Ukrainian actress and director Nadiia Levchenko, known for her role as Oksana in the medical drama 'The Women's Doctor. New Life', gave a blitz interview to the entertainment project Styler by RBC-Ukraine. In it, she spoke about the qualities of her character that she would like to adopt herself, why she has to 'turn off' the director on set, what helped her continue working through a difficult year, and what personal victories she is learning to praise herself for. The conversation coincided with the start of filming for the fourth season of the series, which STB and FILM.UA Group are preparing for a 2027 premiere.
Qualities Lacking in Real Life
Speaking about her character, Levchenko admitted that she enjoys portraying characters with qualities she herself lacks. 'Oksana is sensible and restrained — I sometimes lack that in life, so at least on screen I can see that these qualities suit me,' the actress said. According to her, lately after being on set she more often has to recover from reality rather than from what she played, reflecting the general backdrop of circumstances in which Ukrainian artists live and work.
'You Need to Turn Off the Director Within You in Time'
Directing experience, according to Levchenko, 'greatly broadens the optics': the artist begins to see not only their own character but the overall process. However, there is a danger in this. 'The worst thing an actor with directing experience can do is start directing someone else's set. If I come as an actress, I try very hard to be a good partner, not a second director. But sometimes I can't hold back,' she explained. Thus, working in two roles requires constant self-control so as not to intrude into someone else's directorial zone.
A Topic Worth Raising
Levchenko would like to dedicate her own play or film to human ability to remain human. 'Especially now, when there is so much loss, fear, and cruelty around, when every day we are forced to be stronger than we really can be,' she noted. The actress is interested in 'the limit between strength, vulnerability, and opportunism,' and the goal of her future work is for the viewer to leave the hall 'with uncomfortable questions for themselves.'
A Difficult Year and Personal Victories
Among everyday skills that help during constant tours, Levchenko singled out the ability to sleep anywhere: 'Once this was a problem, but sleep is recovery for me. Therefore, over the years I have learned to adapt to space and circumstances.' Regarding what she praises herself for in a difficult year, the actress said directly: 'For not stopping. There were many circumstances in which I just wanted to hide from the world. But I continued to work, play, travel, help others, take care of myself.' And she added that she is learning to praise herself not only for professional achievements: 'Sometimes the greatest victory is to preserve love for life inside you despite everything that happens to you.'
Fourth Season: New Characters and Intrigues
STB and FILM.UA Group have started filming the fourth season of 'The Women's Doctor. New Life'; the premiere is scheduled for 2027, and it will be broadcast on STB for the first time. Andrii Isaienko will return to the role of obstetrician-gynecologist Mykhailo Honchar. Maryna Yavorska, a woman from the past who will become the new head of the department, will appear in his hero's life. Honchar will face competition in work and personal life from a new character — military surgeon Oles Zaharchuk, while Oleh Melnyk will continue intrigues threatening the management and the medical center itself. The series will also star Nadiia Levchenko, Zoryana Marchenko, Andrii Fedynchyk, Yevhen Yefremov, Oleksii Nahrudnyi, Oleksandra Lyuta, and other actors. The directing director of the season is Andrii Kolesnyk.
