A native of Vladivostok Ania Gerasimova-Spiering captivated America with her beauty and talent: she conquered fashion catwalks of California and New York, was featured on the covers of GQ and Inspirare and is building her acting career. Her credits include last year's "The Hungover Games", "Letters" with Winona Ryder, "The Lost World" with Will Farrell and Oscar-winning drama "Argo" directed by Ben Affleck.

Now in her thirties, Ania feels more confident than ever. Her set of weapons for success is simple:

beauty is a shield, dedication - a sword, and unshakable self-belief paves the way to a dream.

Sasha Korbut: Anya, eleven years ago you left your home - the capital of Primorsky region, Russia and flew to the United States to live and work as a model. At that point, you were twenty years old. It is considered to be a late age to start a career in modeling. Did you have a doubt whether it was going to work?

Ania Gerasimova-Spiering: I didn't even ask myself this question - trip to America seemed to me a lucky lottery ticket. I went there in the belief that all the doors would be opened for me at once. A new life was about to begin for me. Every photo shoot, every show, every audition as the last one, and was so happy to take part in this whole process of creating beauty, that if I was ever told that it was the last day of my life, I would have quietly retire, knowing that I did what wanted.

SK: How did your modeling career in the U.S. start?

AGS: San Francisco City Models agency became my first sponsor and my "ticket" to the United States. My mother having been in America, brought my portfolio to the agency. They fell in love with it and decided to sign a contract with me. The paperwork took more than two years, so I had to wait patiently and diligently to prove to the U.S. government that I am worthy of the American working visa. Finally, I got it. I arrived in San Francisco, and my work with the agency began. They pointed at my age and suggested to change my image in order to look younger and sent me to a photoshoot. Peter Jones, an unknown photographer at that time, was the first one to have taken professional photos of me. I remember the day of the photo shoot: a spacious studio, blinding light and a dark-skinned man taking pictures of me ... It was scary and exciting at the same time. When I stood in front of the camera I forgot all the modeling techniques: how to pose, to work with a photographer, and so on. And then I saw my reflection in the lens and the fear vanished.  

This photo shoot was not just one of the first, but one of the best ones in my American portfolio. I used Peter Jones's pictures the next five years - they opened the opportunities to work at various model shows, including New York Fashion Week. There I worked with the best designers and stood on the podium with a lot of famous top models including Naomi Campbell.

SK: It sounds like a fairy tale. Your whole career path was so smooth?

AGS: Unfortunately, or perhaps, fortunately, no. In New York I had a life lesson that left a bright mark on my perception of the fashion business. Back then I was taking my first steps on American runways. One of the female models decided to "help" in this difficult business. She told me about her good friend who is interested in young talents and has numerous connections in the modeling business. Of course, I was excited to meet him and show him my resume. 

The office on Fifth Avenue blended into a luxurious apartment with innumerable rooms. She introduced me to Mr. X and walked away. A middle aged man in an expensive suit - it was absolutely clear that he was incredibly rich - looked through my portfolio and said that I had a great potential and ordered his secretary to organize me a photoshoot. He asked about the size of my dress and informed me that today we were going to a VIP party where all the New York beau monde gathered. There he would introduced me to the people I needed to know. I felt like Alice in Wonderland! Cherished dreams were coming true! Meanwhile Mr. X asked me to massage his shoulders. It was awkward to refuse a man who has just promised me manna, and I agreed. He was on the phone, while I massaged his shoulders, and as soon as the phone conversation ended, he slowly began to take off his shirt inviting me to go into the bedroom. And then Alice woke up.

Of course, he did not expect from me such a violent reaction, I started screaming, said what I thought about him and about the men of his type who make this kind of proposals... At first he got scared of the crazy Russian, but then, as soon as I calmed down, he told me to sit down and said: "Listen, girl, if there is something you want to achieve, you need to put all your principles and ideals aside. It’s all about "here and now" and doing what you're told to do. Now you have a real chance to start building your career. You have to stop being a child and become an adult."

