BIOGRAPHY
Victoria Solovyova was born into a family far from art. Her mother is a bakery industry technologist, her father is a mechanic. The girl never dreamed of being an actress. After graduating from school, she moved to Kyiv, where she entered the Pedagogical University at the Faculty of Psychology.
Her fate was decided by chance. When the girl was a second-year student, Nikita Mikhalkov came to Kyiv for a creative evening. Victoria went to the event with a friend who, by lucky chance, turned out to be a friend of the director. The actress recalls: “After the performance, Nikita Sergeevich invited my friend to a social reception in a restaurant, and he, in turn, invited me with him. As fate would have it, I found myself at the same table with Mikhalkov himself. I remember he asked where I was from and asked me to tell about myself. I felt neither nervousness nor embarrassment. At some point, when the conversation turned to my hometown, I depicted how our “brothers” were talking. And suddenly Nikita Sergeevich asked if I would like to try my hand at acting. I replied that I had never thought about it. The evening ended, Nikita Mikhalkov flew back to Moscow, and I remained in Kyiv. After some time the bell rang. I picked up the phone and froze in amazement - Mikhalkov himself was talking to me. I won’t lie, I was shocked, but I accepted the offer to try out for the role.
At the insistence of Nikita Mikhalkov, Victoria entered the paid department at the Higher Theater School. M.S. Shchepkina. It was difficult to study, but the girl understood that she couldn’t just give up and let down those who once believed in her. “I’m ashamed to admit, I didn’t even know anything about Stanislavsky before studying, I was completely from another world,” recalls Victoria. Time passed, and gradually the girl began to get involved in the process. At the end of her third year, she already went to film the film “Sunstroke.”
What's special about me?
Victoria Vitalievna’s hometown is Torez, Donetsk region. It was here in 1989 that the future muse of the great director was born, who would select her from thousands of contenders for the main role of his new film.
Vika spent her entire childhood in Torez. At school she was a diligent student and upon graduation, like many of her peers, she thought about the future. The city did not have an abundance of educational institutions, so the girl went to conquer Kyiv. The capital greeted her warmly. Vika entered the pedagogical institute, choosing psychology as her specialization.
MOVIE
The idea of the film “Sunstroke” was nurtured by the director for almost 40 years. It was very difficult to find actors for the main roles. In one of his interviews, Nikita Mikhalkov admitted: “The film appeared thanks to the fact that I finally found a person who could play the Stranger.” Victoria Solovyova turned out to be exactly the girl who fully corresponded to the director’s ideas. "
the heroines are so... elusive. One page of text, half a page of light. In addition to words, there had to be something else holding him back. And what is “Sunstroke”? It's a flash - either it exists or it doesn't. Like a shot. The heroes didn’t have dates, long conversations, meetings, correspondence... I was faced with an almost insoluble problem. I was looking for something incomprehensible, elusive, something you can’t touch with your hands,” says Nikita Mikhalkov about the main character of his film.
Victoria admits that at first working on the image was very difficult. What she was taught at the theater institute was significantly different from the manner of existence on camera. “I was always trying to play something, as I was taught, but Nikita Sergeevich didn’t need it at all. I couldn’t understand what he wanted from me! He told me to unlearn it, I unlearned it, now I can play... But I didn’t even have to play... Playing without playing was something new for me. The work seemed to be going “blindly”. But then I began to understand how my heroine breathes, how she laughs, even how she “does nothing” - it became easier. And the Stranger became a little closer,” says the actress.
Nikita Mikhalkov and Victoria Solovyova: about the film “Sunstroke”
On October 9, Nikita Mikhalkov’s drama “Sunstroke” was released. The role of the “stranger” in the film was played by a graduate of VTU named after. Shchepkina Victoria Solovyova. Grazia editor-in-chief Alena Peneva found out why the master chose the debutante over movie stars and whether the girl herself expects to become famous.
