Severija Janušauskaitė

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Severija Janušauskaitė
Janušauskaitė in 2014
Born (1981-10-22) 22 October 1981 (age 42)
NationalityLithuanian
OccupationActress
Years active2003–present
AwardsKinotavr (2014)
Golden Eagle (2015)

Severija Janušauskaitė (born 22 October 1981) is a Lithuanian stage and film actress, occasionally performing as a singer, composer, costume designer and fashion model. She is well known for her role in the drama film Star (2014), for which she received an Award for Best Actress at the Kinotavr Film Festival, a Golden Eagle Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as Nika Award and White Elephant Award nominations in several categories. Other popular works include the comedy film The Norseman (2015) as well as the TV series The Optimists and Babylon Berlin (both 2017).

Early life[edit]

Severija Janušauskaitė was born on 22 October 1981 in Šiauliai. Her mother is a teacher and her father is a power engineer. She has a sister working as an intellectual property lawyer, currently at the trade association representing the recording industry.[1][2]

Janušauskaitė showed interest in arts already as a child, taking example from her grandfather, a multi-instrumentalist. Later on, she studied music and graduated from a fine arts school.[1][3] Finally, she chose a theatre and film study program and graduated from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre in 2005.[1][4]

Career[edit]

Since 2003, Janušauskaitė has performed at several Lithuanian theatres, such as the State Youth Theatre of Lithuania, Oskaras Koršunovas Theatre (OKT), VDU / Mens Publica Theatre, and Lėlė (Vilnius Puppet Theatre), as well as the Arts Printing House, a creative space in Vilnius.

After being selected in an open competition, Janušauskaitė was hired in 2006 to play her first major stage role in Woman from the Past, based on a play by Roland Schimmelpfennig.[5] One year later, she played the role of Queen Margaret in Ivona, Princess of Burgundia,[6] accepting an offer by Jonas Vaitkus, her postgraduate studies professor.[1] For her role of Liucija in the drama Patriots at the Lithuanian State Youth Theatre,[7] in 2008 Severija Janušauskaitė was nominated for the Golden Stage Cross, the highest theatre award of Lithuania.[8] She later played other main characters, such as Barbara in Barbara and Sigismund[9] and Elisabet Vogler in an adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's film Persona.[10] The actress was awarded a Fortune Diploma and a Young Theatre Critics Award in 2013[11] for her portrayal of Lulu in Intimacy at VDU Theatre.[12]

Janušauskaitė started her film career in 2004 with the short film The Flame.[13] Later, she appeared in two TV series, War and Peace (2007), an international co-production, and the Norwegian Honeytrap (2008). Her first feature film was the Lithuanian-Hungarian ironic drama Anarchy Girls [lt] (2010), where she played one of the main roles. This film, directed by Saulius Drunga, won the Silver George Award for the best film in the Perspectives competition at the 33rd Moscow International Film Festival.[14] Its screenplay received the New Talent Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007.[13]

Janušauskaitė gained popularity in Russia and abroad for her role in Anna Melikian's film Star (2014). Her performance of socialite Margarita was highly praised by film critics, resulting in the Best Actress Award at the 25th Sochi Open Russian Film Festival (2014),[15] a Golden Eagle Award for Best Supporting Actress (2015)[16] as well as Nika Award and White Elephant Award nominations in the categories Best Actress[17][18] and Discovery of the Year (both 2015).[17] Following the success in Sochi, Severija Janušauskaitė participated as a jury member in the 15th Tbilisi International Film Festival [de].[19]

