Ukrainian actress Angelina Gushchina, who gained widespread recognition after playing Zlata in the New Channel series "Holova", has become one of the central figures in the comedy project "Kotlyarevsky", where she played the waitress Marina. In a blitz interview with Styler, Gushchina revealed how her personal restaurant work experience during her studies at a theatrical university helped her shape the character, and shared details of her professional path that are rarely mentioned in public interviews. The actress noted that she was not allowed to film during her studies, so she earned a living specifically in the service industry — and this background organically transitioned into Marina's screen biography, who, like her creator, "often goes on dates and gets burned."
English-language projects: language is not the main obstacle
Gushchina has experience working in English-language projects, and in the interview, she confessed that the most difficult part of such work was the language itself — but only at the initial stage when she was working on her accent with a teacher. "And then I did the job just like in any Ukrainian-language project," the actress emphasized. Moreover, she drew attention to a paradox: due to the large volume of English-language work, it is sometimes harder for her to hear herself in Ukrainian on screen. "You get a little out of the habit of it. Perhaps somewhat paradoxical, but this will change over time. I am sure of it," Gushchina added. Separately, she spoke about how foreign viewers, discovering her for the first time through her work, actively write and support her not only as an actress but also as a Ukrainian, following her stories in English where she publishes information about what is happening in the country, especially in Kyiv.
"A taboo on everything related to the Russian Federation": a principle that is not up for discussion
When asked what condition at a casting call would make her refuse a role even if she really needed it, Gushchina answered unequivocally: "If we think about it globally, then anything related to Russia. For example, if I am offered cooperation with a director working in a hostile country, I will refuse." The actress stressed that she does not have a specific condition concerning exclusively acting tasks, but the geopolitical context is a determining factor for her when choosing projects. This principle, as she formulated it, applies to any forms of professional interaction, not just casting situations.
A failed casting for "Tikha Nava" as a point of growth
Speaking about roles she really wanted to get but didn't, Gushchina recalled the casting for the series "Tikha Nava". "When I read the script, I realized it was very cool. At least in my universe and vision. That's why I wanted to get this role even more," the actress said. She admitted that she considered her self-tapes quite good, but was not approved for the role. "Now, going back and watching the finished work, I understand the reason. Besides, during this time I have grown as an actress, so I would have played and recorded the self-tapes differently," Gushchina commented. For her, this experience became a lesson: every failure, she says, "you rethink over time, learn from mistakes, and grow."
The dream of a serial killer and returning to the theater stage
Gushchina voiced her most unexpected dream in response to a question about a role that would show her to the audience from a different angle. "I would very much like to get the role of a serial killer, a psychopath, or something similar. And reveal it in the finale when no one expects it! I think it would play out cool against the background of my type — a girl with big blue eyes and a Slavic, pretty appearance," the actress said. She also noted that she had long wanted to play a detective, but recently such an opportunity arose in an English-language project, and "this gestalt has closed." As for her immediate professional plans, Gushchina expressed a desire to return to the theater stage: "I would like to play in a play. This desire appeared in me a few months ago. But I don't know how and under what circumstances I will realize it yet. However, I am sure that at the right time, in a convenient place, and with the people, everything will work out."
The "Kotlyarevsky" team and the shooting atmosphere
In the interview, Gushchina also recalled a colleague whose jokes the "Kotlyarevsky" team repeated until the end of the project work. Although the colleague's name is not mentioned in the provided excerpt, the actress emphasized that the atmosphere in the crew became one of the important factors that made working on the comedy memorable. The role of Marina the waitress, according to her, became for her not just a professional task, but a continuation of life experience, which allowed her to convey authenticity and naturalness on screen that are valued in the comedy genre.
