In this article we are going to publish an interview of Olga Dibtseva, She is a popular russian actress, director and screenwriter. She spoke about the difficulties of filming a series after giving birth. The best way for her to get back into shape and a healing life hack. Let;s know about her interview
Olga, you didn’t immediately choose a theater school, but went to study to become a graphic designer. Why?
Olga Dibtseva said i was born in Leningrad in an intelligent family – my father is an artist, an architect. In our family there has always been a cult of higher education. Since childhood I have drawn, read a lot, my parents instilled in me a love for creativity, for them it was important. They thought – since I draw, it means I can get a higher education at the art department. For example, to become an artist, a designer. Therefore, I went to study to become a graphic designer at the suggestion of my parents, it was their desire. But at some point I realized that it was not for me at all. In addition, I had to study for 6 years.
How did your parents react to your change of career?
Olga Dibtseva said it was a long journey. I was searching for myself, overcoming fears, making mistakes. Dropping out of college, moving to Moscow, entering a theater school, studying there — all of this was very difficult. In addition, acting was not close to my family. So I, as they say, broke away from my parents and plunged into this world myself. Of course, they were wary of my choice, they were afraid for me, like any parents who raised a child in the 90s. But in the end, I won.
You are also a director and screenwriter. How have you expanded your professional capabilities?
At some point, I realized that I was filming a lot, working with the most famous Russian directors, but doing the same thing… In essence, the acting profession is monotonous, no matter how difficult it is. I wanted to make a radical change, for example, to become an author myself. It so happened that after filming the series “Ozabochennye” Boris Khlebnikov was completing his course as a director, and we became friends on the set, so I decided to try to study to be a director and a screenwriter. I made both a short and a full-length film. But a year ago I became a mother again and it became difficult to combine raising two small children, writing scripts, an acting career, and the role of a wife…
Director Valeri Todorovsky once said that when a beautiful woman spends days writing a script, it’s amazing.
Olga Dibtseva said, for some reason, many people think that if you are a beautiful woman, then from morning till night you are busy only with manicures, hair styling… I have been fighting these stereotypes all my life. I am sure that everything in life can be combined. As Pushkin said – “You can be a practical person and think about the beauty of your nails.” A woman should not be unkempt, sit at a typewriter, so that no one doubts that she is a real writer. Even now we live in captivity of these stereotypes, but there are people who destroy them and become guiding stars. An example is Paulina Andreeva. A beautiful, stylish woman and an amazing screenwriter.
Your film “I am a Goddess” is also about stereotypes, about how to be the “right” woman and find the “right” man…
Yes, at some point I was interested in delving into this topic. I came across girls who went to these wild trainings where they teach not to work, but to live at the expense of men. Of course, I was amazed by the tenacity of this ideology.
Have you ever had to choose between family and profession?
Olga Dibtseva said it seems to me that now the time gives a woman the opportunity to have both a family and a career. Life may pose such choices, but our task is to find a balance. My mother, for example, raised me in the nineties, and she managed to work two jobs, write a PhD dissertation and take care of the family, cook, wash, clean. And I follow my mother’s example. Everything is possible, if only there is desire, if only there is energy, if only there is motivation. It is clear that there are moments when it is necessary to make a tough choice, but life has not put me in front of such a choice yet, and I try to maneuver.
The new season of the series “Unreality” is starting soon on KION. How was it filming the sequel?
I’ll be honest, it was hard for me to film because I had just given birth to my daughter, and filming began four months later. It was a challenge. I didn’t expect it to be so hard, both physically and mentally – hormones, breastfeeding, and separation from the baby. I have a very emotional role in the series, plus this season begins the story of the fight for the child, heart-rending and very real. There were even more screams and hysterics, and I had just given birth to a child myself, I was breastfeeding… I cried when I read the script, and then, already during the filming of the climax scene, I was so immersed that even while running, I broke my heels, really hit myself, bruised my forehead…
In the first season, viewers were critical of your character Rita, who put her own interests above those of her daughter. How can this be justified?
Olga Dibtseva said an actor must justify his character, otherwise he will not play anything. There is such a wonderful rule – on a plane, first put a mask on yourself, then on the child. I think that you need to be happy yourself, and then you can make someone else happy. My heroine was getting her life together, building a career. This does not mean that everyone should do this – leave the child with the parents and leave. This is an extreme. But she came back. She is dealing with the consequences of her actions. This is what the series is about – how a woman gets her child back.
Were you ever on camera during your pregnancy?
In the sequel to “Kholop”, I am pregnant, and it was very difficult. The second time I gained 10 kilograms more than with my first daughter, because I decided to eat everything and not deny myself anything. At the end of the term, I practically did not move because of my huge belly.
How did you get back into shape after the birth of your daughters?
There is nothing new about how to lose weight – advice from a nutritionist, massage, sports, walking. Eat less, burn more calories. Classic. I still can’t get into the gym with exercise machines, and I decided not to force myself – not to do what I hate. For me, the main key to successful training is not to force yourself. So I went out for a walk every day and tried to walk those same 10 thousand steps. If it didn’t work out, I didn’t have the strength, I walked at least 15 minutes. It’s better than nothing. And now I’m looking for an activity that would bring me pleasure. I tried to eliminate all fatty foods from my diet.