The following years were characterized by growing critical and public acclaim. In 2013 and 2015, Janušauskaitė was nominated for the Best Lithuanian Actress Award at Vilnius International Film Festival.[20][21] Her performances in the TV series Godfather (2014) and films such as The Norseman (2015) and Dreamfish (2016) were also widely covered by the news media.[22] The latter film participated in the competition of the 27th Kinotavr Film Festival in Sochi[23] and was nominated for the Russian Guild of Film Critics Award in the category Best Debut Film (2016).[24] For her role of the mermaid Helena in Dreamfish, Janušauskaitė received the Best Actress Award at the 25th Honfleur Russian Film Festival.[25] She was nominated for the national film award of Lithuania, the Silver Crane [lt], in 2017 in the category Best Supporting Actress for her role in the historical drama film Emilia (2016).[26]

In 2017, Janušauskaitė became known to a broad audience in Russia and Germany thanks to her roles in major television films. In Russia, the actress is currently widely associated with her performance as Ruta Blaumane, chief of an analytical group in the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the 1960s, in Alexey Popogrebsky's historical drama The Optimists screened on Russia-1 TV channel in April.[27] In Germany, Janušauskaitė is known for her role as double agent Svetlana Sorokina in another period drama set in 1920s Berlin, Tom Tykwer's Babylon Berlin that had its premiere in October on Sky 1. In this to date most expensive German TV series,[28] the actress also appears as the singer Nikoros and performs inter alia the film's main theme, Zu Asche, Zu Staub, released under the pseudonym Severija.[29] In October 2018, after the series started to air on free TV, the song became the most popular song in Germany's Amazon and iTunes download charts.[30] She considers the role in Babylon Berlin as her most memorable one so far.[31]

Janušauskaitė has many interests and does not work solely as an actress. She wrote music for the children's theatre performances The Little Match Girl[32] (at Arts Printing House) and Evolution,[33] designed costumes for Now You See It / Now You Don't[34] (both at Vilnius Puppet Theatre). Apart from that, she also appears as a fashion model.[35]

Personal life[edit]

Janušauskaitė likes singing and plays piano. Her hobbies also include reading, painting, sewing, dancing, yoga, swimming, fencing and make-up design.[1][3] Besides Lithuanian, she speaks English, German and Russian.[13] She is married to the director of the Vilnius Puppet Theatre and has a son from her first marriage.[2][36]

"I can say one thing about my private life: I am not a sociable person. I live a closed life and do not allow anyone to stick their nose into it."[1]

— Severija Janušauskaitė

Works[edit]

Theatre[edit]

Premiere English Title Original Title Role Venue
2006 Woman from the Past Moteris iš praeities Romi Arts Printing House, Vilnius
2007 Ivona, Princess of Burgundia Ivona, Burgundo kunigaikštytė Queen Margaret State Youth Theatre of Lithuania, Vilnius
2008 Ferryman Keltininkas Beatričė Vilnius City Theatre / OKT
2008 Patriots Patriotai Liucija State Youth Theatre of Lithuania, Vilnius
2010 Barbara and Sigismund Barbora ir Žygimantas Barbora State Youth Theatre of Lithuania, Vilnius
2011 Persona Persona Elisabet Vogler Arts Printing House, Vilnius
2013 Intimacy Intymumas Lulu VMU Theatre & Mens Publica Theatre, Kaunas
2014 The Little Match Girl Mergaitė su degtukais [composer] Arts Printing House, Vilnius
2015 Evolution Evoliucija [composer] Vilnius Puppet Theatre
2016 Now You See It / Now You Don't Čia buvo / Čia nėra [costume designer] Vilnius Puppet Theatre

Film[edit]

