“An actor is a plumber’s bag.” Nikita Tarasov – About “Crime and Punishment”, “Kitchen” and his dream role “Kitchen” star Nikita Tarasov admits that he doesn’t cook much 10:42

— Crime and Punishment series is one of the most anticipated projects of 2024. Can you tell us how you got into his staff?

— I found myself in the acting community through the trial method. I recently read a statement from a casting director who complained that actors don’t like auditioning and don’t show up for auditions more than once. But I have met Vladimir Vladimirovich Mirzoev, the director of Crime and Punishment, more than once. Moreover, with a difference of one and a half years.

— Did the director initially see you as Pyotr Luzhin?

— Vladimir Vladimirovich considered me for several positions. We discussed the inquisitor Porfiry Petrovich and even Svidrigailov. However, I initially wanted to stay in the emerging role. The audience will see Avdotya Raskolnikova’s groom in my performance. Pyotr Luzhin is the most “inappropriate” hero of the novel and therefore the most curious.

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Nikita Tarasov as Pyotr Luzhin in the series “Crime and Punishment” (2024)

“Kinopoisk”

— Pyotr Luzhin is a character that embodies hypocrisy and pragmatism…

— I want the audience to have an idea about the character and the work done. I don’t see anything wrong with pragmatism. Of course, Pyotr Petrovich is not a very nice person, to put it mildly. But to play a hero, you need to understand him, accept him and love him. This is how the mechanism of the acting profession works. At least during the shooting period.

— How do you personally interpret your character’s character? Was it easy for you to get into the role?

– For me, Luzhin is an offended child who does not receive enough parental love. The child has grown up and is trying to build a suitable world for himself around himself and dictate his own conditions. Pyotr Petrovich is sure that everything in the world is bought and sold, even love. The important thing is to complete the deal correctly. Is this position close to me? Of course not! There is nothing in common between me and Luzhin. As they say, editors reserve the right not to share the author’s opinion. But my job is to study different people. In Dostoevsky’s material this is doubly difficult. However, if there are obstacles in your path, then you are on the right track.

— What key differences from the original, in addition to the time of action, might cause controversy among viewers?

— Dostoyevsky’s novel is a classic of world literature. The author’s text is literally copied into the script of the series. The creators treated the original with incredible care. It is probably best to contact the project manager about the adaptation concept. In my opinion, the presence of cars and gadgets in the frame does not change the essence in any way, it only helps the young viewer to break free from the shell of stereotypes that cling to “Crime and Punishment” from short retellings of the novel. on free article sites.

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Nikita Tarasov as Pyotr Luzhin in the series “Crime and Punishment” (2024)

“Kinopoisk”

— What innovations do you think this film adaptation can offer to ordinary viewers and fans of the work? So, what do you think in general about transferring the classical works of the past to modern realities?

– You and I are on equal footing. During our conversation, I, like the audience, had not watched the series. Yes, I read the script and the original work several times. But like everyone else, I will sit down and watch the first four episodes from scratch on October 26th. In other words, on equal terms with everyone else. First of all, I am working on new projects because I left the project a long time ago. For me, the chapter “Luzhin” has already been written. But I am sure that it is necessary to film the classics. If we use Dostoevsky’s text, the heroes of our series look convincing in interiors recognizable to the modern public.

— How do you think the series will be received by the audience?

— There is an excellent option on the Kinopoisk portal: you can mark any project by clicking on the “I will watch” button. In other words, the number of people waiting for the premiere is close to one million.

— You’ve played many different roles throughout your career, both comedic and dramatic. What are the main differences for you in your approach to these roles, and what kind of internal transformations do drama and comedy require from you?

– Each player is the plumber’s bag. Depending on the task, it takes out this or that tool. I have been in cinema since 2000. And I’m still learning how to choose the “right diameter keys”. There is such a job; acting in movies. Whenever I watch something extraordinary, I imagine all these people on the screen who make you happy or cry, getting up in the morning and going to work. With his suitcase. And maybe even with a lunchbox and your favorite book. Imagine, the hero on the big screen saves the world, and you know that the actor is cooling down in the car with the cheesecakes his wife put next to him at that very moment. And warm socks – in case it gets cold.

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Nikita Tarasov

From personal archive

— You once said that in your youth you dreamed of playing Alyosha Karamazov, Prince Myshkin and Dorian Gray. Which characters from classic works of Russian and foreign literature would you like to portray on the big screen today?

– Ilya Ilyich Oblomov – that’s the name of this hero. You see, this is also about talking about stereotypes. They haunt us mercilessly when it comes to the classics. Goncharov’s novel is not about laziness, as many people think. And about the actions that a person commits in the name of love. It’s about the biggest action in the main character’s life. I believe that Goncharov’s novel will look extremely organic in modern realities. Oblomov is a man of high morals. The modern viewer needs such images.

— Viewers have seen Nikita Tarasov in a variety of images, from a charming intellectual to a murderous maniac. Which characters are closer to you? heroes or villains? Besides Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, is there a role you have dreamed of but haven’t had the opportunity yet?

— I repeat, there is a lack of a highly moral hero in my filmography. From my point of view, there is a demand for lyrical love stories. I would like to speak to the audience in the language of unshakable eternal values.

— Many viewers remember you from the TV series “Kitchen”. Your character is French chef Louis, and it’s a multi-layered role. How did you balance the comedic elements with the more serious aspects of your character?

— I don’t think a sitcom hero can have many layers. In the sitcom, all characters are masks that do not change and only find themselves in funny situations. This is the first assumption of the genre. I am grateful to the project for its brilliant five-year lifespan. However, the conversation topic called “Kitchen” has lost its validity for me. We can already reveal the secret of meeting some of our colleagues in the series in new projects this year. This is how it should be. You can’t hold on to the past.

— Gastronomy, especially French cuisine, has its own culture and philosophy. How has this role changed your perception of food and its cultural significance? Did you become more interested in cooking after working on the series? Maybe they started cooking more? Does Nikita Tarasov have any special dishes?

— Of course, you need to be involved in the subject of the project when participating. I experimented in the kitchen at home and learned from professional chefs in the show’s pavilion. But now I mostly cook just for myself. For each new shooting day. The general producer of home cooking is my beloved wife, Mariska.

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Nikita Tarasov with his wife Marina and daughter Taisiya

From personal archive

— “Kitchen” is not just a popular television series, but also a cultural phenomenon that has influenced Russian pop culture. Why do you think the project was so successful?

— This is an issue arising from the level of production. It’s hard for me to judge as an insider. However, according to the feedback I still receive, the series has really won people’s love. Let it stay that way. I am very pleased. However, every year new projects are released with my participation. The TV series Crime and Punishment, which is the main reason for our conversation, is proof of this.