I didn’t put oil on salads, I asked cafes and restaurants to cook everything with a minimum amount of oil, and if I ordered salads, I asked for the dressing to be brought separately. I gave up cheeses and nuts, although I love them very much. I had to get rid of desserts and chocolate, but I can allow myself pasta — it gives satiety. Now the main thing in my diet is not to starve, to always be full. I eat three times a day — breakfast, lunch, dinner. I always have fresh vegetables with each meal, but without oil dressing. I use bananas and low-fat yogurt as snacks. To lose weight means to eat, and this is my main rule!
daughter, I saw directly that the name Seraphim was written in the sky with fire, such an image came. With Vasilisa it was different. My husband and I are believers, we went to Optina Pustyn when I was pregnant, we prayed to the Optina new martyr Father Vasily Roslyakov. And the name Vasilisa came, in his honor.
Serafima helps take care of Vasilisa, or maybe there is childish jealousy between them?
There is no jealousy, although I was ready for everything. I have read a lot of literature about how to raise children. My eldest daughter loves Vasilisa more than anyone else! She screams: “Oh my God, this is my little sister, my little doll!” Sometimes she even shakes with love, how she wants to hug her, kiss her. I look at this and thank God.
Do you manage to spend time only with your eldest daughter?
Olga Dibtseva said yes, we are a team, she is my help, support and backbone in everything. I say: “So, we have a task”, she answers: “Yes, captain mom!” That’s the kind of cooperation we have.
Can you say that you are a strict mother, like your parents?
I notice that I am still the same as my parents. The law, apparently, is this: at first you don’t want to be like your parents, then you realize that you are their absolute copy. I am quite strict, but fair. I always discuss everything, explain why it needs to be done this way. But if, for example, the eldest does not want to do something, I will not force her. If she gets up in a bad mood, cries, does not want to go to kindergarten – I will not drag her by the hand, but agree that today we will not go, but tomorrow we will. Mom should be an absolute authority, but advocate for the agreement.
You don’t hide the fact that you’ve repeatedly consulted a psychologist. How can you tell that this is your person?
It seems to me that everything is like in life. How to find a husband? Go on dates, communicate with people, think about who suits you and why, reflect on values. You can ask someone about psychologists, listen to word of mouth. Of course, today there are many impostors in this profession, so you definitely need to turn on your intuition.
How or in what way do women from St. Petersburg differ from women from Moscow? And are they different?
Of course, they are different. My best friend Ira, with whom I went to school together, is also a native Petersburger. It seems to me that she and I are distinguished by a special sense of intellectual humor. The residents of Petersburg have it, you can’t get away from it. People who grew up next to the Hermitage, the Russian Museum, the extraordinary architecture and the rich literary heritage, carry it in their blood, in their genes.
Do you have time to read?
I have read fiction all my life, I read it and will continue to read it. It is relaxation for me and a way to disconnect from problems. Now before going to bed I reread Nikolai Leskov’s “The Enchanted Wanderer”. And I read it out loud to my husband, because he hasn’t read it. It’s a fantastic work! I first read it at school. And before that I reread Saltykov-Shchedrin’s “The Golovlev Family”. Every five years I reread something to discover something new, especially in Russian classics.
Do you ever have time for yourself?
I love being alone. Now I have a very large family, plus my profession is such that I am constantly in contact with people, and I need to disconnect from everyone. I try to find time to be alone without my phone and go for a walk. We now live in a house with an exit directly to the park from the entrance. It’s such a thrill! I need at least 15 minutes a day to be alone, and then I am a completely different person. This is healing solitude.
Every beautiful woman has her own secrets for self-care. What are yours?
I spend a lot of time on self-care. Now is the age when it is important to preserve youth and naturalness. I go to a beautician for treatments, facial massage, moisturizing, I love the dermadrop and hydrofacial procedure. I avoid injections, because all interventions are visible on camera, and it is important for an actress to look natural. I also have a magic cream that takes a whole month to get to me from England and is stored in the refrigerator! I would not exchange it for anything and am ready to order it delivered even from the ends of the earth. To avoid swelling on my face, I drink a special homeopathic medicine. Well, and my main secret is movement. Only it saves from everything bad!
You once said: “I like the simplicity of life.” What do you mean by simplicity?
To be alone, to take a walk, to look at the leaves, flowers… I am playing a game now – “Hunting for Joy”. We are very charged with everything bad, we focus on it. For example, an accident on the road, and we stop to look. But when the lilacs bloom, we pass by and do not notice this beauty. This is how our brain is wired. I rebuilt myself for a long time to start noticing the good in both small and large things.
I specifically looked for everything that makes me happy – flowers, clouds, a sandwich with sausage, delicious coffee… Rebuilding yourself for joy is as difficult as starting to play sports, but at some point I realized that the second half of my life had already begun, and I still think about how badly I was treated, how unfairly I was treated. But why? I decided to retrain. This is where my simplicity of life lies – in joy. I suggest everyone stop with constant discontent and fears and become hunters for joy!
