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Models are going to love me for it!
Over the past decade, Russian-born Luss has become one of the most sought-after models in the fashion industry.
But the catwalk was never really her end goal.
As early as age 8, she was taking parts in plays likeJonathan Livingston Seagull.
(She played an abortion angel in a Moscow production.)
The world simply wasnt made aware of her talents until a chance scouting by a controversial French filmmaker.
Annadirector Besson is known for habitually stocking his thrillers and visually gonzo sci-fi films with models.
(He tortured me!
Luc was always asking questions.
He knew that I was frustrated with modeling by that moment.
It was not interesting anymore.
So he was like, Is acting something youre serious about?
And I was like, Yes, very much.
And he was like, How do you see your life in five years?
I said, In five years, Im going to have an Oscar.
But let me see if I can help you.
He knew that Im writing a lot and I asked him, May I yo have a few screenplays?
Like maybeThe Fifth Elementor something, so I could just see how you write, she recalls.
Thats when he sent meAnna.
I was like, Wow, I never heard of it.
And he said, Yeah, because its new.
Then hes like, Would you want to do the role of Anna?
A kind of shoot-em-up Cinderella story that fits into theAtomic Blonde,Red Sparrow, andSaltfamily of espionage tales.
She then continued the grueling regimen throughout principal photography.
Physically, it was hard.
A lot of people ask me, Who got beaten up the most?
And Im like, Me!
Its the kind of star-making performance that should be familiar to Besson completists.
No word yet on whether shell appear in the movies rumoredsequel.)
(He has consistently denied the charges.)
Consequently,Annas release was delayed when Bessons company, EuropaCorp,shut downits in-house distribution business.
In February, after a nine-month investigation, a Paris prosecutordismissedthe rape allegations against Besson for lack of evidence.
I know Luc for about five years now, Luss says, haltingly.
I know his family.
I know his wife.
I know his daughter.
And I know a lot of women who worked with Luc.
I have never seen anything but care and gentleman behavior from Luc.
I know, of course, this case.
But from what I experienced, I could not believe it.
I had a few friends on staff, they were models.Wecould not believe it.
Because what I saw from Luc was just a great person.
(Besson is participating in limited promotional events for the film.
He declined to comment for this article.)
The actress is more comfortable speaking about the Oscar she sees five years in her future.
I have a unique situation, Luss concludes.
I came out of nowhere.