Year English Title Original Title Role Notes
2004 The Flame woman short film
2006 No Focus Nefokuse smoking girl short film
2007 War and Peace Война и мир gipsy dancer and singer TV series
2008 Honeytrap Honningfellen Vaida Balandytė TV series
2009 The Other Side of the Wall Les dernières heures du mur Marlene
2010 2h_Two Hours 2h_Dvi valandos Agnija short film
2010 Anarchy Girls Anarchija Žirmūnuose [lt] Sandra
I Love The Bullet In Your Heart Myliu kulką tavo širdyje Laura
Laima Determines the Destiny Taip Laima lėmė [lt] voice role
2011 The Crown Jewels Kronjuvelerna prison guard
The Fortress of Sleeping Butterflies Miegančių drugelių tvirtovė [lt] Silvija
2012 Comma Komats actress short film
Experman Expermenas Lucy short film
Letters to Sofija Laiškai Sofijai Helen
Reeba Ryba short film
2013 Violence Smurtas Julie short film
2014 Godfather Крёстный Kristin TV series
Star Звезда Margarita
Sugar Time Zuckerzeit announced
2015 Chasing Solace Lina short film
Until No Пока нет short film
The Exact Address Точный адрес short film
The Norseman Норвег Brynhild
Sinickis - Juokas pro ašaras Sinickis - Juokas pro ašaras music video
The Roop - Be Mine The Roop - Be Mine music video
2016 About Football and Angels О футболе и про ангелов angel short film
Dreamfish Рыба-мечта Helena
Emilia Emilija iš Laisvės alėjos [lt] actress
2017 The Optimists Оптимисты [ru] Ruta Blaumane TV series
Babylon Berlin Babylon Berlin Swetlana Sorokina / Nikoros TV series
2018 Motherland Gimtinė Viktorija
Isaac Izaokas Elena
What Silent Gerda Knows Ko zina klusā Gerda Baroness Emma
Unburied Nepalaidotas Eglė short film
Short Waves Короткие волны
Bloody Lady Кровавая барыня [ru] Catherine II TV series
Polina Поліна [uk] Varvara
Mermaids Русалки Ulyana TV series
Selfie Селфи Lera
Sleepers (season 2) Спящие (season 2) [ru] Ingrid Watson TV series
A Rough Draft Черновик Renata Ivanova TV series
2020 The Silver Skates Серебряные коньки Severina
2022 The Playlist Maxine Silverson TV miniseries

Dubbing[edit]

Year English Title Local Title Role
2007 Ratatouille La Troškinys Colette
2007 The Simpsons Movie Simpsonų filmas Bart
2007 Shrek the Third Šrekas 3 Rapunzel

Accolades[edit]

