Margarita Levieva
by James Patrick Herman Photography by Jeff Vespa
The All-American sweetheart from “Adventureland” has a past as dramatic as the identity-switching, pole-dancing, murderous mom she plays on TV’s “Revenge” (homicide excluded). Trained as a rhythmic gymnast behind the Iron Curtain and later educated at NYU, Margarita Levieva is hardly just another Hollywood hottie. Pushkin, anyone?
You’ve come a long way, Margarita!
“Yes. I grew up in St. Petersburg, Russia, and moved to America when I was 11: Brooklyn, New York. I didn’t speak a word of English. I had trained as a rhythmic gymnast in Russia since the age of three, and the training was rigorous. So when I came to the United States, the first place I went was to a gymnastic school. That was my identity for a long time.”
What was it like being raised in the former U.S.S.R.?
“Under a communist regime, there was this idea that everyone is equal—and the government subsidized everything. So as a young girl, I had to stand in line for bread. I had to get a ticket for sugar, butter, any of the necessities people in the United States took for granted back then was a luxury. We had a rickety old-school television set that had two channels because again, the government controlled everything at the time. We had a channel that was political propaganda and one sort of entertainment channel—which were movies made by the government.”
But aside from bad TV, Russia has such an enviable cultural heritage.
“I do feel very fortunate because we grew up with the arts and literature as part of our everyday lives. Kids in America entertained themselves with video games. Games for me? Memorizing poetry with my parents. And going to the The Hermitage with my grandfather on weekends to study the painters—and the stories behind each painting—from the Renaissance. At six, I could recite Pushkin. It was such a great foundation for me, and I feel grateful and lucky that I got introduced to not only such a vast history but also to Russian literature. Culturally, the country is so rich.”
What was your first exposure to acting?
“A lot of actors talk about the experience of seeing that one performance or piece when they were just like: I knew in that moment I wanted to act! For me, I was five years old and I saw “Swan Lake” at the ballet. The ballerina happened to be one of the greatest dancers in the world as well as an incredible performer. When I watched her, I didn’t see a woman dancing—I watched the Black Swan dying on the stage. And I was so mesmerized that I said: I’m going to do that! So even though ‘performing’ for me meant a physical performance for the first part of my life, there was always a passion to translate something for myself, like a story or a feeling, to share an experience.”
Clearly, acting was your first love. But was it your first career choice?
“English isn’t my first language, so acting was such a far-fetched dream—a fantasy—and I thought it would never be possible for me to pursue. I went to college but I didn’t study theater. Because we came here as illegal immigrants, I wanted to do something that was more practical with my life. An education that I could use to pay my mother back with and say, You didn’t waste your life bringing us here. So I studied economics and then double majored in psychology. I graduated early and I remember coming home to give my diploma to my mother. I said, Now I’m going to do something for me. Even if it proves to be worthless or useless, I have to give it a try. So I went to acting school.”
No regrets, right?
“I thought I’d try it for three months to see if I liked it—and that turned into six months and then a year. I ended up graduating from the school, but even after that I thought to myself: The real actors will go out and get jobs. I only know how to do the school part; I don’t know how to be in the working world of professional actors. And within a month, I got my first job.”
It’s ironic that a Russian rhythmic gymnast who speaks English as a second language landed the part of Lisa P., the all-American bombshell-next-door in “Adventureland.” How did that happen?
“I loved “Superbad.” I was like, Man, I would love to do that kind of movie, but I would never get hired for something like that. For one thing, I had never done comedy before. And I just don’t see myself as very funny. What’s special about [director] Greg Mottola’s filmmaking is that he really seeks the truth in his characters. Even amid the hilarity and the ridiculousness of the scenes, his characters are so realistic. I liked that the character of Lisa P., the hot girl at the high school, was not some supermodel but just a hot girl by high school standards, you know? Literally like a few months after seeing “Superbad,” I got a call that they wanted me to come in for the part of Lisa P. I got the script and was like, I am so not that girl! A girl who walks into a park and every man stares, you know? Maybe one man. But Greg and I had a meeting and he thought I could be right.”
Your education is impressive, but what are some life lessons you’ve learned outside of school?
“Sometimes in life, things come at us that might seem negative—or possibly even scary—but can prove to be the most magical events. I know that if ever I am scared of something, it’s probably because it will be good for me in the end.”
Producer Bailey Reise
Stylist JAK (@we_are_jak)
Make-up Georgie Eisdell (@GeorgieEisdell) using La Mer at The Wall Group (@TheWallGroup)
Hair Bridget Brager (@BridgetBrager) at The Wall Group
Fashion Credits: