I've never lived in Eastern Europe, although both my wife and I have ancestors in Poland and Russia - but I can see the scenes I create.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I was researching my family tree, and I was deeply hoping I was going to turn out to be Eastern European, but I'm not.
Now, actors get so familiarized with Eastern Europe. I never imagined I'd get as familiar with Budapest and Prague and places like that in my life.
I've lived in Paris. I've lived in the Slovak Republic. I've spent extensive time in England, and I've traveled all over Europe.
I know a lot of Eastern Europeans, and because of what they have been through and what they have seen, they have an attitude where they are not easily fooled.
I've never set a book in Europe. I've lived in Europe three times, but somehow or other it wasn't the experience that engaged me in that way.
My family history, like that of many Polish, German and Jewish families from Central Europe in the 20th century, is complex.
I have a European frame of mind and Europe is my home.
I was born in Eastern Europe, in Latvia, and I'm fluent in Russian.
In terms of the Eastern Europe stories, my family is originally from there; even as a kid, it was the Russian writers I loved most, and I've spent a substantial amount of time there myself, traveling and on research grants.
My family's from Eastern Europe.