"Winged Infantry", they are also "blue berets", as the Airborne Forces are called, celebrates its main holiday.

happy birthday landing troops considered August 2, 1930. Then in the Soviet Union, for the first time, parachute landings were carried out. There are legends about how “Uncle Vasya’s troops” celebrate their holiday, as they are also jokingly called. On the day of the Airborne Forces, the site finds out which of the stars really served in the Airborne Forces, which means that they have every right to bathe in fountains and arrange other follies.

Jan Tsapnik


Like his hero in the film "Bitter!", The actor served in the Airborne Forces. Yan Tsapnik, a former professional handball player, joined the army after his second year at the Sverdlovsk Theater Institute, and ended up in a special intelligence platoon. Demobilized in 1989, he transferred to the Leningrad Institute of Theatre, Music and Cinematography.

As the actor later recalled, for the first time he came to LGITMiK in a blue beret, he went to the exams in a paratrooper uniform. True, Tsapnik is not celebrating the day of the Airborne Forces now. “I’m too old for this,” admitted the actor, who will turn 50 in August, in one of his recent interviews.

Fedor Dobronravov

Private bussiness

The star served in Azerbaijan. In 1978, after school, Dobronravov wanted to enter the clownery department of the Moscow Circus School - but then young men were accepted there only after the army. The future actor was a strong guy, from childhood he went in for sports a lot - boxing, basketball, swimming (he had a second adult category in diving and jumped with a parachute three times).

“Service in the Airborne Forces from childhood attracted me with its romance, so long before the call, I firmly decided to give two years to the “winged guard,” he later said. Fedor Dobronravov had the warmest memories of the army: as the actor admits, then there was so much romance in his life that everything negative was forgotten over the years. He still calls up his former colleagues, on August 2 they congratulate each other on " professional holiday"- the day of the Airborne Forces.

Ivan Demidov


For a TV presenter, director and producer, August 2 is also a personal holiday. In the early 80s, the future host of "MuzOboz" served in the Airborne Forces in Lithuania, served in 285 UPDP. In the early 90s, he somehow appeared at Muzoboz on August 2 in a vest and beret of the Airborne Forces, for many viewers this was a novelty: in those years, the paratroopers did not yet arrange such a large-scale celebration as they do today.

“Forgetting this is very difficult,” Ivan Demidov recalled about his time in the Airborne Forces. A year ago, he admitted that he “does not particularly celebrate” the day of the Airborne Forces, but he does not see anything reprehensible in the fact that his “brothers in arms” bathe in fountains.

Maxim Drozd

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While still at school, the actor began to seriously engage in boxing; by the end of it, Drozd was already a master of sports. Not enrolled the first time in theater university, Maxim went to the army. At the recruiting station, he was assigned to the Airborne Forces, he served in a reconnaissance company. Subsequently, Maxim Drozd admitted that the army experience was very useful to him in life. “Every man should do military service,” says the actor.

Vladimir Tishko

Therefore, on the set of the film, it was not difficult for him to realistically perform the song "The Blue Splashed" together with the paratroopers. The actor admits that his good physical form owes, among other things, to service in the Airborne Forces - in a special intelligence platoon. And although Jan first came to the St. Petersburg Theater Academy in a blue beret, he himself does not really like Airborne Forces Day. “The holiday unfolds according to the same scenario: a touching beginning, the laying of flowers, and in the final showdown and scuffle. I got a little older for all this, ”the actor admits.

Frame from the film "Bitter!"

Fedor Dobronravov

The broken merry fellow Ivan Budko from the series "Matchmakers" is a stern person in life, who received a real army hardening in the Airborne Forces. In 1978, Dobronravov came to Moscow to enter the circus school at the clownery department. But then the young men who did not serve in the army were simply not accepted to the school. And the future artist was offered to return after the demobilization, in two years. According to the distribution, Fedor ended up in Azerbaijan, in airborne troops where he served from 1979 to 1981. He later admitted that military service made him disciplined, executive and romantic. “There is a lot of romance in the army. She is in the service, and in arms, in the same guys as you, in the sky, in the Motherland that you defend. We call up colleagues, meet, congratulate each other on this day, - said Dobronravov. “During the service, I learned to follow orders, which is very good for an artist.”


