(Magazine “Seven”, July 9-15, 2001)

American star Peta Wilson, famous to the European audience as Nikita in TV-series “La Femme Nikita”, came to the International film festival in Moscow.

Brief biography of Peta Wilson

Peta Wilson was born November 18^th 1970 in Sydney. Her father was a professional military, and her family followed him to different locations, he was transferred to. That's how Peta got to New Guinea. She spent several years among aborigines who never heard about television and radio. There were neither dolls nor cars. That's why she grew such a tomboy — watched snakes and crocodiles, climbed trees… She still remembers her exotic childhood. “My brother and I walked almost naked and had crocodiles and kangaroo as pets.” “My mom and grandma are very strong women, — says Peta. — My mom still works on two jobs. There are always a lot of guests in our house. The main thing that I learned from my parents is to communicate and have fun. And from my dad I learned always to be the first. My father is a swimming champion.” Her voice gets warm notes when she peaks about her brother who is in the peacekeeping army now.

Peta first appeared on stage in a school play where she played a tree. She was in for sports since childhood, played netball (a kind of basketball) in the Australian national team. She had a slim athletic figure (178 cm. height, long legs, broad shoulders) and soon she was offered to become a model at first in Australia and then in Europe. In order to be in shape Peta kept diet and almost totally exhausted herself. But then she realized that she was no longer comfortable with the role of the deaf and dumb object and went to America. In LA she studied in the theatrical school of famous Arthur Mendosa and took part in tv shows. Her first serious role was Nikita in “La Femme Nikita”, Americana-Canadian version of the famous movie of Luc Besson (Anne Parillaud and Bridget Fonda played this role before her). Peta Wilson portrays an image of a superagent of secret service, a sexual demonic killer Nikita.

A part of Peta Wilson's press-conference

— How did you manage to play Nikita that she became an idol for young generation? They adore her, they want to be like her.

— I don't know, maybe, I just did my artistic job well. But for me Nikita is not a positive character. She has to do the job in the result of which innocent people die. Sometimes she becomes a weak woman. But she never gives up. Maybe, that's what appeals to people.

— Do Nikita's adventures go on??

— No. We devoted 5 years of our lives to this work. What else to say? We all got tired of the series and from each other. While shooting in Toronto I worked 17 hours a day, 5 days a week without holidays and vacations. I kept diet. Now I want some rest.

Peta says that in real life she is not like her character — she is bright, trusty and communicative. On the question of the secret of her sexuality she says: “If you want to be sexual, you need to think about sex and not about the way you look.”

Peta's main hobby is collecting old cars. She already has “Chevrolet”, 1958; “Ford”, 1957, and “Dodge”, 1938. She repairs them herself: “I'm not good at bodywork but I can easily fix the engine!” Another hobby is drawing. Peta's flat in Hollywood is decorated with her drawings and pictures of her friends-artists — outlandish landscapes and fantastic still-life. “I started to paint in Europe when I felt sad and lonely and starved. Drawing made me forget about food.”

By the way Peta also loves sea trips, swimming, rock-climbing, yoga, aerobic, riding, historic books, the nation myths and Tennessee Williams. Peta has her own company Sweetlips Productions, profits of which she spends on building schools for homeless children. And she'd like to build her own art school where children will be taught painting and dramatic art. The actress plays in theatre and stars for example in the film “Mercy” — “a dark movie with lesbians, pain, blood and murders” that was filmed by Damian Harris and also in the movie “Joe and Max” where she plays a wife of a famous boxer.

Big Russian soul

Peta Wilson arrived in Moscow in the evening on June 21. Her enthusiastic fans met her. Warm meeting and show of affection helped her to get over full loss of her luggage that didn't arrive in Moscow due to the fault of the company British Airlines. Nikita made Peta's character stronger and taught her to fight troubles. The actress put on the costume of her boyfriend — screenwriter and director Damian Harris with whom she lives and works for 10 years — and went to see the entertainments of the Russian capital.

