Vladimir Steklov, a People’s Artist of Russia, recalled a friction-filled moment with director Pavel Lungin. The actor chose to turn down Lungin’s offer to join his film in favor of working on Eldar Ryazanov’s project, a decision that sparked tension between the two creators. These remarks come from aif.ru as Steklov spoke about a period when both filmmakers were navigating busy schedules and bold artistic visions.
In the late 1980s Ryazanov invited Steklov to portray Chonkin in a film adapted from a novel by Vladimir Voinovich. Around the same time, the then lesser-known screenwriter and aspiring director Pavel Lungin approached Steklov at Lenkom with an offer to play a taxi driver in the movie Taxi Blues. The coincidence of these two opportunities placed Steklov at a crossroads between two distinct cinematic paths, each with its own artistic promise and commercial expectations.
Steklov noted that Lungin was filming Taxi Blues during the same window as Ryazanov was preparing his adaptation. He attempted to persuade Ryazanov to permit a combination of responsibilities, hoping to contribute to both projects. The veteran actor recalled Ryazanov’s calm but firm response, his question cutting through the hubbub: Are you crazy? That moment underscored the practical limits faced by actors who tried to balance multiple creative ventures without compromising the integrity of any single performance.
According to Steklov, the casting decisions for Ryazanov’s film included an appearance by Mikhail Baryshnikov, who had a strong draw for international audiences. The British copyright holder of Voinovich’s novel reportedly preferred Baryshnikov for the role, a choice that influenced the production’s direction and timing. This development contributed to Ryazanov ultimately delaying the film, illustrating how copyright considerations and casting logistics can shape the trajectories of major cinema projects.
Steklov confessed that he did not star in the film about Chonkin, nor did he land a role in Taxi Blues. The outcome left him out of both projects that could have defined a particular era in his career. He also mentioned that Lungin cast other actors in the film Luna Park, a project Lungin imagined inviting Steklov to join. The exchange highlighted the unpredictable nature of film careers, where even strong relationships and mutual respect do not always translate into shared productions.
Nevertheless, Steklov added that Lungin eventually forgave the past friction, allowing them to collaborate on several later ventures. The reconciliation appears to have opened doors for future teamwork and creative synergy between the two artists, proving that professional disagreements can be set aside when mutual respect for craft remains intact.
On a related note, Yuri Stoyanov reflected on his own experiences with a different project. He admitted that the initial episodes of Town did not sit well with him, suggesting that even seasoned actors sometimes question early choices in long-running series. The candid remarks from Stoyanov served as a reminder of the evolving nature of a performer’s relationship to a character and to a production over time, across different stages of their career.