Frame from the series "Matchmakers"

Vladimir Tishko


TV presenter Vladimir Tishko. Photo: Global Look Press

The TV presenter honestly served two years of his life in the 83rd Separate Guards Airborne Assault Brigade. Vladimir admits that it was the army that hardened him and made him a man. Despite the fear of heights, he skydived on par with the others. “Great feelings remained, although the service was not easy,” recalls Vladimir. - Once the parachute lines hurt my neck. But these are trifles, because service in the Airborne Forces has become best school life."

Maxim Drozd

As a boy, he dreamed of continuing family tradition and become an actor. But Maxim failed to follow in the footsteps of his father, Georgy Drozd, who was a People's Artist of Ukraine, right after school. Having failed the exams at the theater university, Maxim went to the army. He got into the Airborne Forces thanks to his youthful passion - while still at school, he began to seriously engage in boxing and even became a master of sports. An athletic and strong guy was quickly assigned to the paratroopers.

After the service, Drozd fulfilled his dream and entered the theater. According to him, the army experience was useful to him more than once in the acting profession: “And not only in work, but also from an everyday point of view, the army gave me a lot. I served in the reconnaissance company because I was an athletic guy with a good reaction. You understand that intelligence requires both thinking and acting quickly and accurately. I think that every man should do military service. Such an experience is simply necessary: ​​not getting enough sleep, not eating enough in the name of a serious man's business. I have great respect for service people who take an oath and then follow their duty, no matter what the cost.


Film frame"Late Remorse"

Alexander Pyatkov

In the film about the paratroopers "In the zone special attention» the actor played one of his best roles- fearless captain Zuev. The film turns 40 this year.

“I will never forget that time, and I always say that the birthday of the paratroopers is my birthday as a citizen and as an actor. And Vasily Margelov, commander of the USSR Airborne Forces, is my Godfather- says the artist. - He sent me directly from the service to the shooting of the film "In the zone of special attention." I consider it a great happiness that I got this role then, and I will be eternally grateful for it. Winged infantry has no equal in the world. I congratulate everyone with the words with which we, paratroopers, usually begin to greet each other: “Glory to the Airborne Forces!”

After the first parachute jump, Pyatkov wrote a song that he now calls unofficial march landing troops. When the composition became truly popular, General Shpak, commander of the Airborne Forces, presented the actor with a watch from his own hand.


Actor Alexander Pyatkov. Photo: Global Look Press

Ivan Demidov

The well-known TV presenter also gave the landing two years. And this despite the fact that Ivan's father had the post of Deputy Minister of Communications of the USSR, in 1981 he sent his son to the army. military service Demidov went to parts of the Airborne Forces in Lithuania, where he received the rank of junior sergeant.


TV presenter Ivan Demidov. Photo: Global Look Press

Evgeny Sidikhin

As a child, the future actor dreamed of becoming a sailor, and as an adult, he ended up in Afghanistan. A talented first-year student of the acting department of the Leningrad state institute theater, music and cinematography were unexpectedly drafted into the army due to shortages. I even asked for Eugene National artist Russian Igor Vladimirov (husband of Alisa Freindlich): went to the military commissar, and he promised that the guy would study.

“Then, apparently, some kind of check descended on them, and, naturally, as a“ thieves ”in the first place, they took me away for two years,” recalls Sidikhin. - We were sent first to the Turkestan military district, and then distributed to Afghanistan. I served there for a year, it was in 1983-1984. I fell ill with typhus and was admitted to the hospital. However, Afghanistan seemed to me a very worthy place.”

In Afghanistan, Sidikhin had to take part in the hostilities. Having been demobilized in 1985, Evgeny was restored at the institute, getting on the course of Lev Dodin, where he studied until his successful graduation in 1989.


Shot from the film "Viking"


Previously, military personnel were congratulated on Defender of the Fatherland Day, but now - all men. This day has become an unspoken men's holiday, from which today they are most expected ... a day off. And of all the men honored on this day, 60 percent did not serve in the military. Our actors have all played the military more than once. Many sang army songs. But did they serve in the army in real life?

"The locomotive will rush straight to the border"

Leonid Agutin

Leonid Agutin's song about a locomotive that "rushes straight to the border" is autobiographical - its author served in the border troops, on the Karelian-Finnish border. Upon learning that the new soldier could sing and play the guitar, the authorities transferred him to the garrison song and dance ensemble, but then returned him back for regular violations of discipline (Agutin ran away without permission all the time). So the musician had to serve "just like everyone else." Leonid is still proud of the fact that once he had the opportunity to detain a border violator.
“I can’t say that I was eager to serve, but I didn’t really try to hang back either. He got on directly from the courtyard, where he bawled songs with the guys. They frightened me with hazing, but on the contrary, I decided to prove my worth. There was a case, I once personally detained the violator. Now all this seems ridiculous, but then I shone with pride, it seems like a polished penny, ”says the singer.

