Regīna Devīte: Celebrating Life and Overcoming Challenges

“Even though I was born in January, I can’t stand winter because I freeze all the time. I would like to be a big bear and sleep until the buds bloom…” says Valmiera theater actress Regīna Devīte. Her birthday is on January 18.

Try what you shouldn’t

“I’m not a big birthday celebrant at all. When I was a kid, I never had the kind of parties that kids do now, but I guess I wasn’t the only one back then. I remember that my grandmother came to visit – I think it was my birthday, because she gave me a gummy bear with a metal button that beeped on the back,” says the jubilee.

But she has a vivid memory of her birthday, which was celebrated when she was already studying at secondary school in Valmiera. “Mom helped make the salad, and my classmates and I celebrated beautifully. And then I thought that the next day we should go not to school, but to the forest together! I wanted to do something that shouldn’t be done,” the actress smiles and admits that she has always wanted to try something that shouldn’t be done. “Now I’m a little more sober, but I’m generally interested in things that shouldn’t be…”

The jubilee remembers that it wasn’t too cold that day, when they lit a fire in the forest together with their classmates, and it turned out to be quite a romantic birthday adventure… «Mum, of course, didn’t know anything about it. She found out about it later at the parents’ meeting, when the educator Vija Greishkalne, who was actually a very nice teacher and with whom we are still in contact, brought this event up to her mother. Of course, we were reprimanded for wasting hours, but hours are meant to be wasted!”

Once in a lifetime you need “that big ball” in the theater

“I remember that when I entered the theater – it was 1978 – extremely beautiful anniversary balls were held for the artists. In the year of the anniversary of Pēteras Lūčas, we traveled with performances all over Latvia, tables were set everywhere, and he was greeted everywhere. The whole year passed in the same balls and joys,” says Regīna Devīte.

Having reached the threshold of 50 years, which seemed to her a terrible number at the time, but now seems like a cool age, the actress decided that once in her life she also needed “that big ball” in the theater… Director Olģerts Crowder had just staged Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple”, with which his Actress Inese Ramute celebrated her 50th anniversary, and then three months later, Regina Devīte also celebrated her 50th anniversary with the same performance.

“It was very, very nice. I had a very beautiful dress – in 1988 I was on a trip to India, from where I brought a gorgeous sari, and then I wore it to the social part of my anniversary, which was held in the theater’s small hall. I have always admired our girls Elīna Vānī, Ieva Puķi and Māra Mennika and I still remember how humorous, fun and cool they gave me a congratulation,” adds the jubilee.

Can’t stand winter

Regīna Devīte’s 60th birthday was also very beautiful and emotionally moving, which was celebrated at the hotel “Roma” run by Linda Mūrniece, where she graciously provided the actress with a restaurant with a view of the Freedom Monument.

“Mom, sister came. My mother was deported to Siberia at the age of 16, in fact a life camp, but fate was in her favor and allowed her to return to her homeland. And to celebrate my daughter’s birthday in free Latvia, in a gorgeous restaurant with a view of the Freedom Monument… It was very emotional.”

Mom told Regina that in the Amur region, where she was born, it is usually around minus 40 degrees in January, and she was very afraid whether the baby would even survive in such a cold… “Let

I was also born in January, I can’t stand winter, I freeze all the time. Maybe because I don’t dress properly, because I want to be beautiful, but in winter it’s hard to dress warmly to be beautiful… But maybe that’s why I don’t enjoy winter, that my entry into this world was so cold that I had to open the windows to break the ice… It is already said that all the mother’s experiences come with the child. Perhaps the Siberian winter has left its impression on me.»

In the place Shakespeare wrote about

Last year, the actress celebrated her birthday in England, where she went together with musicians Igo and Mārci Auziņu as part of the TV show “Dinner with my friends”. “We visited three extremely nice Latvian families there, and my birthday fell on one of them. They all gave us a very warm welcome! At first, I was afraid that they would wonder who this aunt is, because the fact that they know me in Latvia does not mean that my compatriots in England also know me, but – they recognized me already by my voice… Charming people! The entire film crew was amazing! I have a very warm memory of this trip. Of course, also with the fact that on my birthday we were at the white cliffs of Dover, an extremely beautiful place that Shakespeare wrote about in “King Lear”, the jubilee is grateful from the bottom of her heart. She says that nothing special is planned for her birthday this year, but there will definitely be a festive lunch with her family in a nice place.

Woman with yellow glasses

“When I celebrated my 50th anniversary, I only played in the theater, Zenta had not yet entered my life – “The Price of Madness” had not yet started. When I was in India, we had an excursion to an astrologer, and the astrologer told me that the second half of my life would be happier for me… And it happened – with this series, immediate recognition, the first interview… I could work and work in the theater, and no one would know me, and »Vakaras Zinėms« would probably not have this conversation either. And it’s nothing like that, simple math – how many people are watching TV and how many spectators are sitting in the theater hall of Valmiera,” says the series beloved by the audience

Actress of the role of Zenta in “UgunsGreks”. Many still associate him with Zentini and thank him for this role.

“But it’s not like I’m resting on my old, withered laurels and waiting to be congratulated on my birthday,” says the actress and reveals that this season she has a new solo show – “Woman with Yellow Glasses”, a witty and very modern comedy, which motto is: as long as we live, everything good is possible! This is exactly what happens to the main character of the show, who, despite all the hardships and betrayals, experiences the beginning of the most beautiful period of her life. “Probably only in “older years” does a person understand that his happiness cannot depend on another person – that you have to create it yourself, and not rely on others,” says the actress of the role of Maria, revealing that the show has many witty jokes that will allow have a good laugh and get a dose of sparkling optimism and energy. Regīna Devīte will visit this show on January 27 at the Grundzāle Culture House, on January 28 – at the Rozula Folk House, on February 11 – at the Gulbene Culture Center, on February 17 – at the Dikļu Culture Center, on March 8 – at the VEF Culture Palace and on March 10 – in Misas In the People’s House. Author and director of the show – Māra Ulme.

To keep the world sane

Asked what to wish her for her birthday, the jubilee refused, saying that we all want it – to end this insanity in the neighboring country. “Yesterday I listened to Slaidiņi and could not sleep at night. Ever since the war started, I’ve had a bit of wormwood flavor for every holiday. Bitterness that something like this happens these days that people have to suffer… Obviously it has nothing to do with my birthday, but I would like the world to stay sane. It would be the greatest gift for all of us,” the actress is convinced.

The birthday girl reveals that she usually gets grumpier in the run-up to her birthday, although there is no rational reason for it. “I try not to think about it, but there is no energy, absolutely no energy. When that day comes, I am happy for the congratulations, and when it passes, I feel: thank God, it has passed!”

Wish the jubilee good health, energy and a new, heartwarming and interesting role!

We sincerely congratulate the jubilarians!

2024-01-21 08:52:23


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