Sofiya, let's start the RACKS AND RAZORS reader's
off with a visual --- would you please describe
the room where you're answering these questions?
I'm currently in
my office. It looks like a tornado went through
it. It's piled with paperwork all over the
tables, shelves and floor. The wall on one side
is decorated with movie posters and the opposite
side of the wall displays two replica GI JOE
swords; Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow (umm..okey, I
like GI JOE comics especially from Devils Due. I
can't elaborate 'cause you'll think I'm a pure
geek). I'm not really a messy person, I've been
working overtime. Honestly.
You're so
wonderfully exotic looking with those great
Chinese/Russian genes...were you always aware of
your good looks?
Oh-dear-no-way.
I'm an absolute late bloomer. I was the ultimate
geek with big round glasses, round face, wore
clothes my mother made for me, and had no clue
what a social life was. I never had any luck with
the boys. Even the nerds that I had crushes on
ran away from me like the plague. I enclosed my
childhood photos. Pretty scary huh?
Well, I see
you're making your first horror film, the vampire
flick ABATTOIR for Mike Watt
which also features several Racks and Razors
favorites like Debbie Rochon, Amy Lynn Best, Zoe
Hunter, and April Monique Burril. How did that
opportunity come about?
My fans
have been bugging me about attending Fangoria in
Chicago since I'm such a b-horror fan. I did and
I met Amy Lynn Best and Mike Watt there.
Actually, when I first met them, they were very
humble about who they were. We talked about
everyday things other than careers and
accomplishments and it was great because they
were so down to earth. On the last day, Amy
mentioned a movie she and Mike were working on
and wanted to know if I wanted to get involved. I
jumped at the opportunity. I didn't know they
were serious, but I remember spending hours and
hours the following week getting my media kit
together to impress them. The following month,
Mike contacted me and gave me the scripts to
review. That's when I panicked and passed out in
utter happiness.
Tell me a little
bit about your ABATTOIR character Zhora and how
she fits into the scheme of the film?
Zhora is
a cold blooded killer with no soul. She's a
predator always searching for her prey and uses
her sensuality to lure her victims. She is also
Elizabet's lieutenant and helps protect the peace
at the Bathory house.
So what do acting
and modeling have in common and how are the two
nothing alike for you?
Professionally,
I see myself as an entertainer when I am working.
My job as a spokesmodel is labeled as "live
modeling." This means I interact and
communicate with my fans and translate the
uniqueness and different aspects of the products
I am promoting. I truly love it because every
day, I am doing something different and learning
something new. I'm very outgoing and can easily
approach strangers and strike up a conversation.
Acting is new to me and I love the challenge of
having to play different characters. I hate the
stable 9 to 5 job with after work happy hour
drinks kind of scene tends to bore me easily. I
like to constantly sharpen and hone my skills
while proactively seeking knowledge through my
accomplishments and failures. I also love to doll
up and play with make-up and hair. Acting and
modeling are a perfect fit for me.
Personally,
I am shy; very much opposite of the person I am
when I'm working as a model or actress. When I am
not working, I look very plain with no make-up,
wearing non-brand name clothes. I spend a lot of
time at home playing the cello, painting, and
listening to music.
My
professional and personal life involves the
appreciation of arts and developing and
challenging my skills; however I am able to
separate the two because I like to surround
myself in the company of good friends and family
who I understand that what I do professionally
isn't always who I really am.
Actress, model,
poet, graphic designer, artist --- you have so
many skills, but where do you see yourself
heading -- what's your primary direction or
current plan?
I want to
get the most out of life as much as possible;
that's my search for the meaning of it all. With
respect to modeling and acting, I want to capture
my fountain of youth and age gracefully. My
primary direction now is getting the most out of
modeling and acting. My professors in college
have taught me to always continue to educate
myself and consistently learn "new
things" so as my skills and talents develop,
I can always find work where needed. It's
especially important for me since I am an
independent contractor. Graphic arts is what I
plan fall back on when I retire from modeling. I
am basically a chameleon of entrepreneurial
sorts.
So word on the
street is you were THE BABE of Glamourcon 2005.
What was that experience like for you? Does your
personality mesh well with that sort of
convention or do you need to turn the energy up a
notch?
It feels
wonderful to be recognized by fans despite my
lack of appearances in print work or Internet
compared to other models at Glamourcon. My first
experience was kinda rough. I was new then, did
not know much and I had a hard time getting
myself noticed. I later learn everything takes
time to develop. I usually turn the energy up a
notch when I am at Glamourcon because I like to
distinguish myself from other models. There are
so many beautiful models to look at and meet so
what makes me any different? That is what I ask
myself each and every time I attend Glamourcon.
Do you recall the
first time you were ever REALLY scared by a
movie?
Oh yes,
Texas Chainsaw Massacre The New Generation with
Renee Zellweger and Matthew Mcconaughey. There's
this one scene when a girl who was literally
tortured to death sits at the dinner table going
in and out of consciousness and she was set on
fire. She wakes up to the horror, and runs
straight into the wall and passes out. Grief, I
couldn't sleep for days. It gave me chills and
the hair on my back stood up. |