"It's really unusual to play an 86-year-old woman at the age of ten," he said
The most famous young Russian actress, star of the TV series "Daddy's Daughters", "Vampires of the Middle Strip 2", "Against All" Eva Smirnova at the age of 11 has also become a producer of the All-Russian competition. This project she and her mother came up with for children-scenarists, and in February next year will be released the first movie based on its results. Eva promised that the premiere will be loud. In an exclusive interview with Izvestia, she talked about how, with a busy work schedule, she manages to do well in school, her rider, and how she makes wishes that always come true.
"My mom wouldn't let me take a cab by myself, and I wouldn't go by myself, either
- Eva, how did you first get in front of the camera? Do you remember how you felt?
- I don't think I'll ever forget that moment. The first time I was in front of the camera was at the show "The Best of the Best". When I saw the huge hall, cameras and spotlights directed at me, I realized: this is my element. I was four years old at the time.
- And in the movie, what was your first role?
- The very first - episodic, in "The Big Game". And the first major role I got at the age of seven or eight, in the movie "Girl Nina and the Piano Snatchers". When that project came out in an online movie theater, I was very happy.
A still from the set of Against All Odds 3.
- Is your mom always with you on set?
- Yes. But we get a personal driver on every project. And a couple of times it happened that I came to the shift with him, and my mom drove up afterwards. It was in Sochi, where we filmed "Cheburashka 2", there from our hotel to the site only five minutes to get there. Of course, my mom wouldn't let me go by cab alone, but I wouldn't go myself.
- How long is your work shift? Probably due to your age it is shorter than in adults?
- It's always different. My mom and my agent Natalia count the hours. It's not my job. When my mother and I were general producers and shot our own movie, it was very interesting to try myself in a new role. After that job, I started to look at making a movie in a different way.
- Tell me, what is this project that you shot yourself?
- It's a short movie called "Campanella". It's about a violinist girl who has been dreaming of performing since childhood. A friend tells her that soon there will be a music competition where she could play her favorite piece - Paganini's "Campanella". The heroine goes to this contest, but there is a force majeure that simply deprives her of her strength. She says goodbye to the violin and starts a new life without music. But then time puts everything in its place and the instrument comes back to her. I won't say more about this project, I hope I haven't spoiled anything. This is a movie for both children and adults.
A still from the set of Against All Odds 3.
- How did the idea for this movie come about? Do you play in it yourself?
- Yes, and Ilya Bledny, Julia Khamitova, Alexander Makarov and many other wonderful actors are also playing . And we started shooting the movie for a reason. My mother came up with the idea to create a contest of children's scripts. On the selected children's jury script we will shoot a movie, but with a professional director and team. We called this project "50/50". The first winner of the competition was a girl from Yaroslavl with "Campanella".
- Why 50/50?
- In this project 50 percent of girls and 50 percent of boys, 50 percent of the work is done by adults on the set, 50 percent by children.
- When is the movie coming out?
- I don't know the exact date yet. But it is already at the editing stage. Of course, there will be an announcement, advertising, you will definitely know about it.
"I do not have a syndrome of excellent girl"
-In your asset one of the main roles in the series "Against All", the third season of which was recently released on START. What do you remember working in this project?
- It was very interesting. We filmed in the house, which was actually built in the middle of a residential complex. I remember working at night, and everything was legal - no noise, nothing. But the neighbors turned on loud music on purpose, and we couldn't make any noise - we couldn't turn on the camera. The administration looked for apartments from where the music could be heard, the police were called. From funny moments - a cow spit on me on this project, which we all called Zorka. And how I was afraid of chickens! I had to go up to them and collect eggs.
- And in the third season this house is no longer there, it was destroyed?
- Yeah. But there's a plot twist and we start living again. I won't spoil it. I'll just say that it was nice to be back in this atmosphere of our Zanozin family, to meet the actors from the previous seasons, to meet the new ones.
A still from the set of Against All Odds 3.
- Eva, do you have a rider? What is a must-have in your dressing room, in your carriage?
- When I arrive early in the morning for a shift, we always have a full breakfast - either porridge or scrambled eggs, water, fruit. You know, I've been asked: maybe if I'm a kid, I have some extra time to relax on the playground? No. I have an hour lunch break like everybody else. That's when I can do whatever I want. But only during that hour.
- You sometimes star in several projects at once. How do you manage to combine it with your studies? You probably don't have much free time, do you?
- I'm homeschooled, I have the whole school on my tablet. If I realize that the shift will not be too hard, I take it with me and can study, if the conditions allow.
- And you don't know your classmates?
- No. And they don't know I go to their school. And I don't talk to teachers, only if I have questions, I go to the class teacher.
- I wouldn't be surprised if you're also an honor student.
- Yeah. But I don't have "A" syndrome. You know, like, "I got a B, the world fell apart." I get good grades because I want to be an educated person.