Nikita Mikhalkov and Victoria Solovyova
GRAZIA: Nikita Sergeevich, why did you decide to make a film based on Bunin’s works? NIKITA MIKHALKOV: I have been working towards this picture for almost 40 years. There was such a wonderful film critic Volodya Dmitriev, a brilliant person. After “Slave of Love” he told me that I should shoot “Sunstroke” by Bunin. I re-read the story and at first I couldn’t even imagine how such a brilliant thing could be brought to life on screen. I understood that it would be incredibly difficult, but also exciting. Everything was complicated by the fact that at that time the author, let’s say, was not revered. But I wrote an application and submitted it to Mosfilm, realizing that the prospects that they would let me work on this story were vague. Later, when the writer was allowed, I was already working on another film. But I constantly thought about Bunin, about his “Sunstroke”. As time passed, the idea for the picture crystallized - and the idea arose to combine the story with the absolutely incredible and tragic diaries of the writer “Cursed Days”. And the clearer the form emerged, the more acute the question arose: who are they, my heroes?
GRAZIA: Why did you choose not just any famous actress, but Victoria? N.M.: The image of the heroine is so... elusive. One page of text, half a page of light. In addition to words, there had to be something else holding him back. And what is “Sunstroke”? It's a flash - either it exists or it doesn't. Like a shot. The heroes didn’t have dates, long conversations, meetings, correspondence... I was faced with an almost insoluble problem. I was looking for something incomprehensible, elusive, something that cannot be touched with my hands. Of course, we have wonderful actresses. But I couldn't find what I wanted in any of them. Then I decided that if an actress appeared, there would be a film. And then one day I came to Kyiv with creative evenings and met there with an old friend who came with Vika. VICTORIA SOLOVIOVA: I was studying at the National Academic University then, finishing my second year at the Faculty of Psychology. N.M.: I was really struck that Vika is not a professional actress, but a second-year student at the Faculty of Psychology, originally from the city of Torez, Donetsk region... However, it was in her that I saw what I needed. V.S.: Probably, everything worked out because I didn’t care. I wasn't trying to impress. N.M.: An offensive phrase! (Laughs.) But it’s true. Another thing is important: in the middle of ordinary communication, when the conversation turned to the morals of the city of Torez, where Vika lived, she suddenly, unexpectedly, in a few seconds, showed a couple of bright characters whom she knew there. It was very fast, precise and funny. And I again returned to the idea of trying Vika for the role of a “stranger”. But I internally understood that this was not even a crazy risk, but simply madness. I asked: “Do you want to become an actress?” She answered: “Why, what, how?” Again, stupor, because you can’t approach things this way. By the way, this reaction also worked in Vika’s favor - there was no such thing: “Wow! Now I’ll break out. I’ll go to Moscow.” Returning from Kyiv, I went to see my comrade, neighbor and close friend, the rector of the Shchepkinsky School, Bora Lyubimov. I tell him: “Listen, there is one girl. I don’t know yet how gifted she is. But there’s definitely something in it that won’t go missing. Take a chance". She was first admitted to a paid department, and then transferred to a free one. When school was already in full swing, it was time to shoot the film. And then even greater doubts arose. I'll tell you about the first rehearsal. V.S.: Let’s not do it better? (Laughs.) N.M.: It was a completely natural disaster. And only my intuition told me that there was nothing wrong. Doesn't matter! In the end, texture is texture, it will play its way. There's not much text there. We won’t hear the familiar Ukrainian “hacking”—in the end, we’ll re-voice it. Risk? Huge. But by and large, creating stars is more interesting than using ready-made ones.
Victoria's story is similar to the fairy tale about Cinderella - a girl who was not even an actress got the main role in Nikita Mikhalkov's film
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Casting the film “Sunstroke” became a real headache for the director
GRAZIA: Did you have any doubts? N.M.: Not the right word! The most important thing for me was to bring her to the realization that there is no need to pretend anything. There are textures that can, in certain cases, exist on their own, and if you add something to them, it will work in the opposite direction. Then I couldn’t explain everything to Vika, it was too difficult, especially since she was a student at the theater institute and “acting” was exactly what she was taught.
