actresses-from-russia

"Please include me on the list of foreign agents of my dear country, as I agree with my husband, an honest, decent and genuine man, a real patriot of Russia who cannot be bought, who wishes prosperity, peaceful life, freedom of speech to his Homeland and who wants our boys to stop dying for illusory goals that make our country a pariah and that make the lives of our citizens harder."

"The boundary is my conscience."

"My kids don't watch my movies. They are not interested. They do not want to perceive mom as such."

"My attitude towards death has changed a lot in recent years. I can easily accept my own death - it is not difficult. It's hard to lose someone."

"I would probably say that music is one of the most expressive art forms for me. Of course, I don’t perform professionally, though it does play a huge role: it helps me think differently and want to go on living."

"I try to be a jovial person but, unfortunately, to a great extent that depends on willpower."

"Changing the world for the better always comes with pain, with fatigue, with some heavy-hearted feeling of unfairness, with this unbreakable wall. But, as it turns out, there is always a flashlight that will sparkle at some point behind this dark spell, and you just walk towards this light hoping that you can peck a hole in that wall and squeeze your way through it."

"I am already seeing the crisis reformatting into some artistic statements, there will be plays, maybe films. Definitely theatrical performances. As strange as it sounds, I think that these difficult times have changed arts people, especially in theater and film, who were never fond of social subjects and always tried to keep their distance. And now they jumped right into it because of this difficult situation. And I think there will be only more of that."

"I don’t want revolutions. Categorically, because innocent heads will fly into the revolution and into all these wars. I think this is wrong. No revolutions. Do everything that is possible, but to prevent this from happening. At both sides. I would choose North Korea. I don't want sacrifices. It means that some tactics, some experience, some wisdom are lacking for people who are against this regime. That's all."

"For me, the most important thing in education is to instill a sense of responsibility. Because when you are responsible for your words, it will be very easy for you to live in this life later. If you live all the time with the claim that everyone owes you, it is very stupid."

"I was born in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, during the Soviet-era when there wasn’t any Tatar language…and without any Muslim tradition. I was a Soviet child without my past, without my family roots, because at the time it was forbidden to explain anything."

"In the yearly days those nouvo riches were too busy. As they finally got their moneys grabbed, they started to look round and discovered emptiness, vacuum inside... It so happened that the whole new generation grew up with this feeling of emptiness. When, say, falling in love, such a person simply doesn’t know - how to experience an emotion. And then this question of Life’s reason arises. People don’t think about it until one day something happens. Then all of a sudden they find that their life is not particularly interesting. First they get bored, then get frightened. Because its frightening for one, after having got everything - houses, cars, stocks and funds, - to discover they haven’t a ground to stand on."

"I’ve noticed, the wealthy part of my audience is unable to take in classical Romance for more than 40 minutes, one hour for them is maximum. The Art is to be apportioned for them in small doses. Like vitamins which are good for you in tiny portions but could be poisonous when taken in a bulk. Intelligentsia is prepared for such vitamins, while nouve riches are not. They have to begin with homeopathic doses."

"I have these large pieces of recycled brown paper stretched on my apartment wall and when I am not doing anything fashion-related, I'm drawing on it, playing with colour spectrums."

"13.04.95. Kharkiv [Ukraine] speaking to pyrotechnist - about fog on the stage... - Make sure no one can be seen. Myself as well..."

"Interview to the newspaper "Week" [Russian: "Неделя"/Nedelya], 1978: -They say you started singing from the cradle? -Couldn't do it in the cradle: the dummy was in the way."

"Interview "Cosmopolitan Sofia": If there were a fire in your house, what would be the first thing you would take away with you? - I would take away my legs."

"Vladimir Putin: "The art of unique Sofia Rotaru is one of the birghtest pages of modern pop culture. Rare in beauty voice, artistic temper and flawless artistic taste have righteously won You the recognition and love of numerous generations of fans. Your songs come from the very heart an dthat is why they have such a long and happy life." (Russian President has greeted the singer, People's Artist of USSR, S.M.)"

"Alla Pugacheva You have recently been at Rotaru's Anniversary. Is it possible that you will perform in the near future a song in duet with Sofia Mihailovna? - I would like to. However, one cannot hurry us in this. Rotaru is enormously overcharged, myself - as well. But we are dreaming about this already for many many years. And the singers' dreams should come true!"

"Roman Viktyuk: Her destiny on Earth is to be the sun, the light. Her name in Ukrainian is Sonia, Solnyshko ["Sunny" in English]. That is how she is bringing throughout her whole life to people and throws handfuls of light, love and warmth into the concert halls... Sonechka, you know there was no way I would not appear on this stage since two nice parts of Western Ukraine are here. Sonia, Sonechko, there is no "our" or "your" sun, here is Light - Sonechka. Do keep on lighting, remain as tender, beautiful, talented, young as ever. You are unique, thank you Sonia. (Golden Grammy Awards Russia 2006, song "Do Not Love" [Russian: Не люби/Ne lubi)"

"20.02.94, Kyiv, 18:15 a boy from the crowd: - Sofia Mihailovna, how many languages do you speak? - I speak Moldavian, Ukrainian and Russian, but what is important is that we understand each other."

"Replying to Anatolii Kirillovich and Ilya Savelievich to their jokes about Aurica Rotaru during one of the rehearsals in Krasnodar [Russia] ('93): - One more time, one can't here Aurica! - Well, she is echoing in Moldavian... - She is not echoing in Moldavian. I'll show you, khokhols!! Just sing, Aurica. - Well, I am not singing in the beginning... - I'm telling you: sing."