My character is a normal man who is a little confused. He may not be eager to jump into extramarital tender embrace, it just happened. He’s not ideal at all, yet he’s alive, has a strong temper and it was interesting to me to play this man. I don’t have to imagine too much: I suppose I’m actually like this too: I have strong principles but I’m not ideal, I don’t understand many things.

Whose fault is it that Marina can’t tell her husband the things that really matter to her.

It’s everybody’s fault. Artyom, for one, sees himself as a hero cowboy who fights for the fairness. He knows that he’s a good doctor and a good friend but he doesn’t want to admit to himself that he is a bad husband and father. Artyom sincerely believes that professional, man’s matters are more important than those of the family. His calling and friendship always come first for him, while his wife and children are just there. That’s why all his world collapses. His father’s authority may have played a role in this: the character respected him very much but didn’t get enough attention from him as well.

Of course it doesn’t. Sveta is very sincere, funny, she knows how to enjoy life. The reason why she decided to become a prostitute isn’t mentioned in the film. However, I suppose she just chooses one of the simplest ways because she thinks that there are no other options. She has already put up with her destiny and can’t picture living any other way.

What is the driving force in her life?

She lives the way she can. Her needs are simple, it’s love and happiness. My character is not focused on money, she sees it as a means of fulfilling her dream of easy life. When Boris Hklebnikov and I were analyzing this image, we concluded that she is a naive child who plays adult games without realizing what she’s doing.

I guess it’s not incidental that the title of the series contains the word "woman"? What does the series tell us about those used to be called "weaker sex"?

This series doesn’t idealize women, it portrays them being different: strong and weak, responsible and reckless... Most importantly, whatever she does, a woman always does her best to bring happiness, calmness and prosperity into her family. What Anna Mikhalkova’s character does proves once again that a Russian woman will go any length for the sake of her family’s wellbeing. She instinctively feels how fragile her world is and does whatever she can to save it.

I do. She is self-contained, she’s an introvert, yet she’s very interesting. I hope the series will go on and she’ll get the chance to open up.

Wasn’t it scary to take up such a complicated phenomenon as prostitution?

No, it wasn’t. This phenomenon does exist. It’s what is happening nearby and around us. It’s not something unusual, on the contrary, it concerns many people. "An Ordinary Woman" is a film about our life. I can’t say I’ve known any actual prostitutes, but I guess it could be interesting to talk to them. But I personally find it very hard to imagine how someone can resort to it. So does my character actually.

What scenes were the most challenging for you?

The actual scene of the virginity selling. You can’t call it especially pleasant – here’s the word for it. My character gets naked, even though not entirely, and is just one step away from making it. It was very important to convey the tension of the situation, therefore, we couldn’t use a backup actor.

It’s not my first time playing a mother-in-law in various projects. It’s a typical role in fact, we call it "the protagonist’s mother". Normally it stays within the frames of, "Sonny, eat some patties". However, in An Ordinary Woman my character isn’t limited to "the patties", she plays important role in the crime story, and I’m very happy about it.

Of course, there’s a reason why there’re so many jokes about mothers-in-law, all these features are conveyed well there. If you’re a mother-in-law, your daughter-in-law is always not good enough for you son: she doesn’t know how to raise the children, doesn’t pay enough attention to the household, she is busy with things that are not important... In case of my character, this attitude isn’t caused by some kind of anger, it’s just that Antonina Vasilievna likes to order people around. It’s the kind of person I am myself.

What mistakes did she make raising her son and could she actually avoid them?

She didn’t make any grave mistakes. She did her best raising him, now he’s responsible for his life himself. The problem here is not about the upbringing, it’s about parents being emotionally involved in their children’s lives even after they are mature. In An Ordinary Woman there are a lot of scenes with my character’s granddaughters. Sometimes I get scared by the nuances of parents-children relationship described in the script. I think, "Do I get to live through all this again?"