- On the set you communicate with many famous adult actors. Do you keep in touch with any of them after work?
- I am insanely appreciative to be with such professionals on set. I'm glad when we meet on another project, communicate, remember something. But not with everyone - everyone has a different character. For example, if we see Yuri Nikolaevich Stoyanov somewhere, we always hug, share something. He is a person I adore, I almost pray for him. And he is a brilliant artist.
I celebrated my 10th birthday right on the shift of "Vampires of the Middle Strip 2". Yuri Nikolayevich gave me a white electric guitar - he heard that I was playing and dreaming of such an instrument, so he gave it to me.
A still from the set of Vampires of the Midlands.
- And I heard that Yuri Stoyanov has a complicated character, that he can be very tough, criticizes his colleagues....
- I haven't come across anything like that. But he is a very wise man, and if he does so, it's not because he wants to offend someone, but because he wants to help, to teach something. Recently I was in Minsk, and a movie with the participation of Yuri Nikolayevich was shot there in parallel with my project. Our director worked on that movie as well. Somehow he comes and tells me this story. He and Stoyanov were sitting, talking, and Yuri Nikolaevich says that there are actors who even know the text for you: "Here I forgot something, and she takes and helps. The director asks if he's talking about Eva Smirnova. It turned out, about me. When I heard this, my heart fluttered, because for me the opinion of Yuri Nikolayevich is very important.
"We watched "Cheburashka" and thought you were just as nasty."
- You said that thanks to your heroine Vasilisa from "Magic Plot" you fell in love with drawing. And what other characters inspired you on something, influenced your character?
- After "Nina's Girl and the Piano Snatchers," I play the piano and study with a teacher. In February, the movie "Captain Hook" comes out, where I play a hockey player. Half a year of my life I gave to this sport - two and a half months on the set and before that four months I practiced from scratch to ride on sports skates. Before that, a little skill, but only on figure skates. This character probably taught me courage and resilience, because this is a sport where you have to overcome yourself. It even taught me a little bit of cold-bloodedness. It helps me a lot in life. I remember when the fire alarm went off at our film festival, and I didn't start rushing around in a panic and didn't freeze in a stupor, but first of all went into the hallway to check if my mom was okay. Turns out it was just the smoke machine in the hall being checked.
- In "Vampires of the middle strip" you played a 90-year-old "babka", as you were called grandfather Slava - the character of Yuri Stoyanov, in the body of a child. It's very difficult. What acting techniques used to convince the image?
- I was preparing for this role for a long time, because it is really unusual - at the age of 10 to play an 86-year-old woman. Yuri Nikolaevich helped me a lot on the set. Mila's inner state we sorted out with my mother, but he explained the physics. For example, there was a scene where we hugged him. Children have their fingers spread out in different directions, while adults have their fingers closed. My movements, my look, my voice - I changed all that in this role.
A still from the set of "The Magic Precinct."
- When you grow up, in which role do you see yourself more?
- I call myself a universal actress, because I have never been stuck in one genre. I really don't want to be associated with one role. For some reason, many interviewers ask: "We watched 'Cheburashka' and thought you were just as nasty". I've always been hurt by that. I'm not a sadistic girl who drives her grandmother crazy, I'm not like her at all.
- Do you have no fear that, growing up, you will no longer be in such demand in the movie? After all, we know many such examples, even tragic.
- I'll be honest, I used to think about it: what if I grow up, and it all turns out to be a hoax, what if nothing else will work out. And then I just let it go, because I realized that I had to live in the present moment. Now I like what I do, I'm good at it. So why program yourself to fail?
- Are you planning to get an acting education? Where do you think you'll go?
- No, because I get all my experience on the set. So why should I come to a college and spend another five years of my life doing what I already know? Especially since, most likely, I will be retrained and broken there. In general, I have not yet thought about where to go, I still have six years ahead of me. Now I'm considering professions: producer, director, screenwriter. And if there was a combo - it would be great. And I'd also like to get a law degree. For example, when I have my own production, and I can double-check a lawyer. Or, for example, they bring me a contract on set, and I read it and understand where, what's wrong there.
A still from the set of "Daddy's Daughters."
- You recently bought your first car. Who drives it? You don't have a license yet.
- Mom. On the weekends, we get in our car and go somewhere.
- Do you feel like you're the breadwinner? Are you happy with your royalties?
- I don't feel like I'm the breadwinner of the family. I don't even know my fee. I just tell my mom: I want this. We always discuss purchases, not out of economy, but there are just some useless "wants". In general, we spend most of our royalties on my classes - school, tutors, educational courses. We always buy very cool clothes.
- The New Year is coming soon - the most magical holiday. Do you have a ritual for making wishes?
- Let's say I want to be approved for a role in a wonderful movie in which the audience will love me very much. I say it all and at the end I add the phrase: or even better. And it always comes true, or even better.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
