“Her character is of course flint”
People’s Artist of Russia Igor Yasulovich passed away at 82, as announced by the press service on the official Telegram channel of the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts (GITIS).
“Today it is with deep sadness that we share the loss of our outstanding master, People’s Artist of Russia Igor Nikolaevich Yasulovich,” reads the statement.
The artist had been battling cancer for a long time. On 18 July, he was urgently hospitalized in Moscow after a sharp decline in health followed several days of feeling unwell. He suffered acute kidney injury. Initially, two minor surgeries were performed to remove excess fluid from the body. The following day, about two more surgical interventions were carried out, and he was placed on a ventilator. By 26 July, Yasulovich’s condition had stabilized.
The actor’s son, Alex, later shared that his father enjoyed jokes even in the ward.
“Yesterday and today I feel better. His character is, of course, flint. You can be jealous. We hope and believe. We are with him every day. Yesterday I was a hussar, I told a joke,” said the relative.
On 9 August Yasulovich’s condition worsened as a central catheter was inserted to administer medications directly into the bloodstream via the subclavian vein. On 11 August he was discharged, but four days later he needed medical attention again due to severe pain. Basis.
Majestic, kind, extremely talented
In an interview with socialbites.ca, Boris Shcherbakov, another People’s Artist of Russia, expressed condolences over Yasulovich’s passing.
“Oh what a pity. Beyond being a great actor, he was incredibly kind, sympathetic, and immensely talented. Our condolences go to his family and friends. This is a significant loss for both theater and cinema because there is no other actor like him,” Shcherbakov said.
Actress Elena Proklova also offered condolences. socialbites.ca quoted her as saying that Yasulovich was a gifted figure with a rich legacy in both theater and film. She described him as remarkably kind-hearted, generous with acting advice and knowledge.
Grigory Zaslavsky, rector of GITIS, described Yasulovich as an actor with a rare plasticity of character who worked with remarkable pantomimes. Iosif Reichelgauz, a GITIS professor, remarked that Yasulovich is among the central figures of Russian theater.
“Of course, he was an outstanding artist. His work, especially at the Moscow Youth Theatre, represented the highest level in the world,” Reichelgauz emphasized.
Actress Svetlana Nemolyaeva, speaking to a television channel, recalled working with Yasulovich on productions such as Uncle’s Dream and Monsieur Lenoir, and later in the acclaimed series Diplomat where they played spouses. She described his presence as easy and calm, noting the sorrow of his loss and describing his performance in Miller’s Price as a significant part of their theater’s repertoire.
“I don’t meet visual standards”
Yasulovich was born on September 24, 1941, in Reinsfeld, a village within the Kuibyshev district of the Samara region. During his childhood and adolescence he lived in Ukraine, Romania, and Estonia before moving with his family to Moscow. In 1962 he graduated from the acting department of the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK).
He began his career at the Moscow Experimental Pantomime Theatre Ekstem and also performed at the Moscow Theatre of Young Spectators. His first film appearance occurred in 1961, playing a physicist in Mikhail Romm’s drama Nine Days of a Year.
Fame came from episodic roles in Diamond Arm, where he played Victor Nikolaevich, the neighbor with a dog; in 12 Chairs as engineer Shchukin; and Marines, Forward! where he acted as a corn dealer. As a director, he helmed Everyone Dreams of a Dog (1975) and Lost and Found (1976).
Yasulovich himself noted that leading roles often eluded him due to what critics described as a nonstandard appearance, saying, “When it comes to leading roles, I was told I did not fit the visual standard; they claimed my looks were too clever—and they were right not to cast me.”
At age 51 he began teaching at GITIS, leading the Faculty of Musical Theater. He also stepped into civil life, publicly opposing the prosecution of Pussy Riot after the 2012 punk prayer incident at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior and supporting human rights campaigns, including calls for the release of activists detained on Bolotnaya Square in 2012. He stood for intellectual freedom, opposing war and totalitarian trends.