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Your new movie Room 203
- in a few words, what is it about, and what can you tell us about your
character in it?
Room 203
is a psychological thriller/horror film, where two friends find
themselves threatened by a malevolent spirit. After
celebrating a small victory of finding an apartment, eerie and mysterious
things begin to happen within their new home.
My
character, Izzy, having fought addiction, abandonment and loss, was the one
susceptible to an unholy spirit, and ends up being possessed. Izzy
is a free spirit who isn't afraid of getting lost, because that's all she
has ever knew. She inevitably lets the dark spirit in, which attempts to
kill Izzy and everyone in its path.
What did you draw upon to bring your
character to life, and how much Viktoria Vinyarska can we actually find in
Izzy? I
loved exploring Izzy as a character, she reminded me of my younger self,
and the rage that comes with uncertainty. Willing to fight even when so
weak and lost, is a strength that I learned from Izzy. To connect isn't
difficult, so long that you remember pieces of your own self.
How did you get involved with the project in the
first place, and what drew you to it? A
good friend of mine connected me with this incredible team, and after a
couple of audition tapes I was super excited to be put on board Room
203. To what extent
could you identify with Room
203's approach to horror, and is horror a genre you're at all fond
of in general?
Mystery
and horror have always been themes of interest for me. Things that trigger
the mind, and speed up your pulse have always been a good source of
adrenaline for me. When I was a kid, I loved terrifying my friends during
a scary movie, or even setting something up... where I could scare the
shit out of them. It
always worked, and I loved it! So when this great opportunity came my way,
I allowed myself to connect immediately with the material and with Izzy.
Do talk about Room
203's director Ben Jagger, and what was your collaboration like? Working
with Ben Jagger made it easier for me to experience my character, and
fully commit. He was extremely helpful in igniting the right thoughts and
emotions for me to fully connect. A
few words about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere?
The on-set atmosphere for Room
203 was one of the most comfortable ones I have
had yet. All the producers were incredibly helpful and accommodating, just
overall awesome people to have worked alongside.
What got you into
acting in the first place, and did you receive any formal education on the
subject?
When
I was 9 years old, I moved from Ukraine to the US. Being a shy and
insecure kid, not being able to speak English was dreadful. I always felt
uncomfortable making friends or being part of social gatherings, to a
point that I just wanted to break away from the shadow. That's
when I began to dance, and did it for many years, so it was dance that
brought me to acting.
I
have studied with Bill Esper from the Esper Studio in New York City, as
well as Tony Greco in Los Angeles (method). I
have enjoyed both techniques, and am thankful for all the journeys that
both Bill and Tony sent me on!
Performing
to me is like a door to yourself. Acting is one of the tools that can be
used in order to go deeper in discovering the unknown and yourself. Just
like space and the ocean, the mind is yet to be fully realized. Being an
actor has brought me to people and situations that allowed me to grow as a
person. I
believe that personal growth is the key to self and others, to be
vulnerable is to be fearless, and that brings you a little bit closer to
the truth.
What can you tell us about your filmwork prior
to Room 203?
Prior
to Room
203, I was fortunate enough to have worked on two of Eliza
Hittmans projects which both brought me to the Sundance Film Festival.
Also Amazon Prime's Highway to Havasu as well as A Floresta de
Jonathas, a Brazilian HBO film where I played a foreign exchange
student. Other
projects include a few webseries and student films that were all
worthwhile experiences.
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How
would you describe yourself as an actress, and some of your techniques to
bring your characters to life?
As
an actress, I accumulate details, the history about the character I am
portraying, and just let them speak for me. I channel their inner voice
and try to make it my own. I try to understand what makes them feel
vulnerable, how they see the world. When
it comes to work, and having to be true in an imaginary world, you may
attempt to use daydreaming, revisiting old traumas or even making it up...
but the formula is never the same. There is no "one" way of
doing anything, just like the car key wont open your house.
Actresses (and indeed
actors) who inspire you? Some
of my favorite actors are Gary Oldman, Christoph Waltz, Dustin Hoffman,
Viola Davis, Charlize Theron. Your favourite movies? Movies
that inspire me are Slumdog Millionaire, Moonlight, JoJo
Rabbit, Trainspotting. Your website,
social media, whatever else? Instagram: lifeof_vika Thanks
for the interview!
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