GRAZIA: Maybe actors don’t need to teach anything? Either there is a gift or there is not? N.M.: Yes, there are actors created for one role. But craft is of great importance. V.S.: Still, education helped me. (Laughs.) N.M.: Absolutely. But the specificity of this image lay precisely in its elusiveness, vagueness, the heroine seemed intangible from the outside. It would be a crime to tell an artist what I am saying now, because he would be completely confused thinking about how to show invisibility. And this is where the most delicate, painstaking and sometimes very abstract work from the acting profession began. How to be silent, how to listen and how to do nothing. A slightly smaller, albeit very big problem was the issue with the main character. Evgeniy Mironov - yes, he is a wonderful professional. But he was busy, and besides, at his current age as a young lieutenant, he would have to “play,” which is not always good. We went through everyone. We settled on another famous artist. A good actor, although rather cliched. But we didn't agree. And then Martins appears (Martins Kalita, a young Latvian actor. - Note: Grazia). Now imagine the first rehearsal. She imitates something, “hacks”, he reads the text in strange Russian, both are shaking, everyone around is sitting tense, looking at each other... We try one, two, five... Then I announce: “That’s it, stop, thank you. You are free". When the group and I were left alone, I said: “We will affirm.” Everyone: “How?!” I answer: “I won’t look anymore.” If they had asked me at that moment why I took them, I probably would not have been able to formulate it right away. Simply in their trepidation, in their desire, in their purity and naivety, I saw something that could become the basis for playing the main roles.
Soon Victoria will become a star, but she is not making far-reaching plans
GRAZIA: Any actress dreams of acting with Mikhalkov. Victoria, are you expecting to become a star now? V.S.: I don’t expect anything.
GRAZIA: Why then did they do this? Just out of curiosity? V.S.: It was a challenge. Will I be able to?!
GRAZIA: What next? V.S.: I could. I was faced with the task of finishing my studies and not letting me down. I was afraid of not living up to expectations. N.M.: Vika has one important quality. She comes from a family where everything was made from scratch. Very serious hardening. V.S.: When I was studying, I didn’t tell anyone what my plans were. I didn’t know whether something would happen or not, there was no script, there was nothing at all. And there are no guarantees at all.
Read the full interview in Grazia magazine!
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THEATER
After graduating from the institute, the actress was accepted into the troupe of the Lenkom Theater, where she soon successfully played the role of Empress Ekaterina Alekseevna in the play “The Jester Balakirev”. Victoria recalls: “At the rehearsal of “Jester Balakirev” I had to meet face to face with People’s Artist Alexander Alexandrovich Lazarev, who plays the role of Peter the Great. I got nervous and was afraid to even open my mouth when I first saw him. He treated me very warmly, without any pathos or stardom. Believe me, at that moment it was extremely important for me.”
In 2014, the actress received the role of a Spanish lady in the cult play “Juno and Avos.”
What was it? Just “Sunstroke”...
Solovyova remembers this stage of her life with tenderness. It turns out that Nikita Mikhalkov remembered her from the Kyiv evening, and when the moment came to look for the leading actress, he dialed her number. At first, actress Victoria Solovyova felt superfluous on the set: she didn’t know what to do and what the director wanted from her. Only later did she realize that he was simply giving her time to get used to her character. The parents, worried about their daughter, could not believe what was happening for a long time. The actress was strongly supported by her colleague in the film, the aspiring Latvian actor Martins Kalita. He was no less scared than she was.
Victoria Solovyova: biography
Young Russian actress. She made her debut in Nikita Mikhalkov’s film “Sunstroke” in the role of a stranger in 2014. She is also known for the films “Temporary Difficulties” and “Embassy”.