It was very painful to hear these words - I believe that there are other ways to succeed. Probably, sometimes you have to lose yourself to achieve something. But it was not my choice. I turned and walked away. I never saw this man again, neither this kind of situation happened to me in the future... I do not know what my life would have been like if I had given in to that man back then. Maybe I would have become a top model and not just a model and would have earned millions of dollars. But if I returned back to that day, I would have acted the same.

SK: Modeling is considered to be cruel and competitive and is known for its "natural" selection. How to stay strong on the ruthless arena of fashion and not to break down?

AGS: It's important to understand that you are beautiful, unique, that there is no one like you. I realized it at the age of fourteen when at school beauty contest someone said: "Gerasimova, you're ugly! Here, look at that girl, she's beautiful, and you are a scarecrow! "The funny thing is that the person who said that was right - that girl was really beautiful. And at that moment I realized that I'm not her, I'm different and unique. And that's why I'm beautiful.

There are no friends in modeling. Everyone is ready to step over you just to get something they compete for. It's so insulting, so stupid ... After thousands of auditions, I realized that absolutely all the girls coming to auditions are beautiful in their own way. They are so different! It is impossible to compare a banana with a cucumber and to prove that a banana is more beautiful then a cucumber or vice versa! Will they get the work or not doesn't depend on how beautiful the model is but on the idea of producers or designers. That's the reason they arranged an incredible amount of castings - they are always looking for something new or an image they’ve already invented. A girl does not need to be upset if she wasn't chosen at a particular audition. Let's say that a Russian model took part in a casting. The producers are ready to see everyone but they are looking for something exotic for the project and eventually choose an Asian model. The question is: is there a point to give up and blame wide hips?

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SK: How do you feel yourself as being model after 30

AGS: It is absolutely different way of thinking, way of choosing work, completely different perception of fashion and it’s business. When I was 28 I could still go for auditions for teenagers, now it’s impossible, I no longer fit in that category. I got wrinkles and I like them and always ask photographers not to retouch them. 

SK: Do you envy young girls?

AGS: Absolutely not. Vice versa. I come at the auditions and see all this young faces and I smile. I smile because I realize that they are just starting and I wish I could give them some tips, advice. 

SK: And what would be the most important advice to them that you could give?

AG: Besides acknowledge their originality I would add to the list of advices two most important things. Things that 99% of girls are forgetting once they enroll in this business. First – follow good nutrition and don’t starve themselves, as for example did Isabelle Caro (a French model who died from anorexia in 2010). And second – get the degree. That’s also what I realized when I was young. Back that time I was sure that I want to be only a model thus I don’t need degree. I thought like this until once I was working on a runway. I went on podium and even did not do three steps as I twist my ankle. I finished my walk by jumping on one leg. As soon as I got backstage I fell in someone’s arms and started to cry from pain. People called emergency, I got to the hospital where they did me Xray. It turned out that I broke my ankle. Then I was disable to walk for three month. All this time I was thinking that one wrong step can spoil the whole career. Later that year I went to study Foreign Languages at Far Eastern Federal University.

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SK: What do you think is the best age to start modeling career in order to avoid psychological trauma? 

AGS: You can start modeling at very young age as long as kid’s parents understand that upbringing, education and children entertainment are primarily things and all modeling stuff are secondary. 

SK: Would you let your own kid to be involved into modeling business? 

AGS: No. Unless my child will desperately would want it. In that case I would support. But voluntarily I would not involve my child into a world of exterior beauty. 

SK: If you could chose to be the most beautiful or the most rich what would you chose?

AGS: Exterior and interior beauty. It’s my richness. 

SK: Imagine that right now you have a chance to go back to the past and meet twenty years old Ania Gerasimova who is sitting in the airport and waiting for her one way trip to the U.S. What would you tell her?

AGS: Listen too your heart.

This article was originally published in February 2014.