indicated, she did not show much zeal in this matter, so she went to France with a very conditional knowledge of the language. Now she speaks fluently both English and French.
Paris, of course, shocked her, especially the shops. In our country at that time it was a problem to buy good things even if you had money, but here there is such abundance! True, at first all this was inaccessible to Natasha, and she Parisian life was not at all easy. 80% of her earnings went to the agency, leaving mere crumbs. Natasha and other model girls rented an apartment together; they lived in terribly cramped conditions, eight people per room. Due to lack of money, we also ate something that was not good for health and figure: all sorts of semi-finished products, fast food. Natasha still remembers with a shudder the fat one fried chicken breaded.
She liked French cuisine right away, although she didn’t have the money for specialties. But both then and now she misses rye bread, borscht, vinaigrette and herring. I remember once in Paris we went to a restaurant with her for dinner and ordered a fish plate. So Natasha chose exclusively herring from this selection, which consisted of a variety of delicious fish, which surprised the waiter. And now, when I go to visit her, I bring herring and Borodino bread as a gift. And for breakfast we like to go with her to some bistro and drink coffee and croissants. Natasha loves them! And he eats them, generously smeared with jam and butter. This is how many Parisian women eat breakfast, but there are practically no fat ones.
It was in Paris that she met Justin Portman, her now ex-husband, and moved to his homeland in England. They bought a large old Mill estate a couple of hours drive from London. She lived there for ten years, but never got used to England. First of all, because of the climate: Natasha does not like dampness and fog.
It so happened that today, by the will of fate, my daughter returned to the city of her youth - Paris. Together with Antoine Arnault, her common-law husband, they rent a large apartment in the center of Paris. In terms of mentality and rhythm of life, Natasha is already French. He loves late dinners, after which Antoine plays music on the piano. She still loves Russia, but she could hardly live here anymore. This is where her home is now, her children study in a French school, she also communicates with her loved one in the language of his country and lives in accordance with the local way of life. But, you know, she keeps repeating that from the moment she left for France, life
In the States, everyone celebrates Thanksgiving and Christmas. And now I do too, because my friends often invite me to these holidays. In turn, I invite them to our traditional New Year, birthdays.
Some of my American friends still think that bears walk our streets. Of course, they say this as a joke. But at the same time, such jokes are still relevant. But the most ridiculous question that Americans asked me most often is: do you have snow all year round in Russia? Yes, they should have seen how much rain it sometimes falls in Moscow in winter!
A couple of phrases
What attracts you abroad?
Ksenia Rappoport, actress, films a lot in Italy, including in the films “Stranger”, “The Man Who Loves” and others:
Russians and Italians have a lot in common. Both we and they are careless and lazy, but emotional and categorical in their judgments. Just like Russians, they often hope for “maybe,” although there is no equivalent to this word in Italian. But thanks to the wonderful climate, they are sunnier people. And we are gloomy. For example, I am a completely St. Petersburg person, a typical “swamp frog” who constantly mopes and reflects (laughs). We live in swamps and rarely see the sun. By the way, it’s funny that because of our climate, Italians consider us absolutely frost-resistant. When I was freezing on the set in Italy, in winter, in the terrible wind, they were sincerely surprised.
Danila Kozlovsky, actor, starred in the Hollywood film “Vampire Academy”:
We have a lot to learn from Hollywood, and it's not humiliating to be honest with ourselves about it. First of all, they are super professional. They understand that everyone depends on each other. They cannot set each other up, they don’t want to, because everyone values their reputation, their place and business. And if they get together for something, they do it as well as possible. Hollywood is a powerful industry, a perfectly tuned and high-tech clockwork. But I never said I was going to stay there. I understand that he is a Russian artist, a native speaker of the Russian language and Russian culture, although this sounds loud.
Anna Netrebko, opera singer:
I love both New York and Vienna very much. When I'm in an Austrian apartment, I go out onto the terrace and admire the stunning view of the city. In New York I live two blocks from Central Park and I walk there all the time. And I love Fifth Avenue. There are so many shops there!