"The cavalry guards are short-lived"

Fedor Bondarchuk

Fyodor Bondarchuk paid his debt to his homeland in the cavalry regiment at the Taman division, which in the early 60s of the last century was created specifically for the filming of the film "War and Peace", directed by Fyodor's father, Sergei Bondarchuk. True, due to his obstinate nature and categorical unwillingness to observe subordination, Fedor often sat in the guardhouse - he did not get along with his father commanders and all the time strove to tell them something across.
- For me, the service in the army was crucial. In 1986, I was sent to serve in Krasnoyarsk, from where very soon I was transferred to Moscow, to the cavalry regiment of the Taman division. Once I seriously injured my leg and ended up in the hospital for a long time.
So, one fine day, lying in a hospital bed and spitting at the ceiling, I remembered a pretty girl whom I met shortly before the service. The next day I asked my friends to find her as soon as possible and bring her to me. The guys worked quickly - a few days later my Svetlana appeared on the threshold of the ward. Since then, we began to see each other more and more often, and after a short period of time we got married.

Egor Konchalovsky

In this regiment served and another star child, film director Yegor Konchalovsky is the son of Andrei Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky and Natalia Arinbasarova.

"Over the seas, over the waves"

From the stars who served in the Navy, one could put together a good team. It may not be enough for a Lincoln or a cruiser, but for a yacht it is quite enough.

Nikita Mikhalkov

The sailor of the Pacific Fleet was the meter of Soviet and Russian cinema Nikita Mikhalkov. Nikita Sergeevich is proud that he asked to join the fleet himself.

The writer and playwright Yevgeny Grishkovets also served here, about which he repeatedly wrote in his works. True, judging by them, Yevgeny Valeryevich’s memories of that period are not the most rosy (the service was overshadowed by heavy physical exertion, hazing and homesickness), but he treats them with his inherent humor.

Ilya Lagutenko

Ilya Lagutenko, the frontman of the Mumiy Troll group, also served in the Pacific Fleet - on Russky Island. Unlike Grishkovets, he recalls his service with pleasure: there was no hazing in his unit, and besides, during night shifts he composed songs.

Alexander Serov

In the Navy - on the torpedo cruiser "Dzerzhinsky" - the singer Alexander Serov served. And he made a good career there - he became the commander of the electric torpedo squad.

"Keys to Heaven"

Sergey Zverev

Who would have thought that stylist Sergei Zverev also served in the army, and not in some construction battalion, but in elite troops Air defense, stationed on the territory of Poland. Sergey is very proud of this fact, however, as well as the fact that he did not sag from the army, although he could.

“I served in the army. I liked it very much military uniform, and hats - caps, caps - I still adore. He served in Poland and saw Western fashion. The star was shocked! And from the life there, but especially from the clothes of the townspeople. Service in the army even somewhere determined my future creative way”, Zverev admits.
Zvezda commanded a platoon and rose from private to senior sergeant. The service, Zverev recalls, was by no means sugary, the most difficult thing was to survive the 20-degree frost, which in those two years tested Europe for strength, but the future stylist overcame all the tests with honor.

"Gentlemen officers"

There are among the stars and those who could well become a regular military man.

Mikhail Porechenkov

Mikhail Porechenkov after school entered the Tallinn Higher Military-Political construction school: followed in the footsteps of his father-officer - the actor's mother insisted on this. But just a few days before graduation, cadet Porechenkov was expelled from the school "for multiple violations discipline", but in fact - for fights and AWOLs.
- I dreamed about military affairs since childhood. At that time, perhaps, no one thought to mow down. After leaving school, as I wanted, I entered the Higher Military-Political School in Tallinn. From the first days, the service did not seem difficult to me, but, on the contrary, very interesting.
I also learned to understand weapons, and seriously took up martial arts. However, at some point he began to feel out of place, out of place. And, imagine, not having reached only two weeks before graduation, I left the walls of the military commissariat. So, one day, I completely changed my life. Who knows, maybe if not for this case, you would not have recognized Porechenkov as an actor.

