DJ Aloona
April 15, 2024
Anna Vasylevska
May 20, 2024
Eugenia Kuzmina is an actress, comedian, and model. Discovered at the age of 13, Kuzmina began her modeling career and quickly rose to prominence, gracing the cover of Glamour and walking the runway for renowned designers such as Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen. Transitioning into acting in 2011, she has appeared in various films and television shows, including “True Blood,” “New Girl,” and “The Gentlemen.” Kuzmina is also a passionate comedian, performing stand-up at prestigious venues like The Comedy Store and Laugh Factory, and she created the stand-up show “Models of Comedy.” She continues to entertain audiences worldwide with her versatile talent and comedic prowess.
Eugenia, as they once said about you, it’s hard not to notice you. You have succeeded as a model, actress, and run many projects, including a clothing rental subscription service, a comedy show, and are also preparing a collection of poems and a book, Models of Comedy. What components do you consider priority when choosing projects?
Instinct. I have to be fully immersed in a project no matter what shape it takes: a movie, book, stand up . It is about being of service for the greater good. It’s about breaking boundaries, raising uncomfortable questions, bringing light to the darkness through storytelling. I’m currently very happy Napier’s by Rick Ruben work on creativity. Especially as a woman born in a contrived post-Soviet regime n food lines I am striving to see the world bigger then my imagination 2 I’m very lucky to be surrounded by people who are more talented and diverse! To be frank it is a process. I was taught to be polite, nice, not raise a voice, which honestly serves no one. I have made my share of mistakes of doing things out of obligation or surrounding myself with someone in order to be pleasing and liked but currently being at Rada (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts), I’m learning to strip away my authentic connections.
How do you select people for your team? Tell us a little about the photographer, designer, makeup specialists and hairdressers. What inspires you about this collaboration?
It’s a process and a journey, not a check mark of achievement or destination. It’s like peeling an onion to get to the heart of authenticity, and the right people appear at the right time.
Tell us about the new works in cinema and theater that you are currently busy with. Will we see you in an unexpected role?
Well I’m very happy to go on set of new Jason Statham’s movie shooting this weekend. I’ve done a few films with Jason and Guy Ritchie and there was no character written for me in this storyline but I asked to be part of it and even if it’s not a role with dialog I am extremely excited for it! I have a couple films in the making after Rada (I decided to cancel all of my projects for a month after numerous auditions for Rada and being accepted). It’s a brilliant best ground for training for actors. I believe in the world of AI it is the human element not the looks that will survive so I’m stepped up on my part. How you do one thing is how you do everything. I’m excited for Cannes Film Festival this year and “Models of Comedy” show with Barry Katz. I hope to be more selective from now on.
As a child, you were interested in quantum physics (work the genes of your physicist father), and now you are preparing the book “Models of Comedy” and a collection of poetry – your hobbies are pleasingly diverse. Share your writing experience. What does poetry mean to you?
My dad was like a jazz musician. A lot of times it’s easy to assume nuclear science is right and dogmatic but it’s about having open mind to discover rather than preach. My dad was always surrounded by poets like Evgeniy Evtushenko, reading Rumi, Byron. I feel it’s in my blood. I never thought I could write in a third language especially poetry that’s why I wanted to open doors to discover. My mentor Kevin Jacobs says it’s not about the story it’s about the voice. Write as you talk. Bleed the heart in the table.If it becomes uncomfortable and scary it’s the right territory to start … when I read poetry I’m not looking for perfect grammar or rules I’m looking for the heart and what unites us, human nature, flaws, doubts, imperfections, vulnerability. Same with “Models of comedy” stand up show I created with Barry Katz. I wanted to see a bigger picture of having people who don’t have a voice (like models) to find their own voice for greater good.
Do you have any personal principles or philosophy that you follow in your creative career?
Stay present in the moment it’s all it is. Magic comes out of the moment. It’s all we truly have. We all fear death and we have intellect to survive but the beauty happens in the unknown in the place of love, openness. Life is a gift to have limitless possibilities in one moment.
Model: Eugenia Kuzmina, @eugeniakuzmina
Photographer : Kelly Gullett, @kellygullett
Makeup artist: Alexandre Faria, @alexandrefmakeup
Fashion Designer -Dresses: Kiki Wang, @kikiwangfashion