The most graceful Russian actress, the face of Avon and the mother of little Polina Svetlana Ivanova - about motherhood, her heroines, good books and beauty.
- Svetlana, tell us about your current projects. What are you doing now?
I recently ended my vacation, and just a few days ago I started filming in the "Provocateur" project. This is a story about a psychologist working according to an unusual method, played by his amazing Maxim Matveev. And I am an ex-wife, at the same time a beloved woman and a key character in the main intrigue.
In the process of working on the painting "Badaber" with my participation, this is an exciting story about the events of the Afghan war, I am glad to be a part of this project.
- You manage to play in movies, theater, participate in other filming, while traveling a lot with your family, go in for sports Do you have any tricks on how to do everything everywhere?
I don't try to be in time everywhere. The main thing is the family and its interests.
In the theater, I am not very busy, for me performances are even a rest in a sense, from the hustle and bustle, from everyday life. And in my free time from family and theater, I act in films. Perhaps this is how I prioritize.
I love to travel, there are often working trips around the world, in which I always try to take my daughter with me. She goes with me both on tour and on shooting. Plus, we are a rather easy-going family, we can spontaneously buy tickets and fly somewhere on the same day.
- How do you rest, reboot?
For me, the best rest is sleep. A lot of sleep. Only after getting enough sleep I really recover.
- I know you read a lot. Which of the last books you read have influenced you the most?
Of the latter, perhaps, "Daniel Stein, Translator" by Lyudmila Ulitskaya. The book came to the right time and place, in many ways influenced my way of thinking. Moreover, I spend a lot of time in Israel, and much of the book was recognizable and close.
I am also rereading Aitmatov now. And this is an absolute delight in word, syllable, images.
- Do you look like your heroines? For example, to Pat or to Bakhmetyev? (Editor's note - the play "Three Comrades", the series "Pregnancy Test").
I never wondered if I looked like Pat … To be honest, I always imagined her not at all like me. Although, of course, I identified myself with her, when I was still reading at the institute, I even tried to make an excerpt from Three Comrades in a stage speech.
It's easier for me to answer about Bakhmeteva, here I feel like a co-author of the role. A lot of her from me - I came up with a hairstyle, some of her manners and tricks - they are also mine.
Her character has been with me for so long that it is also now appropriated. Although I'm not at all so obsessed with work and not so unlucky in life.
- Whom do you dream to play?
I don't have a dream role. I dream of well-written stories, and if I come across one, I dream of being a part of it. If I see such a story on the screen, I may wish I was there.
- How has your life changed with the birth of Polina?
Now Polina is five, and she changed everything, of course. But it was not in one moment, everything happened very gradually and naturally. My desire to work less, to be more with my daughter, also happened very organically, without any vows to myself that everything, they say, now I'm sitting at home. Of course, now she is the main engine of my whole life.
- Why did you decide not to send Polina to kindergarten?
I really like Polina's character, and I didn’t want to be broken, forced to do something that she didn’t want.
We in the family respect her opinion, we always consult and negotiate with her. I guess that in kindergarten it would hardly be possible, but I am not very close to the "Soviet" education system.
I do a lot with my daughter myself. In different periods of our life, my mother helped us, as well as various nannies who met the needs of our family. At first, when my daughter was very young, she was a nanny with a medical education, now she is a nanny-teacher. My daughter goes to different classes: swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, English and French. She also dreams of studying Chinese.
- Are you a strict mom?
I am a spontaneous and lively mother. I can be very gentle, I can be strict if necessary.
Sometimes my daughter brings me up, sometimes I am her.
- How do you keep yourself in shape?
I eat intuitively - I don't limit myself to anything on purpose, but I try to listen to my body. I eat in small portions and quite often. I try to eat three different fruits or vegetables a day, I drink a lot of water, at least 3 liters a day.
Several years ago, I discovered Pilates, thanks to a trainer I got to by accident. His name is Denis Sychev, for more than two years now I have been training in his Pilates PMP studio.
- Do you have any home beauty rituals?
My main care is home care. My skin is rather dry and at the same time sensitive, so the product that my skin likes, I will be faithful until it is discontinued. I found a line that suits my skin perfectly - Nutra Effects from Avon True. It seems to me that the products from the same series of the same brand in the complex work better, complementing each other.
Two or three times a week, I make sure to use a gentle face scrub with poppy particles. But my favorite is Wonderful Glow Light Facial Oil, which gives skin a natural, healthy glow. Unlike most oils, it is absorbed almost instantly, leaving no grease or stickiness - very convenient, you can apply makeup right away!
- Do you go to the salons? Share your favorite masters?
From salon procedures, I like ultrasonic facial cleansing and microcurrent massage. My dream is to find a master for manual facial massage
I haven’t dyed my hair for several years, and if I need to cut my hair, I do it either at my master Felix in Tel Aviv (almost all my friends in Israel get their hair cut by him), or at Natalia Kovalenkova in the Bersen salon in Moscow, she many beautiful actresses trust their hair. And for a manicure I go to a salon next to my house.
- What is the most valuable thing in your cosmetic bag?
In my cosmetic bag there is always lip balm, Avon True "Nutrition and Length" mascara, powder-balls with a shine effect, Avon True Perfect Tone foundation, which I tried, it seems, was the first in Moscow, and I really fell in love with it. In case you need to urgently turn your daytime makeup into an evening one, there are a couple of my favorite Avon True matte lipsticks in my favorite shades: wine and classic red. A real woman should always be fully armed, besides, I often use my personal makeup both on the set and in the theater.
- If you were a scent, what would it be?
I would like to think that I could be like the scent of a flowering linden tree. This is one of my favorite scents.
Interview and text: Olga Kulygina
