Vlada Verevko: Fantasy, Supernatural, and Action Have Always Been My Passion (Actress, Model, Russia)

Vlada Verevko Interview

 

“As Vlada, I might never behave like my characters, but as an actor, I have to. I’m not allowed to judge them."

Q. You grew up in Siberia and began as a model before moving into TV and acting. What has been the boldest leap in your journey so far?

I was born in Siberia, and when I was 9 years old, my family moved to a small town in the northwestern part of Russia, where I also studied psychology at university and pictured my future in that field. Yet, since my whole life I had been on stage acting, singing, and doing comedy skits, after graduation, I decided to give my artistic passion “just one try” — and I hit a bullseye.

I went to Moscow to pursue modeling and acting, but before I could fully dive into that, I came across a TV hosting casting. Going there with no education or experience in the field was the boldest move I’ve ever made.

To be honest, I don’t think I’m as courageous now as I was back then. I was going up against already famous actors and TV hosts, and to my surprise, I got the job. 

So TV hosting actually came first and eventually brought me to the Netherlands, from where I later moved to Canada, became a full-time model and actress, and then moved to the US. That TV casting was definitely my biggest leap — it changed my life path forever. I’ve never looked back since, despite all the ups and downs that being an artist entails.

Q. Winning a beauty pageant at 17 set your career in motion. What lesson from that time still guides you today?

That pageant was kind of an accident in my life. My girlfriends decided to participate and talked me into joining them. I was rather tomboyish at the time and never pictured myself as a beauty queen. 

I had never even walked in high heels before, nor owned a pair. But I enjoyed the performance parts of the pageant and felt comfortable on stage. In the end, I — the one who cared the least about winning — won.

That experience taught me important lessons I still remind myself of whenever I take things too seriously or start to feel stressed: don’t focus solely on the result, but enjoy the process; be authentic; bring your passion; let go of expectations; and simply have fun. Lightheartedness is what has brought me many of my achievements.

Q. Among your film and TV projects, which role has left the deepest impact on you personally — and why?

I feel like I haven’t yet played that one defining role. But I often get to play antagonists (which I love, because antagonists are the ones who move the storyline), and that makes me dig into the shadow traits within myself and discover new layers. My psychology degree comes in handy here.

As Vlada, I might never behave like my characters, but as an actor, I have to. I’m not allowed to judge them. To portray their truth, I must love them, accept them, and validate their choices for myself.

That requires deep work and, as a result, gives me more compassion and a broader perspective on human nature. Not going to lie, acting is very therapeutic. It’s a socially acceptable way to let my inner “bad girl” out to play. With each role, I feel I become more complex and complete.

Q. If you could step into the shoes of any character from the past or present, which role would you love to play?

As much as I strive for complicated, dramatic parts, I’ve always had a passion for the fantasy genre, the supernatural, and action — ever since childhood.

I’ve already played a Queen of Vampires and a ghost, and I’d love to play an elf like in The Lord of the Rings, a sorceress, or a warrior like Xena or Wonder Woman. I practice sword fighting and archery. Even as an adult I love fairytales and believe in magic, which to me, acting itself is.

Q. In your view, what is the single most important quality an actor must have?

Hard to choose just one, but I’d say patience. A lot of it!

Patience will keep you sane in this industry. We have to be patient with ourselves while working on our craft, patient in handling countless rejections, patient with partners and people on set, and, most importantly, patient while waiting for big opportunities and roles, which may take years. And when the time comes, you must be in your best shape.

So yes — patience, and always keep going. As my own example shows, sooner or later your destiny will find you, but you’ve got to give it at least one chance. That’s what I wish for everyone reading this.

Bio

Vlada Verevko is a Russian-Canadian actress and model. She began her career as an international model and TV host before transitioning into acting. Vlada has appeared in several well-known Canadian and American television series, including Suits, Beauty and the Beast, and The Listener. 

She has also worked in Russia, where she has taken on lead roles in TV series. Today, she continues to build her career across North America and internationally.

Follow Vlada on Instagram

Interviewed By Irene Elina Eldhose