Fast Confession - Dana Morávková: Skating on stage while pushing fifty!
Dana Morávková is the epitome of a Renaissance woman. She performs in theaters, on television, works as a host, designs handbags, creates choreographies, photographs calendars for charity and on top of that, she‘s an amazing wife and mother. And she can handle it all with incredible grace! Even though her diary is full long in advance, she found a moment for an interview for LP-Life.cz and talked not only about her beloved work, but also about the separation from her son, who is studying abroad.
You've been in Ordinace v růžové zahradě for ten years now. How do you manage to learn the tons of texts all the time?
That‘s nothing. It's a part of our profession that we learn by habit. All actors, whether in the theater or on the set, have it that way. I've already trained my memory, so it‘s easy for me.
But you forget it by next morning.
When shooting a series, I immediately forget the text as soon as I‘ve finished the the scene. In theater, however, it‘s something else. With Karel Heřmánek we have several plays that have been on the repertoire for twenty years, so it‘s necessary to remember it in those cases.
What's holding you in the series?
Definitely my colleagues and the extremely interesting and colorful story line my character has in Ordinace. On top of that, I have a great partner Honza Čenský on the set, with whom we‘re thick as thieves. (laughs)
Your role is very serious, maybe even depressing. So many horrible things have already happened to you…
They don‘t make it easy for me. (laughs) But it's a nice challenge. That's what acting is about – being able to handle even the most difficult situations.
Doesn‘t it make you tired?
I separate the acting from real life. I think my husband doesn't live with Zdena Suchá. (laughs)
Some time ago, you told me that people on the street no longer call you by any other name than "Zdena".
Back in the day it was Andrea Rubešová, now it‘s Zdena Suchá. But in Prague it‘s a little different, people are more used to meeting actors there.
How about a movie? Or another fairy tale?
I had the opportunity to cooperate on a Czech TV series about Božena Němcová. I enjoyed that very much. It will be broadcast on television this year because it‘s two hundred years since the writer was born.
Who did you play?
I played Mrs. Rott.
Which of your plays would you invite me to? Which one is the best?
We have a lot of interesting pieces in the theater Bez Zábradlí, but I would definitely like to invite you to our new play The Play That Goes Wrong.
Why?
It's a play that has become a hit in London's West End. Karel Heřmánek bought the rights to it, so it is unrecognizable from the original - only in Prague we play it in Czech. (laughs)
Is there something that bothers you about the theater?
Theater is a miracle. There's nothing about it that would bother me.
Is it true that the greatest reward for an actor is applause?
Definitely. There's nothing nicer than when the audience reacts to your acting, laughs, cries… The feeling that we‘ve left something in them.
You've recently finished shooting a charity calendar. How did that come about?
Petr Větrovský and I agreed to make a charity calendar. We shot it together with photographer Klára Bartheldi, with whom we have a great relationship. It was a total of thirteen photos. We didn‘t hope for such a great result, but 185 thousand was raised. One hundred thousand went to a children‘s home and the remaining eighty-five went to a school for mentally handicapped children, where it was used to buy computers for the pupils.
The kids from the children‘s home who learn English will go to London and the little ones will go to Macocha. We really wanted them to experience something new instead of getting some practical things. I'm glad the headmistress had this idea.
I was very pleased by the presence of Jaromír Jágr, our hockey legend. I wouldn't have even dared to dream that he would come and auction off a photo. I have no idea where he‘ll hang it. (laughs) But since I‘m wearing skates in the photo, because I used to do figure skating, it might look good at the ice rink.
Do you choose these projects yourself or do you get approached?
All I knew was that I wanted the money to go to children. Last year, Petr and Martička Kubišová made the calendar and the money went to dogs, to animal shelters. This time, because Petr Větrovský is a dad, I am a mom and Klárka Bartheldi was expecting a baby at that time, we wanted to do it for children. Petr is from Příbram, so he chose a small children's home there.
You look great in those photos. Do you have a say in it?
No, it‘s more like we decided with Klárka that we would like the calendar to be about me. To include the environment and the people that I love. There‘s theater in there, shooting, figure skating, me designing handbags, nature. All of that together resulted in those thirteen photos.
Have you already chosen what would you like to devote yourself to this year, whom to help?
I contribute to Good Angel every month. At the moment, I don‘t have anything like the calendar in front of me. But something will always turn up, it's January, so I'm not afraid we won't help anyone this year.
You also perform in Cinderella on Ice, where you skate...
This musical has been running here for a long time, but there can be long breaks between seasons. This year we‘re playing again, I think we‘ll bring Cinderella to Prague on 8th February.
There are excellent Russian male and female figure skaters in it, but also all sorts of actors and singers. I play the character of the queen. And before Cinderella comes to the ball, I have the opportunity to skate with the Prince. It's nothing difficult, but since I‘m wearing a robe, a long dress, and I no longer get to skate very often, I'm afraid of falling down in front of a stadium full of people.
But you used to do figure skating…
There‘s a difference between doing it at fifteen and forty-eight. (laughs)
So you‘re really brave?
It's the only show before which I have nightmares about falling down. But I have to cross my fingers, it hasn't happened yet.
Your son is studying in the UK. What is it like for you as a mother?
I‘m very happy for him. He's there for four years, he‘s a university student.
What is he studying?
English literature and creative writing. He‘ll also take journalism in the third year.
Have you read any of his works?
Of course, but it's hard to judge when I'm his mom. All I can do is keep my fingers crossed for him and hope he‘ll have the career of his dreams and be successful.
How often does he come home?
Every time he's off school. He‘s been here for Christmas now and he‘ll come back in the summer.
Did you give him advice before letting him out into the big wide world? For example, did he know how to wash his clothes?
He did. And the things he didn‘t know, he learnt quickly. Throwing his clothes in the washing machine was one of the easiest things.
You say it so calmly. If my son went to study abroad...
I think this is the most important thing we can give our children.
Are you going to visit him with your husband?
Yes. We've been there several times already.
What are you and your husband planning for the new year?
Thankfully, we both have plenty of work. Petr has a lot of concerts, I have a lot of shows. When we have some time off or a long weekend, we always go somewhere. Not to visit our son, but to Berlin or to the spa. These trips are never longer than a long weekend, though.
You've been together for such a long time...
We've been together for 24 years.
How do you do it? We‘re living in a time when most people end up getting divorced.
It's already natural for us. Nobody around us is getting divorced. Petr's parents would never divorce, neither would mine. Petr is also surrounded by musicians who have been in a marriage their entire lives.
Then your son has a great example.
I think it‘s something you adopt.
What about you and social networks?
I have an Instagram because my son told me Facebook was a dead medium. But I have them connected, so when I post on Instagram, it will also appear on Facebook.
How do you struggle with it? Doesn‘t it bother you?
I'm not struggling. I post mainly work or nice moments. I see it as my diary. When I take a nice picture or experience something interesting, I put it there.
How do fans react to you?
I don't delete anything, so you can look for yourself. They are so kind.
If they write you a message, "What do you do to keep your good looks", what do you write back?
Not much. But if they ask me about my schedule or if we‘ll be performing in a certain town with the theatre, I‘m always happy to answer.
