 Milla Jovovich is full of contradictions: She’s a new mom at 33, yet the Ukrainian-born beauty says she still feels like a kid. Although VH1 crowned her the “reigning queen of kick-butt" for her roles in multiple science fiction and action movies (like Resident Evil), Milla says she’s actually a quiet person. And in the upcoming A Perfect Getaway, Milla plays a newlywed on her honeymoon fighting for her life on a remote beach. However, some things are right in synch with the model-slash-actress-slash-musician-slash-fashion designer; forget the latest issue of Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar; give her the latest issue of Popular Science and she’s happy.
You’re looking awesome as usual. Who are your favorite designers?
Oh gosh, I love so many different types of designers and clothing. But I guess I like some modern designers. I definitely love big ones, like Prada and Donna Karan. And Alexander McQueen is awesome.
Do you have any shopping addictions?
Yeah, I get a lot of vintage clothes online. I’m doing it constantly, I have to stop! And I love jewelry.
How would you describe the real you?
I’m really a quiet person, and I don’t like small talk and hanging out. I can get really quiet just focusing on my work, and not even be aware that I’m ignoring everyone. People probably think I’m a bitch.
You’re a new mom now. As a sex symbol, did you worry about what childbirth would do to your body?
For sure. But I think I’ll be alright. I mean like I’ve said, women today, honestly either they’re in their forties with no kids, or they’re in their forties and you would never know they have kids.
You know, kids mean the getting of something, not the end of something. It’s so different. Like, my friends and I, we still feel like kids.
So what’s your secret for maintaining that great body?
I try to eat fresh. I don’t eat junk food or anything like that. Dieting is important for sure. And I take vitamins. But I definitely don’t eat trash ... regularly …
Tell us about the physical challenges in the movie.
The gymnastics stuff you obviously have to know. It was just a lot more physical stamina training. But I’m an actress …Give me a plastic sword, that’s fine. But don’t give me a real sword!
You have a big reputation for knocking yourself out for a movie.
Well, I love reading about physics, and I love science magazines. So I definitely relate a lot to being disciplined, and being able to help yourself with more control over your body. And hopefully your mind.
But in that sense I don’t think I’d be like, okay, tomorrow I really want to compete in some state championship! It’s just fun, and I love it.
Does being really physical in a movie get you in better touch with your body?
Definitely, definitely. I think it’s so important to have a physical and psychological kind of balance in your life, which I definitely don’t have. But at the same time, I try.
And with these kinds of movies, it makes it much easier to go and train, and discipline yourself. So I find that anytime I’m depressed or anytime I don’t feel good, as soon as I go and train or something, it’s fine.
You know, you really get that endorphin rush going. It makes you feel really good.
You have to go through some pretty rough stuff in the movie. So how is your tolerance for pain?
Um, it depends. It depends if I’m working or not. When I work, I have a very high tolerance for pain because it’s like I’m not myself. I’m in a different mode.
I’ve done crazy stuff on movies and have gotten injured. When your endorphins are rushing, that adrenaline, it’s like you don’t feel stuff. It’s like when people, such as football players, tell you, “Oh you don’t feel it when you get hit.” It’s afterwards really, when I realize I can’t move my arm.
But in real life, I have no tolerance for pain. It’s the funniest thing. It took me like three years to get my wisdom teeth pulled out. Then I got all four out at the same time, and it was a disaster.
What is your personal style for getting into character?
The way that I sort of approach acting in general is just to find what makes my choices different from this girl in that sense. So it’s not like I’m going to be that different.
It’s more about the choices that we make that kind of make us different from everyone else. So it gets into the whole thing that you can just be normal. And in a sense I just try to see what it is in myself that’s maybe running away from something.
—Prairie Miller
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