Life & Work with Stefaniya Makarova

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stefaniya Makarova.

Hi Stefaniya, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am an actress, model, professional dancer, producer, journalist, advocate and humanitarian. From early childhood, I was interested in creativity in its variations – drawing, sewing, modeling, and dancing. I have dance experience in ballet, hip hop, ballroom, jazz, and more. The dream of being an actress while living in the small town of Cheboksary in Russia was almost unrealistic. Having received an accounting education, I knew I wouldn’t be working in this specialty. I got an accounting education because I wanted my parents not to worry about my future. While I was in college, I participated in beauty and talent pageants. I got my first banner and catalogue, which inspired me to go further in modeling. At the age of 20 years old, I left for America to pursue my dreams. Coming to NY, I received a theatrical education and I performed on Broadway, but my passion was always films and TV. I got my first role as a lead playing a ballerina in a short film. Dance skills, especially ballet that I did for ten years, played a big role in making my dream into reality. I got the role of ballerina in John Wick 3. Now I have roles in movies on Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, etc.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
My height is not enough to be a model in fashion. But I am not a follower, I am a creator. I am contributing to the world with my vision. I have an accent and can’t book certain roles in acting. Instead of waiting for the next opportunity to come my way, I create my projects. I face challenges all the time. It’s an essential process of becoming better and improving yourself. There are challenges every day in order to learn, grow and move forward otherwise, there is degradation.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am actively participating in modeling shows despite being 5’4”. I believe modeling isn’t about height, it’s about personality. I created a community for petite models and I advocate for representing petite models in fashion. Petite models are still underrepresented in today’s diverse and inclusive fashion industry. There are models of different size, color, shape and gender than ever before, but petite models are still often not included. I created a movement called the PETITE Movement, which is an abbreviation for Personality Empowerment To Intelligence To Enlightenment. There is a message, when we accept ourselves for who we are, not because of our appearance or characteristics, but just accepting our personality without validation or judgment, we grow spiritually and we reach the state of intelligence and enlightenment. As soon as we know the ability of acceptance, what it is and how it works, then we are able to accept others. We are able to love unconditionally. It starts from inside. Our focus as a society is mostly on the outside, we don’t usually see what is inside. I believe our problems come from not seeing the core, not recognizing it. We only see the outcome and we are trying to fix something based on that outcome. Bringing focus to the inside, we can find the truth. Body positive movement made a huge impact on society. Society follows fashion trends, as fashion is a reference to beauty, and now we have an extended version of what is considered to be beautiful.

By expanding the boundaries and accepting new standards most people, who thought they are not beautiful, now know there is more to beauty than just being tall and having certain physical requirements. Because of it, they accept themselves, and by doing so, they begin to love and believe in themselves and in turn, project it onto others. Acceptance creates loving society. I found my purpose to create a better society by being who I am. I found it through modeling, I can’t resist that feeling, it moves me all along my way. Applying this perspective of acceptance in fashion can help to bring this focus on human nature and apply it to any other aspects of human life. The fashion industry has so much power to make our world a better place. I hope expanding the boundaries even more and accepting petite models can further help this mission. My recent roles include John Wick 3: Parabellum, The Kindergarten Teacher (Netflix), Little America (Apple TV+), Bronx SIU (Amazon Prime) and an independent film Brighton 4th (Tribeca 2021), and more.

I produced an inspirational short film where I had a lead role and got 13 awards as best actress so far in film festivals in America and international film festivals.

Lately, I am working on a few series as a journalist. Style Culture News and Cities in a Hurry produced by Style Culture TV and Show Me TV and streaming on Amazon Fire TV and Roku. I am also in the working process of creating a series about positive mindset and women empowerment.

I am a very outgoing person and due to the fact that I am good at communication, I started journalism. The first time I took an interview at the event for my youtube channel, I got noticed by several broadcast outlets and started working with them. The most striking factor was the fact that they took me because of my energy. They noticed my energy, this is what they were attracted to. I hear all the time that people admire my energy even though I know them for a few minutes. Because I hear this all the time I started working on a series about positive energy, mindset and thinking. I believe that energy is everything, it is the core of everything. Everything in this world happens because of energy. And what makes your energy that everyone admires is to get rid of ego, and that’s how you unlock your superpower. This way you connect with a source and this energy creates miracles in your life. Ego creates a blockade and the energy can’t flow, love makes miracles happen. It only becomes possible if you make choices toward love. It leads you to create the best possible reality for yourself and your surroundings.

Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory is to get together for holidays and celebrating it with family, friends and relatives.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.stefaniyamakarova.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stefaniyamakarova/?hl=ru
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/makarovastefaniya/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn0RjBt4BU6hqNMVkv-QOfg
• Other: IMDb https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6273836/