Eugenia Kuzmina’s path from humble Russian childhood to globetrotting fashion model has been one of courage and self-revelation. She has been on the cover of Glamour Magazine, featured in Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and Russian Vogue, walked the runway for Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, and worked with such iconic brands as Hermes, Cartier, Dior, and L’Oreal. With piercing blue eyes, glowing skin, a captivating smile, and an innate sense of comedic timing, she is the manifestation of fierce femininity and confidence – essential traits for roles ranging from world renowned model, film actress and television producer to zany mom turned stand-up comic. In addition, this multi-talented beauty has created an online platform for working mothers and is executive producer for the Lifetime Network reality-TV show, Model Moms.
Raised with a compassionate heart and an appreciation for nature, Eugenia is active in several charitable organizations including The Peace Fund, for which she donated half the proceeds from her sold-out 2018 Calendar, Beauty and the Beach, shot on the pristine island of St. Barths. When she isn’t filming or practicing one-liners, the strikingly down-to-earth model can be found soaking up the sea air at her Malibu beach house and being lovingly present in her favorite role of raising three gorgeous children with husband, Bill Block, CEO at Miramax. Here with Luxury Trending Magazine, Eugenia opens up about her creative process and balancing life as a funny yet incredibly sexy working mother and wife in Hollywood.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
What one element is absolutely necessary for running your home life smoothly?
Open-mindedness. We will have a “crisis” during the day – they just happen when you have kids. As a parent coming up with solutions, you must be open to listening to another point of view and be willing to try out or least consider new things. It’s absolutely necessary. It isn’t always easy raising kids and having a career, and I would never be able to do it all without help. It’s about making priorities moment by moment. Then we compromise and laugh a lot about it all.
With such a high profile and busy life, how do you stay so centered?
Meditation. My husband and I built a place for meditating. I try to get it in at least once a day. My husband inspired me. He has a very intense job and has been meditating for a longtime. Also, we like to travel with our children to show them other cultures and let them experience life outside of Los Angeles. Honestly, we live a simple life in a way, as we’re not into material things. As much as I love glamorous events, there’s nothing that can beat authentic human connection in the moment for me. I feel comedy is one way to stay centered. There’s no editing and no agenda – just pure joy.
Do you and your husband have any relationship rules for spending time together?
We have been married for 10 years now. Relationships determine the quality of your life, and they are always evolving, so communication and couple time is important for sure. Because we have such different schedules, we need some time on the weekends. And also, we just try to be supportive of each other mentally, because we both have so much going on.
You started modeling when you very young. How did you get discovered?
When I was 13, Slava Zaitsev, a Russian fashion designer, asked me to represent his brand. Then a modeling scout from Paris asked me to sign with an agent, so I moved to France. I was very lucky. I never did well in school or constricted places. I was the girl who didn’t fit in the box. Growing up in such a strict, controlling place like Moscow, I was yearning for creative experiences. Modeling gave me that and the opportunity to travel.
What or who are your sources of inspiration?
My dad inspires me a lot. Growing up we would always have deep conversations, and I was like a sponge. He is a nuclear scientist and his friends were these amazing Russians and artists like, Tischenko Gennadiy. Also, not growing up in America and having lived in other countries, I am really influenced by other cultures. It’s easy for me to put on different glasses and see things from another perspective.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
Self care is so important. How do you stay fit?
Yoga. Hot yoga, Pilates, whatever I can do. My body is very sensitive to things, and that was a challenge when I moved to America. I have to take extra self-care in the food department. I am a vegetarian and really feel the connection between food and me. Anything that is over-processed or not organic, I definitely feel it. I also believe being in nature is a way to nurture yourself. I spend as much time as possible at our beach house. It is a great place to restore, recharge and catch up on your reading.
In your life what have you learned from failure?
Failure has taught me more than my accomplishments have and helped me to grow. I’ve learned that everything doesn’t have to be perfect on day one. Doing comedy really helped me to understand humanity, and that all of it is fine. What we fail at connects us as humans on some levels. When I started doing stand-up, its about sharing all your failures.
Stand-up comedy looks ferociously difficult and yet you make it look so easy. What motivated you to do stand-up?
For me, comedy is therapy, because I push myself so hard in everything I do. The way we grew up in Russia, even in comedy, you have to be the best. You can’t go into sports unless it is to train to be in the Olympics. You have to take everything so seriously. I was continually punishing myself for not being better and better and better. But then when I started doing comedy and actually talking about things I wasn’t good at, the laughter came. Laughter is very liberating.
With your beauty, brains, and awesome personality, we can’t wait to see what’s next for you. What projects should we watch for?
Thank you. I have quite a few projects coming up, but I just finished shooting a comedy in New York with Rebel Wilson called, Isn’t It Romantic. It will come out next year. Then in September I began shooting the film, Justice for All, in South America with Televisa – the same company that did How to be a Latin Lover. I am really excited about it because it’s an action film in which I do all my own stunts. For my role I have been taking boxing lessons and completed a lot of motorcycle training to get my license. Also, I love spending time in Malibu getting inspired, writing, and doing research for my book on parenting, The Modelmom’s Guide. It is really a parody on my Bad Moms character giving advice on how to do it all – or not! It is due out next Mother’s Day.