Sasha Frolova is a woman of many talents. The New York local already has photographer, actress and model on an ever-growing rotation of creative pursuits that have seen her working on short films, television pilots and modeling alongside Karlie Kloss and her grandmother. Yes you heard right! To top it all off she’s got an enviable sense of style and a killer aesthetic to boot, but perhaps what is most refreshing is her reflective attitude; she’s not shy to question the world around her. i-D caught up with Sasha to chat about television culture, the power of the image and the secrets to her effortless cool.
Do you have a process for getting into the mood of the characters that you play?
It’s hard to think about people in the 70s as people. It’s even harder to think about people in the 1900s as people. I acted in a Victorian piece and when you’re wearing a petticoat, hoop-skirt, overskirt, undershirt, corset, over-shirt, wig – all these layers and you can’t physically get through a door – you start to understand why you might feel defeated by your femininity in a way. Getting up in the 70s as my character Cathy is getting up as Sasha in 2016, but you have to factor in what her world was like. Cathy is at summer camp in the pilot and I went to summer camp also so it feels like maybe we too quickly assume that our lives are different to people of the past when we can actually connect on a simple human level. There’s always something unifying.
Was television something you always wanted to get into?
No, I didn’t really even start acting with the intention of being involved in projects. I was curious to see what it felt like. I’m still curious to see what it feels like but now it happens to keep growing in a way that is allowing me to get into these different worlds. It’s great to be in TV and I really like the film process too. Being on a TV is really exciting because it feels like you’re living – just as life can happen forever, some soap operas go on for like a hundred years. Whereas in a movie it feels more limited.
It looks like we’re living in the ‘age of T.V’ at the moment. It must be exciting to be a part of that.
Yeah for sure. I’m curious as to what that means as a culture. It feels great to be a part of a process that is telling that and being part of a storyline that I believe in and that hopefully other people believe in. There’s nothing more rewarding. I think having the world at or fingertips is something that’s definitely different. Maybe people are more impatient (laughs.)
You’ve also got an amazing sense of style! Tell me about your relationship with fashion and how it feeds into the work you do.
I think that fashion and style feel very different to me. I had a room-mate once who used to say that the only thing that got her out of bed in the morning was thinking about what she could put on and how to greet the day with her wardrobe. That was something that also came to me when I was pretty young because in high school I started dressing from thrift stores and they would be like, “you look like Miss Havisham” or “you look like you’re from the grudge.” I wasn’t looking at Teen Vogue or what was in style on the runway, but I do love fashion. I think that fashion is wonderful and expressive but it’s the expression that’s the most wonderful part about clothing. Clothing is exciting. If there’s something I learnt from growing up in NYC it’s that people are constantly staring, so give them something to look at that makes you feel safe.
What are you working on at the moment?
I’m working on a series right now that talks about nudity, modeling and the fetishisation of the young girl’s body. It’s great to be able to talk about something that I’m experiencing in another medium. It doesn’t feel like when I walk away from one thing I can never come back because they’re always in communication with each other.
What does the future hold for you?
You’re catching me on a very good day. I’ve been feeling very ‘on’ lately. My professional future is very promising. I booked a wonderful movie, I have some guest appearances happening and soon I’ll be able to talk about things in less abstract ways. I feel very liberated by the fact that I can still go back to photography and make art that I really care about and that I’ve met so many wonderful people along the way and we can support each other and become more successful. I’m optimistic that the future will only continue to feel like this.
And how do you define success?
I guess it’s really how it feels in your heart. I can wake up one morning and feel like i’ve got it all and wake up the next day feeling like i’ve got nothing. Success to me feels like you’re achieving what you set out to do and communicating it with the world in a way that you don’t feel like you’re sacrificing your sense of self. I think is the foundation of success- finding yourself within your goal.
Credits
Text Kasumi Borczyk
Photography Natalia Mantini
Styling Zoey Radford Scott