Please introduce yourself. What do you do? Why? What do you want people to know about you?
I was born in Ukraine and grew up in Berlin, Germany. Since I was a child I was always on the artsy side of life doing pottery, having painting classes, learning how to play the violin and doing kids theater. One of my biggest passions is dancing Latin American ballroom dances professionally for over 15 years! When I was five years old I told my parents I want to become an actress but they thought it would be just one of my childhood fantasies. Growing up I felt that a piece of me was missing, no matter what I was doing. Eventually I realized, that I needed to give acting a real shot, otherwise I would regret it for the rest of my life. After I finished my Bachelor of Arts in European Media Science and saying a bitter goodbye to dancing I moved to NYC to pursue acting. You have only one life, so you might as well use it to chase your dreams!
What qualities make you different and unique from everyone else in the industry?
Growing up in a Russian speaking household in Germany, which was very normal for Ukrainians by the way, I was exposed to different cultures very early in my life. I always had the desire to be able to speak multiple languages, which is why I was determined to become fluent in German and English. I also added French later on to my list and have nowadays a lot of fun experimenting around with different accents. Another thing that makes me unique is my talent for Latin American ballroom dances. Back in Germany I competed constantly and was very successful in the dancing world. Expressing your soul through your body is truly a beautiful thing.
Describe THAT moment when you realized you’re doing what you were born to do.
I have been a performer my whole life. I remember that one time I took an acting workshop in Berlin and attended the info night afterwards. The American Academy Of Dramatic Arts was hosting it. I was sitting in the chair feeling a burning desire to just go for it. To finally audition and take the leap of faith no matter what anyone else would say. In that moment I realized that acting was truly the missing piece in my life puzzle. I just had to try. I was manifesting and preparing for months until the day of the audition was there. A few weeks later I found out that I got in! I was shocked. My wildest dreams started to become true! There are no limits if you set your mind to something.
What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve had to go through and how did you grow through it?
One of the biggest challenges so far was producing my own show. We all fell in love with John Patrick Shanleys piece called ”Four Dogs And A Bone”. There have been many obstacles which we had to overcome. We were running out of time and still didn’t had the rights to perform it, which was a big problem. I had to go to the head office myself to get things sorted out and a few days later we got the go. Three days before opening night we had to postpone the play because of a family emergency. After half a year we finally resumed, had to change our license, do our own marketing and find time for rehearsals. It was a very stressful but rewarding time. There is a moment before you go on stage and even on stage where you doubt yourself, your abilities and you start panicking which can cause a blackout. I had one of these moments the first night we performed the play. I remember that I was terrified but eventually I took a deep breath to be more present and focus solely on my scene partner. It helped me to get into the flow of the scene and I wasn’t doubting myself one bit anymore, I completely merged with my character and was following my instinct.
Who are the TOP 3 people you’d want to meet that could elevate your career or business? Why these specific individuals?
The first person I would love to meet is Anthony Hopkins! The depth of his work is beyond this world. Getting career and acting advice from him would be like speaking to a God. I absolutely adore the movie ”Meet Joe Black” and even after watching it for the 10th time I’m captivated by his genuine performance. The second person would be Jessica Chastain. Her hard work and preparation shines through every role she plays. I would ask her about her techniques, her choices and everything about on camera acting. The third person would be Christopher Nolan! I would do everything to be in a movie which he directs! He is truly a mastermind and one of his greatest works in my eyes is the movie Inception! The style, the concept, his directing and very unique work is what intrigues me. Every movie has an amazing cast and working with these people would teach me so much. As I said earlier, the wildest dreams can become reality if you work hard enough, stay persistent and never stop manifesting!
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karolinalarion/