Vadim Galygin

After school, the Comedy Club resident Vadim Galygin entered the Minsk Higher Military Command School, then studied at the Military Academy - he was supposed to become an artillery officer. But he began to play in KVN and the military career faded into the background, Vadim retired to the reserve with the rank of senior lieutenant.

Singer Alexander Marshal studied in the Stavropol high school air defense forces, but - who would have thought! - Was expelled for poor academic performance.

Another career military man is Natasha Koroleva's husband Tarzan, aka Sergey Glushko. His childhood and youth were spent in a military camp, so after school the young man had only one way - to military school. True, he failed to serve, but he became a striptease star.

soldier actors

Vladimir Goryansky

Vladimir Goryansky served in the Sevastopol Theater Black Sea Fleet, in which he asked himself - so as not to lose his creative form. True, it was not without a curiosity: when enrolling the actor in the service, they put a stamp on the military ticket, according to which he had to serve in the Navy for three years. When Vladimir Viktorovich saw this, he was terribly frightened.
There was only one way out - to go to the authorities and seek to correct the mistake. At first, he was afraid that no one would listen to the shaved boy there. But then he pulled himself together and went. Unbelievable, but true: the authorities figured everything out and corrected the old stamp for a new one: now it was written there that Goryansky should serve as a sailor in the theater for two years.

Another creative duty station for actors is the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Moscow Military District. It was here that David Tukhmanov, Igor Nikolaev, Vladimir Vinokur, Lev Leshchenko served in their time. True, the stars complain that hazing was there too - at the behest of the "grandfathers" they had to wash the toilets and floors in the barracks. And Igor Nikolaev still recalls with horror that before taking the oath, he had to shave off his mustache.

But still, most of the stars served in the Theater of the Soviet - now Russian - Army. Alexander Baluev, Oleg Menshikov, Alexander Domogarov, Sergey Chonishvili played and served on its stage at the same time. True, according to the memoirs of the actors, at that time they had not so much to play a role as to carry the scenery on themselves and go out in the crowd. But the army is an army, no one in it promises that it will be easy.

Bari Alibasov (producer)

“In 1969, the new soloist Aza came to the Integral group, where I sang. I immediately fell in love with her, and my fellow musician also liked her. The group began a tense relationship due to a love showdown. Aza paid no attention to me. Then I spit on everything - I took a ticket at my own expense and left for the army, ”says Bari.

Valery Syutkin

- Wonderful army years will remain in my memory forever. From 1978 to 1979 I served in the Far East, in the aviation equipment training unit. For the first six months, by the sweat of his brow, he mastered military affairs and studied aviation, and then found out about the recruitment of the “Flight” unit into the musical ensemble. I think: “Why not try?
Music is my life!" Fortunately, I managed to enter the top five soloists. But that didn't make my job any easier. In the morning we worked "from and to" at the airfield, and in the evening we performed at a club for the families of officers and civilians.

Andrey Fedortsov

“I never even thought about avoiding military service. A summons came - I went to the military registration and enlistment office - I ended up in a unit. This, sorry for the big words, is a duty to the Motherland.
He rose to the rank of senior sergeant, commanded a mine-blasting platoon. By the way, it was in the Soviet army that I realized that I wanted to be an actor. Colleagues were putting on a performance, and suddenly one actor fell ill. I was asked to play in his place. Well, I played. I don’t even remember what role it was, but all the spectators rolled on the floor with laughter. So I became a star of the military unit, and then ... a star at all! (Laughs.)

Ivan Usachev

- Although by education I am a pure humanist, serious physical activity was not afraid and did not run from the army. And I don’t regret it at all, because I was sent to serve in Ethiopia! For three years I served as a lieutenant-translator for the military adviser to the commander of an anti-aircraft brigade.
The best souvenir I have of Ethiopia is a dried turtle. We fished it out of the lake to cook according to a local recipe that the natives shared with us. Turtle meat is green, but when fried, it becomes white, like chicken. I dried the remains of this delicacy, polished it, brought it to Moscow and hung it on the wall in my apartment. It's still hanging!
A lot happened to me during that time. funny stories which I will someday tell in my program.

