'Black Swan' was absolutely unbelievable. I had always dreamed of working with Darren Aronofsky, and Natalie Portman, Winona Ryder, Barbara Hershey, Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassel. The entire cast was really a dream cast, and it was amazing to work with these powerhouse women that I've just admired for so many years.

Ksenia Solo

Categorized in : Amazing Work Black Women

The really funny thing is that my mom and my dad never, ever, ever wanted me to be in this businessbut it just kind of happened. I blame it all on my mom who was still dancing on stage with me when she was however many months pregnant. I always say that I was dancing and acting in the belly. I feel like it’s something I was born with and inspired by my family since I grew up backstage, watching them perform. I guess it was just a natural path for me.

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I was born in Eastern Europe, in Latvia, and I'm fluent in Russia... by Ksenia Solo

I was born in Eastern Europe, in Latvia, and I'm fluent in Russian.

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In places like South Afghanistan, where cultural norms prevent men from entering homes, female vaccinators often make the difference between a closed or opened door.

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In my life and in my career, I really love to play different roles. I never want to play the same role twice.

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I am totally, completely, 100% in love with fashion. I would wear Chanel gowns to the grocery store if I could. I'm a huge fan of Chanel and Versace, and I actually have always dreamed of designing my own line one day.

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I've always loved fantasy. I've always loved sci-fi. It's not like I can list off my favorite sci-fi shows or movies, but I just love being taken into a different world. I'm a huge fan of Steven Spielberg. I'm a huge fan of George Lucas. I've always loved it.

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I'm not a big fan of that kind of stuff - of Twitter and Facebook. I just feel like I'm a very private person and I do enjoy personal interaction. It is nice to be able to talk with the fans, in person. I don't know if it's 'cause I'm just old-fashioned, but I'd rather a face-to-face conversation.

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I understand the power of the internet, but I can't say that I'm there. I'm old-fashioned and living in a different century. I don't know. I just don't really understand the craze of it.

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I think the most important thing for me is a challenge. I'm not happy, creatively, unless I'm faced with a challenge. So, overcoming those challenges and really discovering characters that aren't like me helps me grow, as a person and as an artist.

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I really love action. I really love doing my own stunts. I would love to do more of that. I've done a lot of TV, but my heart is really in film. I really look forward to the film possibilities. I would love to dance in a movie again. I love all those creative aspects, like playing an instrument or dancing. I look forward to all that stuff, in future roles.

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It's funny because I'm so used to acting in English that any time I have these moments where I have to speak Russian, it definitely takes a different part of my brain to pull it off, but it's always nice and fun.

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You really have to stay true to yourself, as cheesy as that sounds. And you cannot take no for an answer, and you have to dream big. I think that's the greatest thing my family ever taught me: if you're going to dream, you have to dream so big.

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My mom is actually a former prima ballerina, and all the women in my family are associated either with dance or choreography or acting, so I'm very lucky in a way because I grew up in a family of artists. I've been dancing since I was a little kid.

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I consider myself incredibly lucky to live and work in places like Canada and the U.S. where polio no longer threatens to rob the livelihoods of innocent children. As a young woman, I stand behind the women around the globe who are leading the charge against polio and working relentlessly to achieve a polio-free world.

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