Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Slava Babenkov. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Slava, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I believe that I started my career as an actor or as a writer just at the right moment. I don’t wish my career had started later for sure. Because even in my 37 I think that I won’t have enough time to play, to write, to create, to try everything I can artistically and creatively. In the best-case scenario if I live at least till the age of 70. I’m from Ukraine; bad ecology, the ongoing war, you know. I started my acting career when I was 30. I have a master’s degree in International Economics but I never worked in that profession. Sometimes I think, what if I started my acting career at 17, and got my MA in acting at 23? What actor would I be now? What person would I be? Not the same as I am now for sure. I don’t remember anything from international economics but I gained that unique life experience that I use as an actor and writer now that I couldn’t get if I graduated from acting university at 23. Always appreciate your experience. It’s a unique treasure that no one has the same in the world. Yes, there are moments when I kind of regret that I can’t play young characters, students, schoolboys, young rebels, or lovers. But I’m okay with that. And it’s never too late. Never. If I couldn’t start at 30, I would at 40, 50, 70. It would always be the right moment.

Slava, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m an actor, writer, and sometimes director from Ukraine. My passion for acting started when I was a kid when I watched Indiana Jones or Luke Skywalker and wanted to be a part of great journeys on the silver screen. Those were just childish dreams, of course, I knew that it was impossible because where was I and where was Hollywood? I believed that I would enter the Performing Arts University, but I had to accept my parent’s decision to enter International Economics University instead of Theatre University because they said acting is a very unstable and risky profession (and they were right). I was angry like how dare you? That was my dream. But now I’m grateful for that decision because while I was studying at the University I was a part of a sort of comedy theatre with a mix of stand-up comedy shows. That comedy shows gave me the unique experience of working in front of an audience and writing my own jokes and sketches. That opened a door to the television. I became a writer at one of the best national TV channels. I was the creator of a high-rated comedy TV show “When We’re at Home” with my team of screenwriters. Also with my friends co-writers, we created a comedy TV show “Adaptation” for russian television that was very popular and highly rated, but I frankly regret that I worked for them because now they all support russian invasion of Ukraine. But I appreciate the experience. I became good at writing, I became a head writer at the production company. But I had that feeling like I missed something, that I was doing not my thing. I mean it was a very interesting job and still is, but I wanted something else. That was my deep desire to be an actor. I always play and direct out in my head all the scenes I write. And I thought, man, I could play it. At least I can give it a shot. Let’s get some training. I was 30, a pretty high age for an acting student. So I went to the US and got some acting classes at New York Film Academy. That was probably the best 2 months of education I’ve ever had. They didn’t make me an actor just there on the spot, but they gave me the basics and gave me the right attitude towards the best job in the world. This profession is very competitive, so hard, and sometimes makes me depressed, but I finally found what I want to do and what makes me happy. Being an actor it’s learning your craft every day. After NYFA, I graduated from Ukrainian Film School two years acting program, dozens of master classes, acting classes, hundreds of hours of watching interviews with actors and filmmakers, books, etc. It’s never enough. I believe that once you say to yourself – that’s enough of training, then you’re done, it’s over with you as an actor or whoever. Studying something new is a motion forward. Since I started my acting career, I’ve done more than 100 roles in different TV shows, short movies, theatre, and web series and now I’m very proud of my first leading role in a feature dramedy film «Don Juan from Zhashkiv» just came out nationwide in theatres and on Netflix.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I can’t say that I have a mission to change the world through my acting or writing. It’s impossible. But, when I start working on something new, a new project, a new script, or a new role, I always ask myself a question – why do I do that and who’s gonna watch it? What impact will it have? You can’t predict anything. You never know. But at least you can think about it. Unfortunately, art is worthless and effectively useless against evil. I can tell because art hasn’t stopped russia when they attacked Ukraine. Films that teach us that war is a nightmare, that war is death, destruction and tears didn’t stop russia. Films didn’t stop bullets or missiles. But, as Mstyslav Chernov, a director of an Oscar nominee documentary “20 Days in Mariupol”, said, accepting the DGA award – “I fully realize the power of cinema. Because when these children, these people are trying to escape from the strike and take shelter to cope with fear, they watch movies. Movies help all of us cope with this sometimes unbearable world, an unjust world, and give us hope to stop all the bad things and move towards a better future.” Me, as an actor and writer, I just want to tell stories that make people laugh or smile and make people love each other and respect. To think about something good. To trigger good memories and good emotions. To explore the world and the essence of being a human. I can’t change the world, but I can change somebody’s thoughts just for a moment. And it’s enough.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

There are tons of stories about it. The fact that I’m still an actor is the best illustration of it. The first thing and the most unpleasant thing was total unbelieving in you among your family. That was the hardest thing. I remember when I said to my family and friends that I wanted to be an actor, and that I quit my regular job as a writer to start my education. They were like, c’mon? Are you kidding? You are an actor? Of course, some were not so straightforward and tried to hint that I wouldn’t succeed. But I had other plans.

Also, it took time to handle rejections. That was pretty hard in the beginning to hear “No” every 9 out of 10 auditions. You have to acknowledge that it is a part of a job. And mostly the reason for “No” is not that you are a bad actor. Every time it launches a Train of Doubts in your head that you can’t stop.

Or when you are without a job for half of a year or more. It’s not easy. You start thinking of changing your profession for more stable and regular.

Or when you face offensive directors or producers who say that “who you are boy? do you think you’re an actor?”. I have a story when just in the middle of the shooting of the whole season of a TV show, the director of the show told me – “You’re the worst actor in the show (I was a supporting lead) you are sh*t, you are empty!”. That was just on Christmas Eve. That hurt. But his words weren’t true. That TV show went well and no one said that my acting was a disaster.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slava_babenkov/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/viacheslav.babenkov
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slava-babenkov/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BabenkovSlava
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SlavaBabenkovUkraine