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Childhood and youth
The young model’s path to fame began in 2020, when she just turned 5 years old. Then a channel of the same name was launched on the YouTube platform. Vika almost immediately took the place of the main character of the videos. Unboxing toys, active sports, educational activities, just pampering and everyday problems - approximately these areas characterized the channel’s content in the girl’s childhood.
The first videos show that Victoria lives in an incredibly beautiful room, similar to a princess's bedroom. The girl often goes abroad with her parents, leads an active lifestyle, tries to take care of herself and often imitates her mother, Rosa Solovyova. She attended kindergarten number 29 and studies at a comprehensive school. The girl tries to get only good grades and loves English.
Subscribers often ask what country Vika lives in, because the family often travels. But their home is Russia.
The path to popularity
In 2020, Vika tried herself as a mentor; together with her mother, they taught how to blog on the Carousel channel. At that time, Vika’s channel was already promoted and gradually acquired new fans of the heroine. Then the girl decides to change her activity a little.
In 2020, Victoria performed as a singer, recording her first video entitled “Simply” . The track was released under the Didenok Music studio label. But content on her YouTube channel is released regularly. These include Vicky's songs, trips to the supermarket, and games with mom. The cameraman is always the girl's father. Nobody knows what Vicky’s dad looks like and why dad hides his face, but you can’t even find his photo.
First success
After the YouTube channel was created, the girl quickly gained popularity. Even the first videos of a charismatic and cheerful child received 300 or more thousand views. The girl's family took the issue seriously. Light, camera, quality of shooting - all this was already at its best back then. This is the secret to the success of a children's show on YouTube. In April 2020, Victoria became the owner of a silver button from video hosting, this award recognizes bloggers with 100 thousand subscribers.
Channel name
The brand of the show, Vicky, is largely based on the main character of the project. The girl is in all the videos without exception. The key theme of her channel is the life of a young model, so such a name does not come as a surprise.
Present and creative plans for the future
The girl manages her accounts on social networks, performs in entertainment and humorous topics, records pranks, vines, and videos from everyday life. In 2020, she starred in the fifth video called “Hey Ladies”, accompanied by Lisa Anokhina and Arina Danilova. In the near future, Vika is going to record another single; she also often streams on the Robolox portal and plays computer games. This could become another area of activity for the heroine of the show.
Movies
In 2014, Nikita Mikhalkov’s film “Sunstroke” was released, where Victoria played her first film role, which at the same time turned out to be her first leading role. The film was based on the story of the same name by Ivan Bunin, and the writer’s diaries were also used.
Victoria Solovyova in the film “Sunstroke”
Victoria's heroine, a mysterious stranger, meets a lieutenant on board the ship, and a bright and short romance breaks out between them. The heroes go ashore together and go to a hotel, where they spend one night. The next morning, the loving lieutenant discovers that the stranger has disappeared. The lady has a daughter and husband who are waiting for her at home. The lieutenant, played by Martins Kalita, carries the memory of this fleeting hobby through the years.
Mikhalkov realized that he was taking a certain risk. casting an inexperienced actress for the role. But Victoria, in his opinion, fit into the image so perfectly that the girl didn’t even need to pretend to be anything. As a result, the actress coped well with the role, and the film received the Golden Eagle Award in five categories.
Victoria Solovyova in the film “Temporary Difficulties”
In 2020, the drama Temporary Difficulties
"with Rinal Mukhametov in the title role. The film is based on the biography of a real person - Arkady Zucker, who achieved great success in life despite a serious illness and became a sought-after business consultant.
The hero of the film, like his prototype, has a difficult relationship with his father. He refuses to recognize his son as sick and insists that the young man, deprived of the ability to walk, has only “temporary difficulties” that can be overcome. The young man’s father is played by actor Ivan Okhlobystin, and Victoria Solovyova played the role of his mother.