Igor Lifanov

- It so happened that immediately after school I went to serve in the Navy on Far East. To be honest, those were the worst years of my life. Perhaps you will be surprised at this, because, as a rule, Lifanov appears before the audience in the form of a brave policeman, military man or superman. But in fact, everything is different.
I'm incredible creative person, and the army kept distracting me from professional acting growth. There was no "poetry" there! On the other hand, over the years I have acquired valuable knowledge that helps me now get used to the role.

Anton Makarsky

- I got into the army straight from the stage. I have no regrets about serving. Moreover, as such, the service did not last long. Two months later, the platoon commander decided to send me to the Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It was then that a funny story happened to me.
One lieutenant, noticing my excellent physical characteristics, at all costs wanted to have me among the soldiers of the reconnaissance platoon. And when they came for me from the ensemble, I had to leave almost in the gardens: I was afraid to run into that officer.

Yuri Galtsev

- My army years are full funny stories. Do you know, for example, how cigarette butts are solemnly buried? During the exercises, we lived in special military tents, and many guys were afraid to go far from them at night, so they smoked right next to them. The cigarette butts were thrown right away. It was customary for us that if you see them on the ground, you need to trample them down instantly.
Once someone smoked at night, and the major noticed this cigarette butt. I woke up two tents - and at attention. We took shovels, a cigarette on a tray and carried it for 5 kilometers to “bury”. Twenty people are like fools! They dug a hole. A moment of silence. They dug it, and on the hillock they wrote: “We will never forget you.” In general, the army is good. Probably, I gave half my life to military affairs. And now I often play a military commissar.

Nikolai Rastorguev

It turned out that the singer Nikolai Rastorguev, who had appeared on stage in a tunic and breeches for many years, actually did not serve in the army.
"Combat" Russian show business repaid the debt to the country only for military department Moscow Technological Institute of Light Industry!

dodgers

Vitaly Kozlovsky

Among those who did not serve in the army at all, Vitaly Kozlovsky (the singer considers his army ... performances on stage: you never know what awaits you - victory or defeat).

Maxim Galkin (received a deferment, and then release, as a student),

Nikolai Baskov (he was always too immersed in creativity to exchange for such trifles as military service), Dima Bilan (also purely for creative reasons).

Aleksey Kortnev, according to rumors, generally “mowed down” in the clinic of neuroses ... While their comrades on the stage honestly played 2 years of “army tours”, most, however, in special “song and dance” parts.

"Mowers", at attention, alignment with the stars in uniform!

It is believed that the artist is not the most brutal profession, but some stars can boast of courageous deeds. Yes, on Russian stage there are stars who served in the army. The editors tell which of the stars served in the armed forces of Russia.

Sergey Zverev

The stylist served in the elite air defense forces in Poland and is very proud of this fact. A star in the army rose to the rank of senior sergeant. According to the celebrity, military service was not easy, but he wore a military uniform, and Zverev still loves caps and caps.

Oddly enough, it was military service that helped the celebrity decide on a future profession - Zverev was shocked by how the inhabitants of the Polish town where the unit was stationed looked like.

Sergey Glushko


Soviet and Russian actor, a stripper under the pseudonym Tarzan also served in the army. The artist was born in the family of an officer, and grew up in a military town near the Plesetsk cosmodrome. Glushko received a diploma from the Mozhaisky Military Space Academy, rose to the rank of senior lieutenant, and only then entered the acting department at GITIS.

Timur Batrutdinov


The Comedy Club resident also served in the army. There is little information on the Web about this, but the comedian himself admits in an interview that he is proud of his service.

“I remember the service very well, but seeing off is vague. I was worried, everything was in a fog, ”Batrudinov said.

Sergey Penkin


A singer with a voice range of four octaves served in Soviet army in 1979-1981. Penkin's service was also associated with music - the artist played cymbals and sang in an army ensemble. The contractor rose to the rank of artillery sergeant, filed a report on the transfer to Afghanistan, but was refused.

Valery Kipelov


The Soviet and Russian rock musician, ex-vocalist and one of the founders of the Aria group joined the army at the age of 19. In May 1978, the musician married a girl Galina, with whom he is still together, and already in June he went to serve. Valery Kipelov entered the service consciously and does not regret this decision. The metalworker believes that the only negative point is that in the army he was forced to cut his lush hair.

Grigory Leps


The Russian singer joined the army after graduating from a music school in the class of percussion instruments, where he entered in 1976. Leps's service took place in Khabarovsk, and only after that the young musician devoted himself to his beloved work - performing on stage - and immediately achieved success in this.

