Fotini Atheridou in “A” / Writing is part of the expression of all of us

We met with Fotini Atheridou in the welcoming Minu Athens* in Psirriwhere he surrendered with a smile and honesty to our questions and to his camera Pavlou Paraskeva shortly before another performance of “Misanthropos” directed John Kakleas, where she is the narrator in her own poetic and humorously tongue-in-cheek way. And our conversation started from there, inevitably continued to the iconic music videos on YouTube with their millions of views and fanatical fans to reach the near future, with her first libretto in a musical becoming an event, in music Themi Karamouratides and direction G. Kaklea. She wrote texts in “Don’t start murmuring”, wrote her own complete series “The friend” for ANT1+, writes lyrics, plays, writes, writes, writes. Just talk to her and you’ll understand that she has a whole pool of ideas that are slowly appearing in our artistic universe. Gentle, methodical and with a lot of humor. And all of this makes up a distinct artistic personality, a creator with a clear and distinct theatrical and television language. This is Fotini Atheridou.

Interview with Christos Tzifa

Photos for AVGI: Pavlos Paraskevas

In “Misanthropos” by Kakleas, you exist as a narrator in your own poetic way.

It’s an idea that came to Yiannis Kakleas during our rehearsals. He wanted something cool from me. We started making some texts, which we eventually included in the project. First of all, I like it because it allows me to have my space creatively and because I feel that it gives something to the project as well. An immediacy that this work may not have. This role does that. He breaks the fourth wall with the audience, winks a little at the viewer.

Do you really care about this wink at the viewer?

I care a lot. Because too much seriousness and distance bother me. There are actors who do things that I neither can do nor have done and I admire them endlessly. I feel that I am myself and I approach everything based on what I understand.

How did you know you could write?

Take the opposite. I never realized there was a chance I couldn’t write. I believe that all people can write. They just think they can’t. Writing is part of the expression of all of us.

Don’t you feel like you’re doing it better than others?

No. I’ve just been set free. “Are you saying I can’t?”, “Are you saying it won’t work?” doesn’t enter me at all.

Does the need for acceptance exist?

Alas, good. Of course. But we’re doing something we want and hope it affects other people. To read what I write and be happy alone?

Are you going to self-censor yourself?

I am constantly self-censoring and being influenced. Many times I’ve written something, I’ve sent it to a friend and if he tells me that something doesn’t work, I rewrite it from the beginning, I throw it away. But I believe that this is what a person and an artist who wants to be called a creator should do. The artist must leave himself open to being influenced.

How did YouTube videos start?

There were some songs that I wrote from the age of 19 to 22 and I uploaded them to Facebook. My mother used to tell me that I was going to be resilly because some of them were cursing (laughs). At one point we are with Minos Theoharis in Aegina, we recorded “Irrelevant” on our cell phone for fun, then we meet Stamos Semsis. I went to his house and he had a camera in his hand. I thought he was trying to make fun of me. I sent it to my folks and they loved it. And so it went up. It was a mess. I met in them with friends and with people we wanted to do something professionally together.

Is this how you want to do things? With friends;

This is a huge wish. I know it’s not right because it’s nice to be open to new experiences, and I am. But I like to feel familiar in my work, to have intimacy. To feel comfortable and to be with friends. And when it happens and I’m not with friends, I try to recreate that comfort to be able to exist.

What difficulties have you experienced so far?

A lot. And with the lack of stability and finances. What I’ve realized lately, and I don’t think I’ve gotten it wrong, is that for me in this job for some reason I feel like people buy me as a whole package. You write with it, you play. You’re not just playing with it. I realized growing up and now having two children to support that I am now being thought of in this dual capacity. This realization, however, set me free. Because when you don’t know exactly where you are and what you are doing, what you are, you constantly have questions. They won’t take me in a line to be nice. It has never happened to me. They will look at me more holistically. So I make up my mind and take it one step further.

Was your last name ultimately a boost or a hindrance?

I used to answer both. Growing up, I can say it was more of an obstacle. Because people look at you in advance with a “let’s see”. We don’t look at anyone in advance like that, when they don’t have an adjective behind them. This “let’s see” from the beginning makes everything a little more difficult. On the other hand, he has given me a lot of information regarding the area. I grew up in situations that I believe developed my perceptual ability faster.