When she was at the airport, she said that she spent 30 hours sleeping in the plane and now she was ready to have fun. The actress wanted to have fun in such clubs as “Propaganda”, “Bridge” and “Red Cap”, which was recommended to her by friends of her producer Bob Van Kroll. She got back to the hotel in 4 a.m. Next morning in spite of hot weather Peta went to see the Kremlin. The president's residence impressed Peta a lot: she never saw anything like that before! Then the actress went to the department store “Moscow” to buy some new clothes. She was accepted like a Quinn there — they showed almost all collections of clothes of the store. Wilson chose an evening dress in Nikita's style. She also liked a black leather coat, hats, a black leather costume and many other things. It seemed like she was going to buy the whole store. She got all that she chose as a gift. By the way these dresses made her appearance unforgettable on the opening ceremony of the Moscow international film festival.

But more surprises were waiting for Peta ahead: in “Tiffany” shop she got a present… a brilliant necklace! She was so surprised and said that she never got diamonds as a gift and was amazed with a big Russian soul.

The actress spent the whole morning of June 23^d getting ready for the VIP party. A hairdresser, a cosmetologist… As a result, Peta looked great by 2 p.m. During the interview with Dmitriy Dibrov she was irresistible: he is a brunet in a grey suit and she is a blonde in a blue dress with slits and an open back.

After the interview with Dibrov the actress went to the office of radio station “The Echo of Moscow” for live program. Peta was so spontaneous, cheerful and jolly that the audience couldn't help felling in love with her. She even sang two songs under special request. Peta's answers to the questions were interesting and honest. When she was asked whether she was still working as a model, Peta said that she was already a grandmother in comparison to the modern stars of the catwalk but she never missed a fashion show in New York or Paris. “To see a fashion show in Paris is like to go to the beauty circus”, — the star claimed. Peta Wilson's favourite brand is Italian “Costume National” and her dear place on earth is her sweet home where she can put her head on mother's knees and her grandma will make tea.

After live broadcasting Peta had a walk through the old Arbat and looked into antique shops. Now she builds a house on the desert hill in Australia, that's why she needs some nice stuff for decorations. The actress was amazed by those beautiful things that she saw in the shops. And she promised to come back and buy something.

Peta is a Labrador and maybe a mongrel

When the press conference that took place in that day was over, the journalists didn't want to leave and continued asking Peta different questions. Peta over and over again kept telling about her company that makes watches, about her family and about what she thinks of Russia. She didn't know how it would be like here. She thought that it could be cold in Russia. She had no idea how Russian people looked like. But it turned out that it was warm here, and there are a lot of dances, fun and food. “I would say that there is too much food”, — she said laughing.

— How do you rest?

— I sit all alone in silence and read books. Then I go to my parents' or spent time with Damian.

— Don't you get rid of each other?

— Never. I love him very much. He is a talented artist and a personality. And he is not obliged to film me in main parts in all his projects. In his new movie “Gardens of the night” I have a small part: I play a strange woman, a fisherwoman.

— And what about main parts?

— I want to play in the theatre and now I'm looking for a good novel. I dream about Tennessee Williams and see myself in the role of Blanche DuBois in “A Streetcar Named Desire”. But for now it's only a dream.

Peta was asked what kind of films she preferred and what role she dreamt to play. And it turned out that she liked independent movies. But still she loved “The Gladiator”.

When they asked her what she thought about Russian films, Peta answered: “I'm here only three days. And I have difficulties with Russian names and titles. My friend is a director and I watched a lot of movies with him but unfortunately I didn't remember which ones and how plays there”. She admitted that she loved films of Nikita Michalkov.

The most unusual question was what kind of dog Peta imagined herself as she is a Dog in horoscope. “I don't know, — Peta was confused. — Maybe, as a Labrador. And maybe as I traveled a lot I see myself a mongrel. I think that is close to the truth. Such an independent dog”.

After the press conference Peta got back to the hotel to take a rest before the party in her honor. For the party Peta as “Tiffany's” publicity celebrity on the festival put on a diamond necklace that she got the day before. She still was very amazed with the gift. “Russia is like a box of treasuries that was closed for so long. And I'm the person who opened it and looked inside. I still have 5 days left to spend in Moscow and I will look inside all the time until I reach the bottom,” — she exclaimed.