Sayazhan KULYMBETOVA, actress: When I took off my coat, the audience gasped

The actress decided this: waiting for another big role and doing nothing is a crime. Especially since her native Auezov Theater is currently undergoing reconstruction, there is little work, which means she needs to promote herself. She made a cut from her best role as Nuria in the film “The Cry of the Great Steppe” and sent the video to the Golden Time Talent competition, traditionally held in London. And she was recognized as the best actress in her age category! Moreover, the role of Nuria, uncharacteristic for her, is about suffering, and Sayazhan herself is about love and happiness.

Now Sayazhan is preparing to go to England at the beginning of the summer to take part in the gala evening of the winning talents.

- I was shocked myself, I didn't expect to win, - the actress laughs. - But my agent keeps pushing me, telling me that I can't sit still, so I try. In general, when I have a hard time, I always tell myself: I chose this profession myself. And when I was five years old.

- How did this happen?

- My whole family watched TV series, they were just starting to show all this passion: “Wild Rose”, “Simply Maria”. And one day I asked my dad: who are all these people, so beautiful, incredible? He explained that they were actors. Then I decided for myself that I also wanted to be on TV and for the whole world to know about me. Probably, “Wild Rose” left an impression for life. In the theater, I also play out what I miss in reality. I love roles where I can be wild, rebellious, daring. Well, I am lucky to have such roles.

- What about the boundary between roles and your inner world?

- Sometimes my characters help me understand something in life. But in fact, it is most difficult if your character is very similar to you. I once had such an experience. I was already included in the play “Zhuregimnin iesi” during rehearsals, it is about finding your soulmate in the modern world. About how a career girl dreams of meeting her love. It requires personal life experience. The first time, when I watched a rehearsal of another cast from the sidelines, I could not even force myself to go on stage and work too. It was scary, it seemed to me that I would show something too personal, mine. But in the end, it was this role that brought me a prize at one of the theater festivals. Although every time at the planning meetings they told me that I played too emotionally. I promised to improve, but in the end I did what I felt.

- Are you looking to get married or is everything already in place?

- I was married, but not for long. And if I had the opportunity, I would have given my heroine some advice: don't set the goal of getting married at all. The main thing is life itself. It seems to me that marriage is a very important step, especially since among Kazakhs you enter into an alliance not just with a specific man, but with his entire family, with the entire clan.

- And yet there are still legends about your marriage. They say that you charmed a foreigner. Why didn't it work out?

- Yes, my husband was Spanish, and our passions were like in "Santa Barbara". Maybe that's why we couldn't live together for long, we both turned out to be too hot-tempered. He is a wonderful singer, a handsome man. As far as I understand, I fell in love more with his talent and image. Beauty is very important to me in both a man and a woman. I am an aesthete, I just like to look at beautiful people.

By the way, the spectacular surname remained after this marriage. That's why in the theater I am always Sayazhan Real Blanco. But, for example, in the film credits I preferred to be under my maiden name - Kulymbetova.

- Do you often have to do things on stage or in front of a camera that you are not quite ready for: undress, pretend to be intimate?

- It happens, and, to be honest, it is difficult, although I do not have any internal barriers. But in the theater, my colleagues are not always ready to accept such decisions. Conversations inevitably begin: how is it possible, on this stage, where our masters have performed... I am lucky with provocative outfits. Once, my partner did not even let me finish saying all my lines, he literally pushed me off the stage ahead of time.

There was another case when Othello was staged by a guest director. I played Bianca in this performance, and my costume consisted of underwear, a corset, and a transparent skirt. I remember very well that I asked the director again if this was really the approved costume. The director got angry with me and gave me a lecture on the acting profession. I cried in the dressing room. What else could I do? Moreover, my partner diplomatically refused to play, without a scandal. But the audience liked it. The ticket sellers said that they were often asked whether Bianca would be in the second act, whether they should stay or whether they could go home already.

- Have you ever tried to refuse if something doesn’t correspond to your beliefs at all?

- I decided for myself that in such cases it is not me on stage, but my heroine. If such clothes or actions are in her character, then why should I be embarrassed or feel discomfort? And over time I learned to abstract myself. And, frankly speaking, I have nothing to be embarrassed about: I do sports, I am in great shape.

In Karaganda, as a guest actress, I played in the play "Kheda Gabler". So my character had to wear a long coat with nothing underneath. Nothing at all! And at the climax she opens it wide. I endured the rehearsals, but at the premiere they still allowed me to wear at least underwear. And when I took off my coat, the audience gasped. I'll be honest: it was nice.

- Probably the most difficult thing for an actress is to accept age-related changes?

- It is inevitable and really difficult. But age also brings many good things. For example, you begin to understand life better. For me, a new age is a new stage, new opportunities. And I am always open to them - to love, to roles, to feelings.

- Do you still believe that you will find love?

- Probably, every person believes in this deep down. Love inspires, motivates, and each love remains in our hearts. For example, I am very grateful to one fan for an amazing story that happened in Turkey, where we went to a theater festival. For several days, I noticed a young man at a respectful distance. He waited until I was alone, came up to me and ... confessed his love. He gave me gold earrings, which I still keep, and asked for a scarf as a keepsake. This happened 10 years ago. It is clear that we are very different. But we still communicate, call each other, and this memory warms me incredibly.

But I don't live in anticipation of love, and it's not about age. It's just that for me the world is already beautiful and full of love. If there is an opportunity to make another person's life better (and that's how I perceive feelings), then I will simply be even happier. But even now my life is very rich and full of events. Now, for example, I am waiting and preparing for a trip to London, where my most difficult role in a movie was appreciated. Isn't that happiness?

Ksenia EVDOKIMENKO, Almaty