– In life, Nikolai Dobrynin is an open and emotional person, like many of his heroes. But in Against Everyone, the actor tried on the image of a stern grandfather, who almost never smiled. How persuasive do you think Dobrynin is in this role?
— Nikolai Nikolaevich is a wonderful artist and person, I have known and loved him for a long time. He is a great professional and approached the role with spirit and all the baggage of his experience. It seemed to me that it was very important for him to play this grandfather. Although, of course, Nikolai Nikolaevich is much younger than his hero. However, it turned out to be very convincing nonetheless.
– Did the role quickly come out behind the scenes – and how did he behave during the breaks?
– On the site he immediately becomes himself – a kind and warm person. He likes to share his warmth, is very attentive to everyone.
— Tell us about your hero Vasilisa. Who is related to Grandfather Zakhar?
– She is the bride of grandfather Zakhar and is related to both of his sons. She has two children with Viktor and is married to her twin brother, Herman. Actually, that’s what the show is about. She was a beauty queen and could have a very good future, she. But the life of Vasilisa, who came into contact with the Zanozin family, did not turn out as she had imagined. For this reason, she is content with what she has and tries to resist all the blows of fate.
– What is the character of Vasilisa?
– Vasilisa’s main character trait is her resilience. She may not think deeply about everything that happens in her life, but most importantly, she tries not to lose her heart.
– Does Grandfather support Zakhar’s stubborn struggle for the site?
– Vasilisa has no choice in general, because she has no chance to decide anything in this family. Somehow she tries to impress her father-in-law, but only to some extent because Zakhar is a relentless person and uncompromising.
– Have you ever played a villager before?
– It seems to me that this is the first experience when I play a woman with such a simple house. And overall it seemed very sweet and beautiful to me. I also love the cottage, the cottage economy.
What new things did you need to learn for the role?
– From what I had to discover for myself – this is a cow. How she milks him, takes care of him and befriends him.
– What challenged you the most on set? Have there been any unusual circumstances?
— We shot in a real residential complex, in the middle of which a real house and courtyard were built. Filming was done during the day and very often at night. And of course, we disturbed the people living in these houses. We were loud, we had a bright light. We heard various nicknames – I think quite rightly, because we really interfered in people’s lives. Therefore, I would like to apologize once again for the inconvenience. Thank you to those who have been patient and kind with us.
– The film crew created a full-fledged plot of 1689 square meters with a house, a chicken coop, a greenhouse, a well and other paraphernalia of village life in the courtyard of a real residential complex. What are your impressions of this place? Is it perceived not as decoration, but as a truly full-fledged home?
“Here I have to thank our artists, led by Alexander Kim, who built this house with the team. Honestly, when I entered the set and the shooting pavilion in Lyubertsy, I was surprised at how elaborate and unorthodox all the little things were. I was very pleased with what Sasha did.
– Would you like to organize a challenge and live in a village – not in a cottage, but in a house with a stove, wooden toilet and a house? Like the Russian peasants.
“I’m not sure I’m ready to give up the benefits of civilization altogether. But if you take it as a bit of adventure and exotic, I think it would be nice. Because I still love my cottage in the village.
– You received the Golden Eagle Award for your last role in Mom’s Penguins, and the project itself was appreciated by film critics. What do you think is the reason for your success?
– First of all, this is due to the director Natasha Meshchaninova, because the cinema is copyrighted. He is a true artist and screenwriter, a great professional and human being. Meeting him means a lot in my life, I am very grateful to him for his trust and friendship that I can always count on. I treat him very kindly, thanking him for everything he has done. This picture, of course, owes its success to the personality of the director.
Do you accept and justify the logic of the characters you play?
– The profession of acting is to understand his character, although he is a scoundrel, a murderous maniac, a complex person. Part of my job is to understand, to reason, to make it one’s own, to give some qualities to the hero. The more ambiguous, complex and contradictory characters, the more interesting. I just don’t like the word “justify”.
– How to explain the worldview of your hero in “Penguins”?
– This is a woman with internal trauma, fears and difficulties, closing one problem with another. I can’t explain it in an interview format – the character is so complex and impossible to describe it in two words. If you don’t dig too deep, I think any parent who takes a closer look at what they say and do will realize that they are often incredibly toxic to their children. They do not see themselves from the outside, they do not understand how harsh, blind, deaf, incomprehensible they are because of their personal fears. In fact, I think that adolescent conflicts between children and parents are about it.
– Do the heirs of artists have advantages while studying at acting universities? At least because of the experience of watching parents, being on the set and in the theater, being involved in any project.
– Maybe there is. This is a kind of initial attitude towards this profession and its understanding: “Hurray, how wonderful!” No, deeper. Still, I think it’s down to each acting family directly. Someone has a more frivolous attitude towards it, someone, on the contrary, is more serious. Some parents believe that this is not a profession worth doing in life and they do not prepare their children for it. And others put it all above themselves and believe that children should be artists. Therefore, how many people, so many opinions.
– What were your hobbies as a child? Did your parents want you to follow in their footsteps?
– My childhood passed quickly: once, twice – and at 16 I already studied at the institute. So I don’t even remember what it was. I think there are some prerequisites for choosing a profession: I joined circles and danced and vocalized in some school amateur performances. Perhaps the choice was quite natural.
– Do you think your children can become artists? Do you influence their hobbies?
– I allow everything in my children and understand that they can be anyone. But so far I don’t see any major prerequisites for this. We’ll see. It’s not that I’m fascinated by hobbies, but I try to see what they’re interested in – and based on that, I offer them some opportunities to participate in courses, circles. That’s why I try not to force it.
– Why did you only play a small role in the project of your father, director Sergei Ursulyak? How did you work under his leadership?
“I was so excited to have a father. It seems to me that because of such responsibility it was difficult to relax and have fun. The role was small and there was no momentum to feel the process. I can’t say that this experience was enjoyable, but I really love my father and appreciate him as a director, I look forward to the premiere that will be very soon. In general, for me, I am glad that my father remained a father above all else. Second, he’s a director for me.
— How did you spend the holiday, what are your nearest creative plans?
“Last year, I finished everything in advance and prepared gifts, and then I had a great holiday. We went to the village, for a while we were in a narrow family circle there, we greeted the New Year very quietly and humbly. I wanted this: silence, calmness, concentration. In fact, I am very glad that the holidays are over and we are able to enter daily life without any problems. I look forward to a few more days of rest before the rehearsals of the play “Zoyka’s Circle” together with the artistic director of the Pushkin Theater Evgeny Pisarev. We plan to premiere it in April.