We were lucky to catch up with Eugenia Kuzmina recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Eugenia, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
Sitting at a desk at IMG Golf Academy I look out of the airconditioned window with no openings or knobs, I like fresh air… I think still …a stretch to get to this point from Siberian food lines … As a woman, I know Golf is not a sport girls are encouraged to play even in the land of freedom. I go to the golf course every morning trying to risk to prove it wrong . My kids are athletes pushing risks and boundaries . My son is pro tennis and daughter is here on a basketball program . Theres a reason to risk a freshcair shortage for them . Risks are made for a bigger cause !
I’m here, now, Thanks for choosing to take those risks early on in life … It didn’t start smoothly … growing up in a post soviet regime, where my mom abandoned her career as a nuclear scientist to take care of my sister and me to stand in hours’ lines to get a plastic resemblance of food sent from the wishing well West and maybe a few Red Cross t-shirts … My dad was a First responder to Chornobyl and could go to the US for a conference with high-alert supervision from the KGB. One day he brought us a present: An extravagant American delicatessen. We devoured it. It turned out to be dog food … Opening cans for my American dog now makes me think of gratitude for food, shelter, and kindness
From the age of 8, I knew about the bigger picture of life than painting inside the lines, reciting soviet history, or dressing in uniforms with badges …. the latent one I made into a bikini and flushed that budge into the toilet,only to be punished publically for questioning the risk of asking questions …. But something in my gut always said to take the leap and follow intuition …. So at 15, I moved to Paris , by sef . It wasn’t a choice, it wasn’t glamorous. I lost my dad, the sole provider of the family, and being stopped on the streets constantly by scouts who tried to recruit girls who fit the role of wanting to do literally anything for the job, get out of poverty, and hope to provide a better future for the family, I was the perfect fit to jump on that road with no guarantee or looking back . Living in bunk bed modeling apartment with model agency advance that barely covered groceries and blister patches from 7 hour 12 inch heels from casting appointments , I knew I had nothing to lose … I worked hard , went to bed after jobs when others went to party and self educated . I moved to Us because it was the top of the market , scoring campagnes for Loreal , Dior and Hermes , becoming one of top earners at Ford Models only to discover being pregnant , when my doctors said that cant have kids … I took a risk … I decided to have the baby despite advice that it would ruin my modeling career…. I saw a bigger picture …. I wasn’t married but I could work through it . I landed up in the middle of Hollywood managing high end contracts with six month old and no guarantee for the future … I got a couple roles playing cliche roles of dumb blonde , Russian model , who becomes dead russian prostitute or a spy … only to be disillusioned and to … risk further … I started doing stand up comedy . First as a solo performer but also as seeing a bigger picture as creating. ” Models of Comedy ” show concept with Barry Katz not only as an opportunity to give more talent a voice .but also for bigger cause . Daria Balyura helped to cast it . We have so far all sold out shows in Support of Katie Ford ( Ford Models ) org Freedom For All among other causes … We are currently working on a book ” Models of Comedy ” coming in 2024 with incredible stories of transformation from amazing model artist . Besides that I have managed to do more than 68 films ,host award winning. FNL show , support causes that matter to my heart like ” Cry for The Wild ” , Wolf Sanctuary , From The Heart Tribe only because waking up every morning means sending gratitude to being alive and taking the next risk
Eugenia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
EUGENIA KUZMINA
– Supermodel for Cartier, Armani, Lanvin, Hermès, L’Oreal, and many others.
– Hollywood Actress / Comedian
-Published Author
– Racing enthusiast
Eugenia Kuzmina is a Russian-American actress, comedian, and model. Her father was a renowned nuclear physicist, one of the first responders to the Chornobyl disaster. Her mother is a former scientist and a housewife. Eugenia grew up on food lines in Post Soviet time. She was training to be a professional ice skater when at 13 years old she was pulled out from a group of kids in her school to appear in a Russian version of SNL “Eralash.” She was then cast to appear in Chuck Norris film, but couldn’t leave the country due to visa issues. After appearing in commercials for Coca-Cola, L’Oréal, and Wrigleys in Moscow, for which she was paid more than her scientist’s dad, she was noticed by a scout at Nathalie Models Europe. She signed a contract and moved to Paris at 15 to work with brands like Cartier, Dior, Armani, Hermes, Loreal, and Vogue among many others…
After Ford Models, then IMG resigned her contract and moved her to the US, she was noticed by Rodrigo Prieto (cinematographer “Wolf Of Wall Street,” “Babel”) to appear in his directorial debut opposite Elle Fanning “Likeness.”The movie was screened at the Tribeca Film Festival and received excellent reviews. Eugenia moved to Los Angeles and signed with La Models, further getting commercial, editorial, and fashion campaign work. John Turturro cast Eugenia to play opposite him in a film with Woody Allen “Fading Gigolo.” Recently Eugenia worked opposite Bill Murray in “Rock The Kasbah”, Milla Kunis and Christina Applegate in “Bad Moms “, Guy Ritchie’s ” The Gentlemen “, And ” Operation Fortune “ among many others Eugenia’s Tv credits include ” Spy City “, “True Blood,” “New Girl,” “Castle,” “The Comeback,” “Lady Dynamite”,” Tour De Pharmacy “, etc
Eugenia is very passionate about comedy and writes and performs Stand Up regularly at The Comedy Store, Improv, and The Laugh Factory. She and her co-producer Barry Katz created a show “ Models of Comedy “ that tours around US. Her other hobbies include motorcycles, doing her stunts, languages (French, Portuguese), and supporting environmental and social causes worldwide.
Kuzmina resides in Los Angeles with her husband Bill Block ex CEO of Miramax and her children
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Rick Rubin’s book ” The Creative Act: A Way of Being ”
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Allow the freedom of speech and give an opportunity for critical thinking
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.eugenia-kuzmina.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eugeniakuzmina/?hl=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/eugeniakuzmina1
Image Credits
Ruven Alfanador ( last with grafitti ) https://ruvenafanador.com/
Antoine Vergas ( Car shot ) https://www.antoineverglas.com/bio
Man Sumarni ( piano ) http://mansumarni.com/
I have rights for other images