— Describe the “Hockey Fathers” project in a few words.
— A mischievous and positive family movie that talks about family values, sports and passion. Awesome movie!
— Tell us about your character – who is he, what is his character, why do you like him?
“He is a complex character who will change as the film progresses. One person was one thing, but he will become another – and that’s great! He will understand that family and children are the most important thing. And the team is also very important.
— There are several successful domestic projects related to hockey – “Legend No. 17”, the series “Molodezhka” and others. Do you think there is a chance for the “Hockey Godfathers” to stand on the same level as them and popularize hockey?
– Yes, we definitely want to be on the same level as them.
— Were your hockey skills enough to star in the movie? Was serious training required?
— Yes, I had enough skills, but training was still needed. We went out onto the ice at six in the morning, especially with bags and sticks. We trained before our theater and other main work, all the actors took their preparation very seriously. We were trained by our friend, comrade and colleague Sasha Martyanov, who starred in films with us.
— A few years ago there were reports in the media that you went to hockey matches to support your friend, hockey player Pavel Datsyuk. Do you continue to go to the games, which team do you support?
— I continue, SKA St. I support St. Petersburg. And Pasha is a great, great, legendary hockey player and a very good person. Write it this way. He did a lot to popularize this sport.
— The characters in the movie are ready to become hockey players for the sake of their children, even though they have never been on the ice. Would you do the same if you were the heroes?
– Yes, that’s exactly what parents should do. How else? The values we generally talk about in the movie are love for children and homeland, and respect for elders. These are basic things. Naturally any normal parent will do more than just slide for the sake of their child.
—Are you always there for your children, even if they are wrong? How do you explain this to them?
– It’s a complicated matter. We have conflict situations. Sometimes they don’t understand something, sometimes I can’t understand them either. I’m trying to protect my children from the mistakes I made. Sometimes they listen, sometimes they misbehave, but this is normal for children. Even if they are 50 years old, they will always remain children for us. We try to spread straw on them to protect them from all kinds of unrest. You should talk to the children. And the most important thing is to love.
— Your son Vladimir also acts in films and works at the Moscow Art Theater. Chekhov. What kind of father are you to her? Are you trying to pay attention to him and support him with advice, or are you watching his career from the sidelines?
– No, we don’t even say hello. I’m kidding, of course. When he asks me something, of course I give him advice because I have more experience. We are friends, we consult both in business and in life. We have a great relationship. He is a serious artist, he acts in more plays than me. Now he has a lot of work in movies and two TV series. I hope they will be successful too.
— How do you feel when you look at his success?
“I’m glad he got a job that fulfilled him.” I’m glad he grew up to become a great artist. Very good.
— Are there certain rules and traditions in your family?
“We get together for family holidays and go to church on Sundays. I believe that on all birthdays the family should gather at the same table.
— Do you dream of moving with your family from the Moscow region to another place, for example, to a warm region?
– To Crimea – but this is in the future, as work, time and financial situation allow.
— The sequel to “National Security Agent” came out nearly 20 years after the original series. How does it feel to return to one of your first big roles?
— First I met Dmitry Svetozarov, a wonderful director and the smartest person. This is the most important thing that ever happened to me. Then let the audience judge. I haven’t watched the series yet.
— What are you grateful for this project?
– For all. When we started shooting there was nothing; literally nothing. This was the second series of this kind, after “Streets of Broken Lanterns”. We can say that then it was the birth of a new Russian cinema. They recognized me from this film, I gained tremendous experience working with great artists – Andryushka Krasko, Andrey Tolubeev, Vadim Yakovlev – great directors. It was a blessing to be involved in this project.
— Which movies and TV series make you particularly proud of your participation?
— I have a good TV series “Liquidation”, the movie “Poddubny”, “Isaev”. And recently the movie “Russian Cross” was released.
— You have been in the industry for many years and during this time the industry has developed a lot technically and the formats have become more dynamic. Do people and teamwork change?
“They were, and still are, scoundrels.” Joke. People do not change and remain dedicated to their work, carrying everything on themselves. We have broken away from world cinema, but it seems to me that this will only benefit us. We must develop our cinema, reach the audience, convey meaning, talk to them, understand what is happening. And the people who work in cinema are passionate and dedicated. It can be difficult sometimes, but they endure everything because they love this job. That’s the bottom line; If you love your job, over time it will start to love you too.
— What is modern youth like for you? What men can you give as examples to others?
— I came from Belgorod recently, we watched a movie there, the hall was full, then I talked to the young people. They asked very smart and difficult questions – curious guys, they want to get to the bottom of something, they talk openly about their lives.
— What socially important projects are you involved in?
— We opened the Leylak Rhythmic Gymnastics Center in Belgorod. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov invited me to participate in this event. Also present were Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin and gymnast Svetlana Khorkina. The Belgorod region is surprising in terms of how much attention is paid to children and athletes. An adaptive sports center was opened there, we saw three new certified football fields – in general, very cool.