– How did you get the role of the voice actor Sineglazka?
I’ve wanted to voice a character for a long time. But it’s a very family theme. At first they told me “No, your voice doesn’t match yet” because it was a long time ago, I was much younger. And then somehow it just so happened that I passed the test. And I’m like, “Hurray, I’ll sing!”
How do you remember this experience? Was it difficult at first?
– To be honest, it was difficult. I remember when I came into the studio the first day with a handshake, trying to find the right voice because mine is a bit small for this character. But it was a lot of fun because you are guided, you learn something new. An unbelievably great experience. Everything happened calmly. And on the second or third day I was comfortable. We worked on the cartoon with unrealistic hopes because a lot of effort went into its creation.
– In 2015, you voiced the magician in the cartoon called Savva. Warrior heart. Can you compare these two experiences?
– I voiced a small magician in Savva, it was a small role, and I myself was small. It was more difficult because I was distracted, I tried to concentrate, I got scared in the cabin and they recorded me next to the guys who told me what to do. It also happened that the studio we were recording at was being renovated – we took a break to wait until we stopped drilling. There was more chaos overall, but here it was more orderly and clearer.
— How was the scoring process organised? Did you communicate with your colleagues Fyodor Bondarchuk and Yulia Khlynina in the studio on behalf of your characters – or were the lines recorded separately?
– Drilling is a hermetic process, everyone does it separately from the other project participant. At first, I had no idea who voiced the cartoon, except for Fyodor Bondarchuk. This was because my father told me “Hurray, Fedya will be Leshim with us.” I knew what I had to voice and I did it. Then he met the wonderful actress Yulia Khlynina, who voiced Yaga. We shot a promotional video together. The sweetest girl – to be honest, it would be very nice to work with her. But no, the scoring process happens when you’re alone in the studio, and the director behind the booth wall tells you what to do.
– Your heroine Sineglazka – what is she like? Are there any similarities between him and the real you?
– I love Sineglazka so much, it sank into my heart. But we are very different in character because to be honest I am a more passive person than Sineglazka. I’m more of an introvert, I charge myself alone and Sineglazka is always dying to save someone or something like that. I was amazed at the character’s courage and how he retained his touch of compassion. After all, she is a princess – so behind her rebelliousness hides a small note of affection. And to be honest, I envy your determination.
– You attended the premiere of the cartoon with your family at the Oktyabr cinema. What emotions did you experience while watching? Are you satisfied with your job?
– I was very satisfied, I liked the cartoon very much. I’m so glad I was able to watch the whole thing because I’ve only watched individual episodes before. I really liked the jokes – in many cartoons this is not enough. I think the premiere itself was great. I went there with shaking hands because I’m afraid of giving an interview, of going out on the red carpet. He surpassed himself, did everything right.
How did your family and friends support you at the gala?
My father was nervous from the beginning of the day. I remember, we were looking for him, we were happy that this great work, our cartoon is finally coming out. To be honest, we were happy together. They congratulated and praised each other. My friends there said to me: “Oh, how nice, your character is not prominent, you are a great man.” I was so happy! I am very happy to be involved in this project.
— Your younger sister Vera made her film debut, voicing Jadwiga in the cartoon. Does he want to continue voicing cartoons or does he want to be an actor?
– Yes, she wants to be an actress, she does a lot, in general she is a good girl. We recorded on different days – and unfortunately I don’t even know how he recorded it. He says he likes feature films, even though he prefers them. Vera is a great guy, I didn’t even realize at first that it was her words that sounded. All I can say is that I’m proud of him.
– Do you want to try yourself as an actor on the screen or in the theater?
– I would like to try it as an experience. However, I don’t like learning large amounts of text. To be honest I can’t remember the lyrics of my songs from time to time. If I was in any movie, it would most likely be a musical and I’d have a great role, but it’s far from being the main role. I want my music to sound louder than myself in the cinema.
— How do you deal with memorizing the text before performances?
– I repeat the texts, be sure to constantly listen to the song in the car, I rehearse with my sound engineer Fedya, who was with me on stage and insured me. Sometimes the text stands in front of me. But lately, this has become much less of a problem because I’m trying to concentrate and learn all the texts.
– You will already give your first solo concert on June 15th. How is the preparation going, how does it feel to wait for this event?
– Yesterday, I collected lists so that my relatives could come there. It’s just lumpy, I’m getting ready, rehearsing three times a week for a few hours. By the way, I’m going to vocals right now, quietly trying to mentally prepare. And it seems to me that this is impossible. I have a lot of stage fright But now it seems to me that what I need to do is concert and in the end I will definitely like it. I feel very loaded.
– From the outside, your mother seems to be an ideal mother who contributes to the personality development of her children. Can you list the non-obvious facts for which you are grateful to your mother?
– Due to my mother’s hard work and development, the whole family develops with her. We learn new skills and develop by following his example. Everything is based on mutual respect: no one owes anyone anything. It all starts with the fact that if you are respected, you will be respected in return. And no one will respect you without your respectful demeanor.
— How do you prefer to spend your free time and what are your hobbies besides music?
Unfortunately I don’t have much time. I hope I can clear my schedule in May – I have a birthday soon, I want to live in some pleasure. I mostly spend time with my friends and family. Passionate about missions. Sometimes I lie in bed, watch all kinds of movies.
– There was a video on your Telegram channel where you were making something. Are you ready to cook?
Yes, I love to cook! When I have the opportunity and the strength, I do it.
What is your signature dish that you love and know how to cook?
I learned how to make onigiri yesterday. I think it’s been really great. But we didn’t have fish. I’ll buy some salted salmon here and make better onigiri.
“They’re not just made of fish, are they?” They also usually go with tofu with kimchi.
– Most of my relatives don’t eat kimchi, so I shouldn’t make the food too spicy. They do not like spicy food.
Do you read media reports about yourself? Do you encounter things that are not true or other unpleasant moments – and how do you react to rumors?
– I see everything, but I do not follow all kinds of public opinion myself, but a relative always asks, “Is this true?” I answer: “Please don’t you believe the yellow press?” I take this very negatively, because absolutely all my words are distorted, they’re not taking things from anywhere, and you’re sitting there thinking, “What’s going on?!” I think we should start filtering out what we might spread if they don’t make it clear about other people. And stop mixing words, because it could end badly.
I’ve been into it since I was little, I grew up in the showbiz atmosphere and somehow got used to it. And then, it’s so unpleasant, these types of messages affect me, I have to deal with all this. But for a person who entered show business not in childhood, but at a conscious age, for talent or other reasons, this can turn out badly. Because social pressure has a powerful effect on many. Especially if this community feels impunity for what they write on the internet. I hate the public, the yellow press, scandals – I’m usually the last to find out about messages about myself.