Natalya Golubentseva, a renowned figure in Russian theatre and film, spoke about the passing of her colleague Sergei Grigoriev, who performed the puppy Filya on their program. In a conversation with socialbites.ca, she explained that the artist bore a striking resemblance to her character Filya, noting that she never separated the two in her mind.
“This is deeply moving, and it’s hard to grasp. Fili was incredibly talented, not only in his onstage performance but in every aspect of his craft. They shared such a strong resemblance when he sat beside her. Their conversations centred on him instead of Seryozha, and the lines between them felt almost indistinguishable. He was a musician who sang beautifully. I don’t know if he studied directing, but he produced some remarkable shows. He always offered practical help for the troupe, even down to technical details like choosing a phone for a puppet, and he handled it with surprising skill. In our company, he worked like an engineer, making projects run smoothly. Working with him was a genuine joy, and we even connected via video calls a couple of weeks or a month ago. She had gray hair but remained vibrant, full of life, and bore a resemblance to herself that was hard to miss,” Golubentseva recalled.
Golubentseva added that she had heard Grigoriev’s death might have been caused by a heart attack.
“I reached out to several people, fearful of sharing the wrong information. I hope I didn’t miss the mark with what I said,” the actress commented.
She also mentioned that Grigoriev had been battling cancer for several years, explaining that he lived in Israel for treatment. His son resides there and accompanied him during his medical journey. Doctors reportedly kept him in the country for ongoing treatment, allowing him to return to performances here only a few times for appearances as Phil. As the illness progressed, those appearances became less frequent. Grigoriev remained steadfast and strong despite the toll of the disease. Golubentseva emphasized the actor’s resilience, noting that his determination and humor persisted even as the illness advanced.
Sergei Grigoriev passed away at the age of sixty-four, a fact confirmed by fellow actress Ozernaya. The details surrounding his death were clarified, with statements indicating the body would be laid to rest on August 21, 2022, in the Tekoa settlement cemetery in Gush Etzion. Grigoriev, who began his stage work by voicing the puppy in the program Good Night, Kids!, had stood alongside the troupe for years. He was part of the Shishkin Forest production as well, where he played the role of the cat Kokik, contributing to a long career in children’s programming.