The incident surrounding actor Sergei Selin, known for portraying Dukalis in the series Streets of Broken Lanterns, has drawn attention after he refused to read a script dealing with a disaster in Russia and visibly tore it apart. A video circulating online, reported by NEWS.ru, appears to show Selin backstage reacting to the controversial material, fueling conversations across social networks about artistic responsibility and national sentiment.
According to the report, Selin paused his work when the script touched on hardships faced by ordinary Russians and the evacuation of cities. The moment raised questions about the line between dramatic storytelling and political messaging, especially as audiences look for entertainment that remains respectful of real world events.
In his own words, Selin asserted that his role is not to mislead the public but to convey as much truth as possible. The voiceover accompanying the backstage footage suggested that Selin should lean into his acting to convey a message about Russia being in distress, an idea he reportedly rejected during the moment of confrontation with the director.
Responding to the directive, Selin reportedly stated that the country is still developing and that Russia is in a particular phase of growth. The actor emphasized the complexity of the national situation, aiming to separate dramatic storytelling from calls for alarm about contemporary reality.
When asked to continue the scene, Selin allegedly chose to leave the room and step away from the script, choosing to maintain a stance of authenticity rather than proceed with a narrative that he felt did not align with his understanding of the truth. The incident prompted discussions about creative control, responsibility, and the way sensitive topics should be handled within entertainment productions.
In a separate development, another star from Streets of Broken Lanterns, Alexey Nilov, spoke publicly about his own attempts to reach his son, highlighting personal concerns amid the broader media discourse surrounding the show. The interplay between personal life and public exposure raised questions about how actors navigate privacy in the face of a high profile project.
Earlier conversations linked the cast to a concert in Donetsk that was reportedly disrupted and to an event in Kiev that drew attention for operational difficulties. These happenings fed into a broader narrative about the pressures faced by performers in volatile regions and the responsibilities of productions when confronted with geopolitical tensions, scheduling challenges, and audience expectations.