|
Victoria Zdrok Interview
(Playboy Centerfold October 1994)
Victoria Zdrok came to the United States when she was just 16.
Almost overnight she started appearing on the covers of magazines, appearing
on t.v talk shows, and starring in videos and movies.
She was crowned Philadelphia’s “Best Beauty” and featured
on the covers and profiled inside Philadelphia Magazine’s August 1994
and May 1995 issues.
In October 1994, Victoria Zdrok appeared as the Centerfold in Playboy Magazine.
From that point on she was featured numerous times on Entertainment Tonight,
Extra, American Journal, Hard Copy, Inside Edition, the Howard Stern Show,
AM Philadelphia and Last Call.
In addition to her good looks, Victoria speaks 5 languages.
She graduated from college at age 18 in the Top 1% of her class.
She holds a law degree and a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology.
Blonde, beautiful, and smart.
That’s Victoria Zdrok.
In June 2002 she was featured as the Penthouse Pet in Penthouse Magazine.
Victoria Zdrok spoke with us about her life.
Q – Since you have a law degree, are you a
practicing attorney?
A – I have a law degree, but I don’t practice law at the present
time because I’m really busy with modeling. I’m with a big modeling
agency in New York. I’m busy with modeling, my website, promotions
and appearances. So, I really couldn’t have time for law. But, I do
have that option if I ever want to for the future.
Q – What type of law would you be specializing
in?
A – Either Entertainment Law or International Business Transactions.
Mostly contract stuff. Either one of ‘em would involve contract stuff.
It wouldn’t involve litigation or criminal law.
Q – You would probably make more money in Entertainment Law, wouldn’t
you?
A – Yeah. I just like International Business Transactions ‘cause
I like to travel a lot and I speak several foreign languages so it’s
convenient in that way.
Q – What are you doing at these personal appearances you’re
making?
A - I’m signing photos. What happens when you’re a Playmate,
and I was a Playmate in October of 1994; you do a lot of promotions for
them. They have a lot of clients. Penthouse has Baccardi. So, you become
like Miss Baccardi. So, you’re out promoting particular products as
well as the magazine. Signing magazines. Telling them about the products,
doing various conventions. Appearing at the conventions. You become like
a spokes model for various advertisers that are associated with the magazine.
So, it keeps you busy.
Q – Whose idea was it for the website?
A – It was my idea. I’ve spoken to several other models that
have started websites and they thought the Internet was a really interesting
medium to reach people.
Q – You came to the U.S. at the age of 16?
A – Correct.
Q – Did you come over with your parents?
A – No. I came as a foreign student, the first Ukrainian student
under a special program. I only had a one year student visa for that time.
I was supposed to go to high school, but, I ended up in college because
our educational system is a lot stronger so I was placed directly in college
at 16. What happened is, after a year, I really fell in love with the United
States and didn’t want to go back, so, I got married at 17 to stay
in the States.
Q – And, you’re still married?
A – No. I got divorced 5 years later.
Q – Did you speak English when you arrived
in the States?
A – Yes. I came on a scholarship so I spoke English really well.
Q – How long after that did you start appearing
on magazine covers? Did you get an agent?
A – I originally came as a student to Florida. My ex-husband was
from Philadelphia. So, I moved to Philadelphia and I think we just got approached
by one of the scouts. I started instantly doing small things like Sears
catalogue. A lot of catalogue work. I ended up on the cover of Philadelphia
Magazine in ’94 and also posed for Playboy and appeared in Playboy
Magazine. Playboy approached me as well. I met a Playboy scout in Chicago.
I was there for a convention. So, that’s how it came about, but I
started basically in catalogue modeling.
Q – How does being in Playboy change your life?
A – Pretty dramatically because before that I was pretty much of
a bookworm. I just wanted to get my education and (was) looking forward
to having a professional career. And then once I got involved in Playboy
there was a whole other list of opportunities with a lot of money to be
made in modeling and appearances and lots of travel. I remained in school
throughout the whole thing, but, I took a lot of time off; as much as o
could and still be enrolled in school.
Q – What were you hoping would happen when you posed for Playboy?
You’d be approached for a t.v. role? A film role?
A – Whatever. You’re just looking forward to various interesting
projects. It could be a t.v. show. I ended up in some ‘B’ movies.
You explore that aspect, the acting aspect. Some interesting model contracts.
Of course part of it is just making money. As a student, you’re poor,
going through law school, graduate school. So, it was both looking forward
to various opportunities and making money while having fun.
Q – Are there other women in the Ukraine who would like to do what
you’ve done?
A – Oh, I’m sure. There are tons and tons of beautiful women
who would love to.
Q – It almost seems that if you’re a
woman and considering a showbiz career, you also have to consider nude
modeling. Why is that? It almost seems sexist?
A – It is a bit sexist. I don’t think you really have to go
that route. I think there are plenty of actresses that have gone through
the theatrical route of New York and have other training. It’s only
a small category of women that choose that route. But then, I don’t
think they ever end up with serious roles. How many serious roles are Jenny
McCarthy and Pamela Anderson going to get? None. But, they have fun projecting
that particular image. So, it’s just one of many routes. I don’t
thing it’s the one and only route. For men, it’s sort of the
equivalent of the Mr. Olympic contest, the Arnold route. The Big Muscles.
Fitness Champion sort of route. You see a lot of guys getting roles in action
films that have this body-building background. So, it’s slightly different.
I don’t know how many Playgirl Men Of The Month end up in movies.
Maybe a few of them do. For men having the bodybuilding athletic background
helps, in action films.
Q – So, what happens to the majority of the Playboy, Penthouse Centerfolds
if they don’t go on to t.v. or movie roles?
A – I think you have to look at it as a temporary state for when
you’re young and you’re having fun, to make a lot of money to
invest, to make money the easy way, make interesting connections and meet
interesting people. You can’t take it too seriously. That’s
why I stayed in school throughout the whole thing. The website became another
way of sort of perpetuating the career. Playmates, some of them in their
late 40’s like Debra Jo Fondren, Playmate of the Year in 1978, has
a website. There’s a couple that are in their 40’s and 50’s
that have websites. So, it’s one way to take these titles and make
money on them and continue to perpetuate that. Most of it is just a stage.
Some of them try to get maybe a show host (position) like ‘The Price
Is Right’. Many of them end up working for the cos. In Playboy many
of the make-up artists and cosmetologists were former Playmates. Also, people
in the promotional department are former Playmates. The main woman in the
Penthouse promotions was a Penthouse Pet Of The Year. Some of them actually
end up working for the corporations after their 15 minutes of fame is over.
Some of them end up being Feature Dancers. The point is to make quick easy
money and see what you can do with it. The Internet provides a whole new
vista ‘cause all of a sudden you’re your own boss. You can work
from home. You can even have a family and run these sites fro years and
years which a lot of Playmates are doing.
Q – What’s life like for you on a daily
basis?
A – Besides a law degree, I also have a masters in clinical psychology.
I actually have a double degree. I’m finishing my Ph.D in clinical
psychology. I get up in the morning and return phone calls to various agents
and see if I have any kind of work. If not, I work on my site. I do a lot
of work on it myself, the updates. It’s weekly picture updates, and
has chats and some ‘live’ streaming from my house. I work on
my site. It’s a ton of work. Probably at least 40 hours a week. Then
I work on my dissertation for my Ph. D in my spare time on the days that
I don’t have promotions or modeling jobs. So, that’s sort of
like what my life is like when I don’t get to travel.
© Gary James All Rights Reserved
|