However, you haven’t done many things with your dad, Thodoris Atheridis. Did it happen or are you avoiding it?

Once we played at Mikro Pallas, in a play he wrote. I appreciate my dad very much and I like him very much as an actor. And I have a great time with him, we are friends. There is nothing to block me from working together. Nothing at all. As far as the business is concerned, don’t think, I also wanted to find my place in the field. I too am discovering myself better now at 33. Now that I’m discovering myself better, I really want to work with my dad and write something and play. Especially this one. I would like to write something about him, knowing him so well. I think I could write him something nice. I don’t mind anything. They will happen in their own time.

Does being a mother make everything difficult for you at work?

Yes. Look, it’s really hard to wake up in the morning. It’s unthinkable for all actors in general, I believe. I see the other parents, they wake up in the morning, they have a normal job, they drop their child off at school. We work at night and sleep two or three. This is torture. With my partner, who is also an actor, we play elbows who will get up (laughs). And the children miss you at night. The evening is very important. Put them to sleep. It’s a difficult profession, but that’s okay, and the children adapt, let’s not go crazy.

Do you feel that MeToo has brought about meaningful changes?

I think society is trying hard, demanding a change. I don’t believe, however, that something is changing, because I believe that people have not understood what needs to change. We put titles on things. What is politically correct and what is not, what is violence and what is not, what is racism and what is not. But we don’t understand the point. We understand shapes. We don’t understand the words. No comment in itself is fascist, racist, sexist, no word, if it is not the manner, intent and essence of a person. These are not easy to move and change, unfortunately. Moms around me who have kids my kids’ age say, “No, don’t do pigtails on your brother, that’s for girls.” It eludes her. This woman may not be racist or anything. And yet, with what he says, he leaves something behind. It creates a problem. We have not understood anything. But the more a society opens up, the better we breathe. What happened with gay marriage is a huge step. It is a very optimistic change. Indeed, it can give a boost to our society. Stop it being taboo for some people if their child is gay. It is a big step towards openness. They all come out and speak their minds as if we care. No, we don’t care. Aman.

Are you intimidated by the length of what you’re about to say?

I personally try not to take a position either politically or on issues of current affairs. I have no need. It is not my business to discuss anything I said. I will talk with my friends. It’s not just fear. I don’t trust people to take it and redo it. I trust myself. I trust my interlocutors, my friends. I don’t trust people who can’t understand.

Have you suffered abusive comments?

I think yes. Under pictures for sure, but hand on heart, I tell you the truth, I don’t remember them. I have a memory that something was written, but I don’t remember. Because I don’t care. I was so lost. I won’t expose myself too much, though. If I’m somewhere naked with my child and they forcefully pull me, that will of course bother me. However, when I have chosen to expose something myself and suffer any comment, I am ok.

You do the libretto to a musical, right?

Yes, for the first time. It’s called “Ba-Ba-Ba”. He’s a father, a three-quarter actor who’s very narcissistic and self-absorbed, and he calls his family to cry for him at a funeral before he even dies. So we see, with flashback stories, the father’s relationship with the children and what has caused them. And all this with humor. I won’t tell you more. It is a deeply existential work. And it has a very bright ending too. I am excited for my encounter with the music of Themis Karamouratides. She’s a talent. I love him. I am crazy with joy. It will be directed, of course, by Kakleas, who I also worked with now on Misanthropos, and we’ve developed great communication codes with a crazy cast of actors. I will be on stage and many others.

Would you dissuade someone who wants to start this job now?

Not even. This job is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you. It also has bitterness. If you’re also a person who doesn’t like twerking, well, you won’t want to be an actor either. It’s a tough profession. Every day we are judged, every day you also experience rejection. But at the same time you are also in a state of constant creation. That wins me over.

Do you love Athens?

I don’t like this city. I would prefer to live in Thessaloniki, if possible. I like Nea Smyrni where I live and the southern suburbs. I can’t stand the center of this city. It’s in the smell and the exhaust. Apart from the Acropolis, I am not easily charmed by the center of this city.

* We thank Minu Athens for kindly providing the space for the interview and photo shoot.