Это интервью публикую на английском языке, в том варианте, в котором оно вышло в журнале ARTIST INTERVIEWS. Я думаю школьной базы достаточно для того чтобы перевести данную беседу. (UiProga)

Natali Abramov

Natalie Abramov was born in Siberia, in a town called Kurgan. She is an actress and model who has trained in workshops with Susan Baton and with Jack Waltzer. Natalie has been in several movies and has worked with actors such as George Clooney in «Confessions of a Dangerous Mind», with Ben Stiller in «Zoolander», and with Sigourney Weaver in «Heartbreakers». She has also acted in Russian films such as «The Life and Death Lead», «The Bridge», she has been on the The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and has been a co-star in «Imperial».

As a model she has received international recognition. She has won the Ultimate Swimsuit World Model Search in 2001 and Miss Ukraine Hawaiian Tropic International. She has been featured in magazines such as GQ, Oficielle, Jalouse, and Boom-Boom.

Natalie is very down to earth and spiritual. She told us about her career in acting and modeling, and about her Father’s art as well as her own love and venture into painting. She is a passionate soul who is not only a known actress and model, but a beautiful and charming person as well. It was a pleasure to speak with Natalie.

ARTIST INTERVIEWS: Natalie, when did you begin your modeling career?

Natalie Abramov: A long time ago, back in Siberia I was like thirteen years old, when I was approached to do modeling by a photographer. I was already very comfortable with the camera, because my Dad used to take pictures of me. I loved it. I really love it so much. The photographer approached me and he proposed me to pose for a German magazine, and in one day I made more money than my Father had made in a whole week. I felt so great!
I had all this money. (Laughs).

Then I came to Moscow and this agency approached me. It was one of the three major modeling agencies in Moscow. They proposed me to come for a test and this is how I started my modeling career.

A.I.: You have acted in some Russian movies.

N.A.: Yeah, at the same time my passion was to be an actress. My Dad was a painter and my Mother was a musician when she was young. My hobby had always been acting, and I had arrived to Moscow not so much for modeling, but for acting. I went to a cinematography school in Moscow. I filmed some Russian independent movies. In the meantime, I was modeling to pay my bills. But there isn’t a big market for modeling in Russia. A French agency found me and they proposed me to come to France. I was very excited! I went to Paris and I stayed there for five years. I’ll never forget acting there, taking classes.

I met an actor called Jack Waltzer. He had been in classes with Marlon Brandon. It was such good luck for me to meet him! I did a workshop with him, and he convinced me to move to America to begin my acting career.

After five years of being in Paris, I decided to move to America and came to New York.

A.I.: Before you came to America, you became Miss Ukraine for Hawaiian Tropic.

N.A.: I represented Ukraine, because my Mother is Ukrainian. I won the pageant for Miss Ukraine and later on when I came to America, Hawaiian tropic asked me to represent them. This is how I came to be Miss Ukraine. I was totally surprised. It was a great experience for me, I was so excited!

I was in Vegas again for a few days for the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. I was in New York, and they called me and booked me to go to the Tonight Show, to meet Jay Leno. Overnight, I became famous. People from all over the world, started to call me because I had been on television. Jay Leno is a sweetheart. They introduced me as an actress from Russia. It was a great experience!

Later on, a man approached. They decided to do a second Annual Miss Swimsuit World, and I decided: «Why not?» I totally went for it. There was a hundred girls from all over the world. A friend of mine who always supports me called me and I told him: «If I could be in the first ten, I would be so happy.» I remember going for the photo shoot at five o’clock in the morning. It was a totally clear day for me. At night, I won the competition. I was really, really surprised. It was a big surprise. It was the day of my birthday. It was the best present I ever had on my birthday. I have wonderful memories from this.

A.I.: Natalie, do you enjoy acting more than modeling?

N.A.: Actually, I love both. I do love modeling, but I think acting is more complete. It’s not about physical beauty, but about inside beauty. It’s also about how you use your brains and your feelings.

A.I.: It’s about emotions.

N.A.:Yeah! Acting is so much more complicated! This is what I like about it.

A.I.: What was it like to act with George Clooney, Ben Stiller, among other actors?

N.A.: They are great guys! They make you feel very comfortable, so that you will do a great job in acting. In fact, I saw George Clooney in Drew Barrymore’s birthday party. George is a totally great guy. He’s very nice and very shy. In real life, he’s totally humble and a down to earth person. If you treat them like a star and they know it, they won’t appreciate it very much.
They would rather be treated like a real person, as a human being.

This is the only way to approach them, just as if you approach your friends.

A.I.: I like George Clooney’s acting.

N.A.: He’s great! He’s a nice person as well.

A.I.: You also worked with Sigourney Weaver.

N.A.: Yes! They needed a Russian accent for the movie «Heartbreakers» and we worked with her for a few days. She is a very hard working woman. She is very smart. I was like a puppy, looking up to her. She is so hard working. I learned a lot of things from her. She picked up the accent right away! She picked up every single sound I gave to her. She’s so professional and so nice too. When you meet a lot of the actors, you find that they are all humble, down to earth. You just realize that they are very humble people and they don’t like to be treated as stars.

I met Al Pacino in Los Angeles. He’s a good friend of mine. I also know Nick Nolte. I think the bigger the name is, the more humble they are. There are some nice people and some that are not so nice. I like meeting people who are very humble and real. People who are just trying to make it are using that attitude, that they are «the ones» and that they are «the stars». Al Pacino is so nice and so real. He doesn’t need to give you any of that ’star’ stuff. He’s already a big star. I think the biggest stars they are, the more normal they are.

A.I.: That happens with painters too. When you meet the painters who are very known, they are also humble.

N.A.: Yes! I really like to keep my feet on the ground too. I try not to lose my mind. Sometimes, it’s hard to keep your feet on the ground, and to never forget where you are coming from and what kind of a person you are. I think that is very important.

A.I.: What have you been working on lately?

N.A.: On a few pilots, and a lot modeling, both for print and commercials. I basically keep myself busy. I am trying to further pursue my acting career. There is no miracle in this job. It’s a hundred percent hard work.

A.I.: Natalie, I wanted to ask you about your painting.

N.A.: I enjoy painting a lot. I guess it’s like a family thing. My Dad paints. I love his art! He inspired me to paint. Sometimes, when I have free time, I pick up some colors and it soothes me. It’s very relaxing.

A.I.: Do you use acrylics or oils?

N.A.: Well, I used to paint with oils, but now I paint with acrylics. Sometimes, I like to draw people I know, friends. I just love to paint.

A.I.: Which painters do you like?

N.A.: I like Van Gogh. He’s my favorite. He has so much energy in his paintings! They are so unbelievable. It makes me feel so clean. He was like a little innocent child. And it cleans up your soul to look at them, because they are so beautiful and so innocent. I can feel a lot of energy from his paintings.

I also love a Russian painter called Vrubel. He is known in Russia.

A.I.: Besides painting, you are also into meditation and yoga.

N.A.: Yes. I love to do yoga. It relaxes my spirit and my body. I like to meditate, when I can. I listen to meditation music. I also put on some Aroma Therapy and it makes me feel so much better, especially in such a stressful job. I am so busy, so I need to take time off and burn the candles and just do yoga or meditate.

A.I.: Thank you very much, Natalie!

N.A.: You are welcome!