#45 — Why Great Actors Know People Better Than Most | Kristina Pakhomova: "Villains Don't See Themselves As Villains.”

What do great actors know that the rest of us don't? According to Kristina Pakhomova — Russian actress, filmmaker, and founder of the Authentic Transformation Academy — the answer is simple: themselves. In this episode, Nicole Lee sits down with Kristina to explore how acting isn't about pretending to be someone else — it's about understanding yourself so deeply that pretending becomes impossible. From the red carpet at Cannes to the golden cages of expat life — this is a conversation about self-awareness, authenticity, and what it really means to stop performing and start living.TIMESTAMPS00:00 — Introduction00:47 — Who Is Kristina Pakhomova?01:26 — From Russia To Singapore: A Journey Of Rediscovery06:53 — Making "Regina": Turning Self-Doubt Into Art12:28 — Expat Life: The Hidden Emotional Cost Nobody Talks About32:37 — Getting Featured In Vogue & Why It Still Wasn't Enough20:08 — How Acting Teaches You To Stop Pretending20:56 — We're All Acting. The Question Is — Are You Aware?24:50 — The Psychology of Villains26:01 — What Great Actors Know About Human Behaviour That Most People Don't26:47 — How To Communicate With Presence, Body & Voice36:39 — One Acting Tip That Will Change How You Show Up39:51 — What Does “You Never Know” Mean To KristinaTODAY'S GUEST🌐 Website: https://www.theatacademy.com/🌐 Instagram: @pakhom_kris🌐 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-pakhomova-0a34a761/CONNECT WITH ME🌐 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleleethisisme/🌐 Instagram & TikTok: @nicoleleethisisme🌐 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nicoleleethisisme🌐 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5uRGujeye6cPVvaIGsAt7p?si=91942ccd3c054c1e🌐 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-never-know-with-nicole-lee/id1789080795 🌐 Website: www.youneverknow.co🌐 Partnership & Speaking Enquiries: [email protected] WATCH NEXT► Patterns of Power: History, Geopolitics & Investing | Meng Keet WONG► The Body Never Forgets: What Pain, Disease & Insomnia Are Telling You | Sufen Paphassarang► She Left Visa To Confront What The System Never Told Women | Maaike Steinebach💌 I'm Nicole Lee. I spent more than a decade in private banking, took a leap of faith into fintech, walked away without a job while navigating a defining life transition — and started the You Never Know Podcast to have real conversations that challenge the way we think, what we believe, and how we live. Today, I'm also a moderator, speaker, and podcast producer — partnering with visionary leaders and businesses to shape strategic narratives through authentic storytelling.