Anna Kotova: “My global goal is to enjoy my work”

Anna, was there a casting for the role of your heroine Geli in the Baby Tour series, or did the producers contact you personally? Why were you interested in playing such a heroine?

There was casting, of course. I was invited to audition, at first there were single auditions — me, director and camera. After that ensemble tests. And already in the final — role approval. This is the standard layout. My heroine — the average woman who goes with the flow. She is not an ambitious person, she lives as she is, as she does. And it’s the exact opposite of me. So I was interested in playing such a character.

Gelya grumbles at her husband, but, apparently, she is satisfied with her life. Why then is she interested in Zina’s idea to go to give birth in the USA?

As I said, my heroine — a person who goes with the flow. The director and I discussed at readings that Gelya, in his own way, is a weak-willed person. And even in this situation, when the girls are planning a trip, she agrees at the last moment: “Well, since everyone is going — and I’ll go too.”

What do you like about your character, and what traits and thoughts repel?

I like her earthiness, adaptability to this life. gel — material person. Every actor always tries to justify his character. Therefore, I can’t say that something repels me, just some features are “not mine”. A person who lives life “as is”, who does not have ambitions and excessive demands, expectations — It’s hard for me to understand him, because I’m a completely different person. I always strive forward.

What were your first impressions of Vasily Sigarev’s script? How do you feel about his work?

I really liked the script. Basil — a talented playwright, he writes in very good language. There are such scenarios when you read and understand: “Yes, these people talk like that.” In such cases, it remains only to pronounce the text, because everything is already in the script. This is not literature, but a living language. We played according to the script anyway, it was very lively. This approach is always very attractive. I admire the work of Vasily Sigarev, because he is an incredible creator.

Film critics often compare approaches to cinema by Sigarev and Boris Khlebnikov, especially in their philanthropy. Do you think this is a true comparison? Whose cinema is closer to your audience?

Sigarev and Khlebnikov — two creators of approximately similar worldview, but their notes are different. If Sigarev’s creativity always strives more towards drama, hopelessness, then Boris Khlebnikov, although he also has a certain hopelessness, has a lighter format of drama. I would say that they are united by empathy for a person, an attempt to understand a person in different life circumstances. They write and shoot about the world around a person, about how the world and a person exist together. In this regard, they are both seeking creators.

You said in an interview that there is more freedom in auteur cinema, because it is more interesting for you. What was it like on the Baby Tour? Can you call it an author’s project with a high level of creative freedom?

The director shoots an author’s film according to a script written by himself or by the person with whom he developed the project. For example, Borya Khlebnikov writes a script with Natalya Meshchaninova, and then he shoots it himself. Sigarev writes himself — shoots himself. This is creative freedom: you yourself came up with and shoot. You create and change something as you like. In “Baby Tour” scriptwriter — Vasily Sigarev, director — Fedor Stukov. This is a slightly different job, so it’s hard to say.

“Baby tour” — This is a series. But, perhaps, it can be called an author’s project. On the set, I had to feel the heroine, follow the script, and director Fyodor Stukov directed us in the direction he needed. So it was easy to take off. Of course, there were some searches, I tried to understand my heroine, and then I realized that my misunderstanding — this is the root. Gelya herself does not really understand what, how and where to go, whether to go or not. She is such a person, this is her characteristic feature. This search was also interesting.

How did your partnership with the actresses who played the other heroines of your foursome come about? Are you in a relationship now?

Our partnership has been great. With Lina Mirimskaya, we filmed in “Sisters”, now we crossed paths here. We also knew Nastya Popova. We had fun, we laughed, it is always a pleasure to work in such an environment. With Lina, we are now filming in the continuation of “Sisters”, and I was at Nastya’s birthday party, we all congratulated her. We have maintained a warm relationship.

Judging by the list of your works on Kinopoisk, you act in films a lot. Is this a misleading impression, or are you really not looking up from work? What motivates you to work so hard?

In a sense, this is a misleading impression, because there can be three lines on Kinopoisk and three different films, for example. In total, in these films I had two or three shooting days. Because of this, there may be a misleading impression that I am filming a lot. But there is work, and for me it is very cool and joyful. I like my work, my profession. She drives me. Now I try to find a balance between work and leisure. There was a long period when I worked very hard, and it crippled me a little emotionally and physically. Now I try to find a balance and work in moderation.

A year ago, you said that you want to act in a foreign project, you are taking some steps for this. How is this desire now?

I lost the desire to take part in foreign projects. While I do not take any steps for this, but this does not mean that the desire will not appear in the future. I look at my colleagues who are successfully moving in this direction. For example, Sonya Lebedeva — wonderful, talented girl, she has been working abroad for several years. It’s great.

What is your current goal in your work?

global goal — enjoy work. Take part in projects that really turn on and like. It is interesting to work with someone, in the process to have fun and understand that you are spending your strength and energy where there is a return of positive emotions.

When and how do you rest? What do you do to stop, reboot?

I love to go somewhere. I can leave for three days or for a week — to the water, to the lake or the sea. Nature feeds me, going to the temple, meditation. It helps me to reboot, to return to myself. Periodic need to stop, slow down, return to the center of yourself. Reminding myself if I’m going there, if I really want this, and so on. You need to ask yourself these questions from time to time.

Tell us about your typical work day. What time and how does it start, how does it go, how does it end? How much time do you have for yourself?

A typical working shooting day can start at completely different times. Depending on what time the shift starts. The shift is 12 hours. In the morning I come to the site, go to make-up, put on a suit and go to work. In the middle of the day there is usually lunch, then the end of the shift and then home. This is the standard story.