Dina Korzun named the reason for her flight to Russia: everything was closed in Europe

— I don’t like outfits from Western designers. “My husband is against me wearing clothes with labels, like a walking advertisement, so we don’t even look at it,” the actress admitted. — To be honest, a huge number of fashionable, interesting things do not belong to branded designers. It seems to me that branded items are a different story. I love creative designers who have their own style and originality.

– Say that your husband watches what you wear. So he’s on topic?

– Oh yeah! My husband is the most important adviser. He is a Swiss citizen. We met him 28 years ago at the theater institute. We have a lot in common, but we come from completely different cultures and, frankly, different views on the world and music. At first there were a lot of differences between us, for the first ten years we climbed the mountain, but now it’s easier and more interesting for us. He is a man of great taste. After all, he has a family, for example, with history and an artistic eye. There are both photographers and gallery owners in the family, who have both an internal and external culture. That is, these are the people I looked up to and learned from. How to speak and what to wear is important to them. When I arrived in London for the first time in the last year of the last century, I still didn’t understand anything, because it didn’t matter to me. I played on the Big Stage at the Moscow Art Theater. Chekhov, was the leading actress. The meaning, the service, the leading role… it was important. So Louis taught me a lot. And gradually, watching his family, I even developed some kind of taboo for myself. Because they know how to dress very nobly, beautifully and intelligently.

— Did you and your husband have to get used to each other?

– Yes, and it was very difficult, painful. Sometimes it seemed to us that this was desperately impossible. Because I am a militant patriot: the Russian language is the most powerful in the world, Russia is the most advanced country. I did not allow dialogue, and this is very wrong. Although now I’m already saying that there are interesting people and cultures all over the world. This must be recognized and respected. But time had to pass before I learned to look for a middle ground.

At first, it was still very difficult for me to follow any instructions: how to dress for some events. It was painful: what to wear there and what to wear here? How to behave? Moreover, I am not a small talk person (the art of short, light conversation. – Author’s note). There, if they ask you how you are, you cannot answer in detail (laughs). This should be a conversation about nothing. Such an easy conversation. And this, imagine, the end of the 90s! And they always said to me: “Why don’t you smile?” Now many people smile, and we like it, but back then there was still a certain cultural core, and it seemed to us that to be serious meant to be worthy. I had to learn a lot, especially in communicating with people.

– And when did you finally adapt?

“It helped me when I stopped dividing into “us” and “them,” “ours” and “not mine.” When I began to see in every person, no matter what language he spoke – English or Swedish – the eternal soul and talk to him with light and love, with spiritual consciousness. And then I noticed how everyone opened up. Because you are in the best shape: easy, unobtrusive, without criticism and condemnation. You are simply interested in the person opposite you.

— How was your spouse’s relationship with your relatives?

– Well, firstly, my husband took my entire family under his wing at the very beginning. It was such an unexpected act. He took custody of my mother and raised my son from his first marriage. In general, he helped everyone a little. We pulled all my friends and classmates out of debt and mortgages. When I told him that one of them was a single mother, she had two children, and her husband took out some wild loans and went on the run, he helped. Yes, it still helps. I just know this because I tell him, they say, here they are treating cancer, there the roof needs to be patched up, and here on the temple in Lugansk, and he sometimes throws up his hands and says: “Please, but then it will be from your vacation or winter shoes “(laughs). In general, we agree.

— How often did you visit Russia when you lived in London?

— We came to Russia all the time. My connection was never interrupted; we spent all school holidays here. And now we go to those grandparents during school holidays.

— How do your daughters Itala and Sofia live in Russia? Where do they study, what do they do?

— We came to Moscow in 2021 because of Covid. In Europe, everything was closed: schools, theaters, and so on. And then my children went to school and interacted with classmates, and we went to the holidays, albeit wearing masks. The children quickly adapted, since they speak Russian, albeit with mistakes and an accent. But the teachers got involved and took them under their wing. My girls are so kind, warm-hearted, responsible, and hardworking that, I admit, their teachers love them and praise them all the time.

— Do you go to parent-teacher meetings?

— Yes, I myself go to parent-teacher meetings, and I have nothing but joy from what I hear. They say to me: “What kind of children you have! You can see how you raise them, what kind of speech and behavior they have!” And for Louis and me, the main thing is the children.

— A school with in-depth study of something?

— This is a commercial school. I think that in a normal situation they would not have been able to cope; they would have begged us to leave. We asked that mathematics be taught individually in Russian, and everything else taught in a group setting. It was difficult for the girls the first year, we did our homework together, I tried not to go anywhere, we did geography, social studies, and literature. I liked the textbooks; I remembered the entire school curriculum with such joy. And they like it too. Now we don’t do homework together. I sometimes see in the parent chat that, for example, I need to prepare physics, I ask my daughter, and she tells me: “I’ve done everything.” Children can sit until the night, because, for example, the Russian language is difficult, but they no longer ask for help.

In three years, they have already developed their own social circle: girlfriends, volleyball team, chess, dancing. Just a comfortable, interesting, rich life.

— Do they grow up as creative children?

— Yes, for example, my youngest daughter sings in the church choir in the temple on Sundays, she really likes it. She also goes to practice pop vocals.

— When you returned to Russia, did you eventually resolve the same housing issue that, as you know, ruined everyone?

— Yes, we bought an apartment and rented a house outside the city. An apartment in the city is important because it acts both as an office and as everything else. But buying a house is also in the plans.

– How is country life like?

— A cat came to us and gave birth on our porch. The kittens have already grown up – cheerful, beautiful, we feed them and take care of them (smiles).

— How did the attitude of Europeans towards Russians change after the start of geopolitical events? You know this better than anyone…

“It hasn’t changed, but it has manifested itself.” Those who loved Russia and the Russians remained with their opinion, and those who did not like, were afraid, envied, treated the same with caution. For example, for his daughter’s birthday, dad paid for painting courses in Florence, because he had a friend living there, a classmate who was a sculptor. And we took oil painting lessons there in a private workshop. And we were taught by an acquaintance of this friend – an Englishwoman, her husband is American. She adores Russians, says that Russians are the most interesting and fun people. And her father is a successful artist, and Russian artists came to him on exchange when he was still living in America. They drew together and lived through some moments of life. When a large international team gathered in the open air, only the Russians had fun and delicious food. Everyone wanted to come there. He also traveled to Russia. He says that there is no one better than the Russians.

And someone says: “I can’t understand the Russian soul.”

— Dina, in Russia in recent years there has been a boom in plastic surgery and all kinds of interventions in appearance. Have you changed anything in yourself?

“I don’t have a good attitude towards plastic surgery, I’m going to age with dignity, as my age deserves.” Because the acting profession is always facial expressions, emotions, and a lot of work. And still there will be wrinkles, and you should be proud of them. I think this is a symbol of a life well lived. But I don’t blame anyone who needs plastic surgery. And I have creams, a bath, and I’ve also been a vegetarian for 25 years, like my husband. When you don’t eat meat, it’s easier for your body to cleanse itself of toxins. I also cook delicious vegetarian food, don’t smoke or drink alcohol.