Year Association Category Work Result Ref.
2008 Golden Cross of the Stage [lt] Best Supporting Actress Patriots (State Youth Theatre of Lithuania, Vilnius) Nominated [8]
2013 Fortune Fortune Diploma Intimacy (Mens Publica Theatre, Kaunas) Won [11]
2013 Fortune Young Theatre Critics Award Intimacy (VDU Theatre, Kaunas) Won [11]
2013 Vilnius International Film Festival Best Lithuanian Actress Nominated [20]
2014 Sochi Open Russian Film Festival Best Actress Star Won [15]
2015 Golden Eagle Award Best Supporting Actress Star Won [16]
2015 Nika Award Best Actress Star Nominated [17]
2015 Nika Award Discovery of the Year Star Nominated [17]
2015 White Elephant Award Best Actress Star Nominated [18]
2015 Vilnius International Film Festival Best Lithuanian Actress Nominated [21]
2016 Honfleur Russian Film Festival Best Actress Dreamfish Won [25]
2017 Silver Crane Award Best Supporting Actress Emilia Nominated [26]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Klusas, Mindaugas (13 October 2010). "S. Janušauskaitė: visos chameleono spalvos". Lietuvos žinios (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  2. ^ a b Абакумова, Анна (18 December 2014). "Северия Янушаускайте, "Звезда": "Мне уже не 17 лет, чтобы зацикливаться на внешности"". Вокруг.тв (in Russian). Archived from the original on 13 December 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  3. ^ a b Шабынина, Женя (15 December 2015). "Северия Янушаускайте: "Меня удивило поведение русских мужчин"". Кино-Театр.ру (in Russian). Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  4. ^ "Aktorė Severija Janušauskaitė: "Mane išvysite visai kitu amplua"". lrytas.lt (in Lithuanian). 14 April 2015. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  5. ^ ""Moteris iš praeities" – meilės pažadai grįžta bumerangu". Menų faktūra (in Lithuanian). 18 September 2006. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Ivona, Burgundo kunigaikštytė". Lietuvos teatro metraštis (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  7. ^ Trinkūnaitė, Šarūnė (2008). "Patriotai". Lietuvos teatro metraštis (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Teatro dienos proga bus tradiciškai įteiktos Auksinio scenos kryžiaus premijos". Alfa.lt (in Lithuanian). 3 March 2008. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  9. ^ "Barbora ir Žygimantas". Lietuvos teatro metraštis (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  10. ^ Braškytė, Alma (11 April 2011). ""Persona": programa minimum". Menų faktūra (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  11. ^ a b c "Fortune". Kaunas Artists' House Lithuanian art news website. 25 March 2014. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  12. ^ "Intymumas". VDU teatras (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 4 August 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  13. ^ a b c "Severija Janušauskaitė CV". Actors Agency Lithuania. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  14. ^ "2011". Moscow International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  15. ^ a b "Winners of the 25th Open Russian film festival Kinotavr". Kinotavr. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  16. ^ a b "Лауреаты премии "Золотой Орёл" за 2014 год". Национальная академия кинематографических искусств и наук России (in Russian). 22 January 2015. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  17. ^ a b c d "Номинанты Национальной кинематографической премии "Ника" за 2014 год". Российская академия кинематографических искусств (in Russian). Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  18. ^ a b "2014 - Номинанты и призеры Национальной премии кинокритики и кинопрессы "Белый Слон"". Гильдия киноведов и кинокритиков России (in Russian). Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  19. ^ "Jury of International Competition". Tbilisi International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  20. ^ a b ""Kino pavasaris" skelbia pretendentes į geriausios lietuvių kino aktorės titulą". moteris.lt (in Lithuanian). 1 March 2013. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  21. ^ a b "Paskelbti Geriausio metų Lietuvos kino aktoriaus ir aktorės nominantai". Kinfo (in Lithuanian). 13 March 2015. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  22. ^ "Северия Янушаускайте". Россия 1 (in Russian). Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  23. ^ "Competition". Kinotavr. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  24. ^ "2016 - Номинанты и призеры Национальной премии кинокритики и кинопрессы "Белый Слон"". Гильдия киноведов и кинокритиков России (in Russian). 13 January 2016. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  25. ^ a b "Palmarès - 24e Festival du Cinéma Russe à Honfleur". Festival Honfleur (in French). Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
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  27. ^ Fry, Andy (14 June 2017). "From Russia with love". Drama Quarterly. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  28. ^ Denk, David (13 October 2017). "So überwältigend und doch so steril". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  29. ^ "Severija - Zu Asche, Zu Staub (Psycho Nikoros) – (Official Babylon Berlin O.S.T.)". YouTube. 24 November 2017. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  30. ^ ""Babylon Berlin"-Song stürmt die Charts – darum ist "Zu Asche, zu Staub" so gut".
  31. ^ "Blitz kino klausimai "Sidabrinė gervė" nominantei S. Janušauskaitei: su kuo norėtų papietauti žinoma aktorė?". Kinfo (in Lithuanian). 2 June 2017. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  32. ^ "Lėlių ir gyvo kino spektaklis vaikams "Mergaitė su degtukais"". Menų spaustuvė (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  33. ^ "Evolution". Vilniaus teatras „Lėlė“. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  34. ^ "Now You See It / Now You Don't". Vilniaus teatras „Lėlė“. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  35. ^ "Ramunės Piekautaitės kolekcijos veidu tapo aktorė Severija Janušauskaitė". lrytas.lt (in Lithuanian). 15 April 2017. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  36. ^ Štuikienė, Dovilė (13 February 2016). "Aktorė Severija Janušauskaitė: "Mane vadina kino maniake, nes jaučiu satisfakciją, kai varau iki paskutinio"". 15min (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2017.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]