What is the best thing that I love about my work?

The thing that I love about my work the best is that I get to explore all kinds of human emotions and situations that can range from the most common to the most extreme or extravagant of the human experience, all under the guise of art. I think that making believe or acting is one of the keys that we are lucky to have in order to achieve in-depth understanding of situations and people that can be otherwise out of our reach.

What is my idea of happiness?

I would love to achieve a state where I am able to easily and safely explore the world, satisfy my desires as they come up and see my dreams come true.

When I was very little, about four or five, I remember my grandmother carrying me on her shoulders on our way to a patch of land that she grew plants on. She felt like a giraffe and I was a witness to a luxurious view. The village’s prune trees were spilling outside the neighbours’ fences and it was common knowledge that whatever grew through the pickets was for the passers-by. She would ask me if I wanted prunes, and when I said yes, she would just reach out, pick one, wipe it against her shirt and hand it to me. It was my idea of heaven.

What is my greatest fear?

All the unpleasant things that I imagine I will have to face alone, including death. A close second would be leaving this life and not achieving my potential.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself?

Physically, my obsessions with different traits change according to the season; in terms of personality, I wish I would dare more and procrastinate less.

Which living persons in my profession do I most admire?

There are many extremely talented and inspiring people in my profession; lately I’ve been very much in awe of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, creator of “Fleabag” and Michaela Coel, creator of “I May Destroy You”. They bring me hope and courage to step out into the creative world with original, personal works.

What is my greatest extravagance?

I don’t have to wake up very early in the morning. On most days.

On what occasion would I lie?

I would lie to protect myself. This includes playing dumb when I feel harassed as a woman.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work?

The fear that sometimes freezes me up and makes it hard to explore certain characters.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work?

A few years back, I was performing with the theatre company that I am a part of, “Compagnie Galante”. Our show, CUT, is about femininity and female sexuality and whenever we performed in less conventional spaces and the audience wasn’t sat in total darkness, if I could see that they were being touched by what we were performing, I was also deeply moved.

On film, I was happiest with one of my latest short film projects, where I could feel that there was a very good understanding between me and the director.

If I could, what would I change about myself?

I think fully operational wings would be quite cool!

What is my greatest achievement in work?

When I manage to move audiences with my work, when people feel like they can resonate with the characters and with the story and they find catharsis.

Where would I most like to live?

Somewhere sunny, probably in the southern hemisphere. Or at the Mediterranean.

What is my most treasured possession?

Practically speaking, my computer. Emotionally, my 32 year-old teddy bear.

What is my most marked characteristic?

One thing that always surprises people is how tall I am (I’m almost 180cm/ 6ft).

What is my most inspirational location, in my city?

I cannot say I have one in particular, since many places in Paris are gorgeous. If I feel like I need time to myself, for pondering, I find it very inspiring and therapeutic to walk through this amazing city; or to sit hidden away in the many folds of a Parisian café.

What is my favourite place to eat and drink, in my city?

My friends’ houses. I love a home cooked meal!

What books influenced my life and how?

I think one of the first authors to influence me was Hans Christian Andersen. I remember having very strong emotional reactions to certain passages in his stories. After the fairy tale phase, I didn’t like reading for a long time: the books that were accessible to me and that we had to read for school were very boring and tedious. It wasn’t until I read Harry Potter in middle school that I started taking pleasure in reading. I’ve recently read Marina Abramović’s Walk Through Walls which I enjoyed and found a lot of comfort in.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day?

Soul, Nina Simone and Norah Jones.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction?

The Margarita from “The Master and the Margarita”. I admire how well she knew herself and how she didn’t let outside dogmas and agendas overpower her.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life?

I especially look up to the women in my family, who never stop learning and exploring.

Which movie would I recommend to see once in a lifetime?

It always changes, but one that came to mind reading this question was a dark documentary about a pair of twins, “Tell Me Who I Am”.

What role play stories in my life and work?

They are everything.

What do the words ‘You are the storyteller of your own life’ to me?

I think it has to do with the responsibility that we all have to take our potential to its full achievement. To take charge of what happens in our lives, to explore possibilities and not be a passive witness to our lives.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime?

My friends and family because they are there to support me and cheer me on.

Which people or companies would I like to work with in 2022?

I would be honoured if I could work with

Wes Anderson

David Lynch

Pedro Almodóvar

Guillermo del Toro

Roberto Benigni

Greta Gerwig

Corneliu Porumboiu

Iulia Rugina

Audrey Diwan

Giuseppe Tornatore

What project, in 2022, am I looking forward to work on?

I’m looking forward to developing a project called “us.critters”, which will consist in a series of video interviews with people speaking about their fantasies or darkest thoughts or moments, under artistic disguise, in hope that this experience will help them achieve catharsis. I hope to be able to launch the project by late spring.

Where can you see me or my work in 2022?

In Paris, at the beginning of June, I will take part in a show with a few of Christopher Durang’s short plays; and in festivals, with three of the short films I have worked on last year: A Snail On A Razorblade by Linné Human; Little Obsession by Elsie Collado; Erinyes by Meredith Hoarau.

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me?

It means keeping alive and always having unfinished business – in the best of ways!

Which creative professionals should Peter invite to tell their story?

Diana Gradinaru

Tatsiana Lazouskaya

Rachella Kingswijk

Linné Human

Meredith Hoarau

Sei Shiomi

Bruce Sherfield

Anton Bonnici

David Gail

Hamza Fouad

How can you contact me?

My IG profile is ralu.nechita