– You said that you dreamed of becoming an actress from the age of 5. Do you remember what influenced your decision then?
– That’s right, from the age of 5 she dreamed of becoming an actress. Evgeny Pavlovich Leonov inspired me a lot. As a child he loved to watch “Zigzag of Fortune” and “Gentlemen of Fortune”. And I still enjoy watching movies with her participation. For me he is a god in the profession. At the time, the parents were against my decision, but of course they were very happy when they saw me on the screen.
– Most Russians heard about you thanks to the role of Lieutenant Anatoly Dukalis in The Streets of Broken Lights. 16 seasons were filmed throughout the entire series, what emotions did you feel during the shoot? Do you miss your hero?
– I’m proud of him. This simple and cool guy Tolya Dukalis is to have in my career. Also, I personally know a real person who served as the prototype of my hero. His name is Anatoly Dukul, lieutenant colonel. He is very kind, funny, helps children. I’m happy to be lucky enough to have him on screen as a “real person”. Do I miss my hero? I cant say. Yes, this is my star role, but I keep going.
– How would you explain the popularity of long-running TV series about police officers?
“The power is in the truth that flows from there. In addition, in them good always triumphs over evil, and this captivates the audience. It’s good to see justice triumph.
– In addition to “Streets of Broken Lights”, “Opera. Diaries of the homicide department”, “Deadly Force” and the last “Policeman from Rublyovka”. Have you ever felt like you are the hostage of an image?
– Of course there is a desire to play something different, different. I think I am partially successful in my doctor or father roles. It happens when I’m offered to play the cop role one more time, and I refuse. “Enough is enough” I say to myself. The main thing is that this role should not be assigned to you forever. It’s nice to have the opportunity to try yourself in a different way.
– Recently, a movie was released with your participation – the sports drama “Bull Terrier” by Vasily Bystrov about boxing. What was it like working with Vladimir Mineev? Most people know him as the MMA champion, how did he appear to you as a player?
– I love it. Good man. Although he was not an actor, he played all the dramatic scenes perfectly. It was a pleasure working with him, I can say “as a partner”. All the scenes I participated in were shot in just one day. I had a small portion.
Shot from the movie “Bull Terrier” (2022)
Film company VOLGA
– What do you think about boxing and other martial arts?
– I love sports, but I don’t do it myself because of my age. movie sports (smiles).
– Do you think sports dramas such as “Bull Terrier” or “Rugby” will be able to raise the morale of Russian athletes, who are excluded from almost all international competitions?
“Of course they can. But I can say this: the USA and Europe are not the whole world. I do not understand this hatred of the so-called civilized countries for our country. Of course, at international competitions and championships I am surprised that they want to do without Russian athletes, especially our figure skaters. Is it possible to feel the best if the leaders are excluded? Politics and sports should be separated, but in reality politics still plays a role, unfortunately.
– In Bull Terrier, your trucker hero tells the main character that the most important thing in life is not to miss your chance. Tell me, have you ever regretted a missed opportunity?
– I absolutely agree with the words of my hero. In the fairy tale about Ivan Tsarevich, who caught the firebird by the tail, you have to wait for your lucky luck in life. I’m sure this can happen once or twice in every person’s life, the main thing is to feel the moment. This wonderful bird actually exists, so you should always be internally tuned to success and victory – then it will definitely sit on your shoulder.
As for missed opportunities, I’m a living person, anything happened. Somehow I was offered to appear in a commercial for a lot of money, which I declined. Then I thought that participating in commercials before the premiere of the picture might prevent the audience from taking me seriously. Then I doubted I was doing the right thing because the movie moved on silently. Yes, it’s a pity I didn’t get that money, but I still did well in painting. I believe this is because the movie wasn’t showing in prime time, not because of my acting game.
– You have played close to 80 movie roles during your career. Which of the characters do you like the most?
– Of course, the most loved one of the characters I had the chance to play is Tolya Dukalis. My star role.
Is there a character you would like to play in the future but haven’t played yet?
– The hero of our time. He is in demand today. This is close to my taste. In general, I like to play really good dads. (smiles).
– In February, the comedy “Naughty” was released, in which you played the father of the main character. According to the plot, your on-screen son shoots provocative videos, including church. What do you think of jokes? And as a parent, do you think teens should be punished for such pranks?
— I do not like such jokes, but unfortunately, in such situations parents lose to their children. Sometimes it makes more sense to admit your own defeat. The truth is, I’m currently working on the continuation of this story, so I can’t answer in detail. All I can say is that Naughty 2 will have a different story.
Shot from the movie “Bull Terrier” (2022)
Film company VOLGA
– How do you see the future of Russian cinema in connection with the departure of the greats from Russia?
— Nothing in the world is an obstacle to real artists. They will continue to work. You reflect too. I guess domestic films will now have fewer rivals in Western blockbusters. But I have great respect for European and Hollywood movies.
It seems to me that even during the Second World War the United States managed to secure a place in the status of “film power” due to the fact that its soldiers were accompanied everywhere by reporters. Even then, Americans managed to instill their culture and perceptions into Europeans. They are undoubtedly ahead of other countries, including us, in the amount of money spent on film production and promotion. This cannot but affect the quality of the movie.
Does that mean we have to stop shooting? I do not think so. Each country has its own characteristics: light comedies are popular in France, in Italy audiences often watch movies without words, and in our country they make honest films, I think.
– While talking about import substitution, the focus was on Asian countries. Recently, Nikita Mikhalkov proposed to create an Eurasian analogue of the Oscars, what do you think of his idea?
– I think it can be done. Russia is historically a great and powerful country. We have always been, will be and will be a part of both Europe and Asia. I understand Mikhalkov’s proposal, his patriotic feelings. So far, everything exists only in words, but it seems to me that such an award can be “promoted”.
– Can you imagine as an actor working on a joint project with colleagues from China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, India or Korea?
— Of course, I can imagine such cooperation. Take at least my colleagues from Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and India – I have worked with them. True, there was no joint experience with China. Although we did not know the national language, we understood each other very well. Nevertheless, the whole world worked according to the method of Konstantin Stanislavsky and Mikhail Chekhov. Even Hollywood has not produced more effective systems.
— Given the cultural characteristics of Asian countries, do you think your films will be of interest to the Russian audience?
– They are not close to us in mentality, so the audience will not immediately go to them. This is where you need to develop a habit. They will follow over time. It’s like a police show. When they first appeared, people started watching. Now is another time. If “police subjects” disappear for a month and a half, I’m not sure they will be remembered. There is a lot of content in the internet age. You cannot stop progress.
— What stories, themes, genres and heroes will be in demand in the current circumstances? Are there stories that the Russian audience especially needs today?
Boris Polevoy wrote “The Tale of a Real Man”. We don’t have enough pictures like this. Real. Seriously, I don’t know any other country [кроме России]where people breathe very freely. Sometimes I get upset that Russian directors try to show our reality to please the West.
In our series they will show a luxurious country house, but a simple person lives differently. All this looks very funny, so I am against imitation. All these watch and car brands are no longer impressive. What is interesting are the problems that a person lives and thinks about.
Which director would you like to work with in the future?
– I would really like to work with Vasily Shukshin, but unfortunately he is no longer alive. I really like the movie “Kalina Krasnaya”. If we talk about the current directors, I will be glad to play with Vladimir Kott, Yegor Anashkin, Maxim Brius and Anya Mirokhin. I like that these directors do not dominate the set, but discuss the future project on an equal footing with everyone. I would also highlight the work of Alexei German and Karen Shakhnazarov. Directorial visions are 100% reliable.
Source: Gazeta
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.