Ruslan Bely


The popular stand-up comedian, star of the Stand Up, Open Microphone and Comedian in the City projects on TNT often talks about the times when he served in the army. The comedian entered the service immediately after his studies and in five years rose to the rank of captain of the RF Armed Forces. There is no photo of Bely on the Web from the time of his service, but he put on a uniform for performing in KVN.

Valery Leontiev


Popular Russian singer, according to information on the Web, he served in the Airborne Forces. Some inhabitants of the "landing" forums note that the performer is too short for a paratrooper. However, others recall the words of commanders who claim that the performer was listed in the 242nd training center training junior specialists Airborne.

The actor is grateful to fate, which gave him the opportunity to try many professions

30.04.2016, 07:45

He can safely be called one of the most sought-after actors of modern Russian cinema. He is successfully given both comedy and dramatic roles. There are already more than 130 of them! Recently successfully launched on STS new series"Eternal Vacation", where Jan Tsapnik plays the father of the main character. And in May, the audience is waiting for another sitcom on the same channel with the participation of this actor - "Pushkin".

On the way to acting career Jan changed several professions - from a handball player to a pastry chef - and even managed to serve in the paratroopers.

In an interview that the lead actor in the films “Bitter!”, “Bitter!-2” and “Ghost” gave to journalists of the news agency “Capital”, Yang spoke about his hobbies, new roles, tender feelings for his daughter and annual trips with his family to China.

GOOD COP

- Jan, tell us where you are filming now?

- Shooting of the series "Pushkin" is underway, where I play a police major. My hero loves his job very much. This is from Soviet Union. And the concept of honor and what is good and what is bad has been hammered into him from the school bench. In this he differs from many young heroes who are also present in the picture. But when the whole story with Pushkin is twisted ( In the film, this is not a poet, but a hustler - Note. ed.), played by the wonderful actor Sasha Molochnikov, then fate and life begin to make their own adjustments. The major is becoming more flexible and even kind... I look forward to the release of the wonderful film "Partner", in which Seryozha Garmash, Ksenia Lavrova-Glinka, Lizochka Arzamasova and others also play. The whole film has not yet been collected, as there are a lot of computer work. But I hope that it will turn out to be a bright and good movie. And soon I will start shooting in the project "Ice".

ZIGZAGS OF FATE

- It is known that you have a very difficult biography: first sports, then special forces, and after - Theatre Institute. Why such a spread, what is it connected with?

- Let me tell you in order, and you will understand everything. My dad is an actor and my mom is an athlete. Therefore, my mother dreamed that I would become an actor, and my father would become an athlete. ( smiling.) And I didn’t have childhood in the usual way: I played the violin at the music school, then the role of boys in the theater, until I grew out of all the costumes. Then he studied at the Olympic Reserve School, became a master of sports in handball and played in the secondary league. I wanted to enter the Lesgaft Institute of Physical Culture and Sports, to become a coach. But at that time I already had various injuries, and I understood that professional sports would not bring me to good things. I worked as a confectioner of the third category at a clothing factory for the deaf and dumb, it was also useful to me in my life ... Yes, I studied many professions! I even wanted to become a pilot. But since I was in a sports class and for two recent years I was only six months at school, and spent the rest of the time at competitions, then passing mathematics and other subjects with excellent marks was out of the question. Therefore, apart from the theatrical institute, I had no other way. ( smiling.) So I entered there, and even before the army, in 1985. And after the second year he left to serve.

- And then, when they served, they recovered?

- Not certainly in that way. It turned out that I was passing through St. Petersburg and the head of the patrol “got to the bottom” of my landing uniform. He got in chest and I had to take off my feet. And when I ran along Mokhovaya, I saw a theater institute. And I thought: why should I go to Sverdlovsk, where my course is already finishing, when you can study here? As he was in uniform, he went to college. And I was lucky: the master said that he was gaining a big course. I was asked to read something. I remembered the program with which I acted for the first time, I read all the same. The master asked me to play an instrument, and there was just a violin there ... So they took me.

"ACTOR IS A PERSON, NOT ANSWERING ONE"

- I understand that when creating the image of the paratrooper stepfather in the film "Bitter" you were a consultant. After all, you know firsthand what landing troops are.

- Well, a consultant - it's loudly said. But the people who wrote the script did not serve in special forces. And sometimes the director and one of the screenwriters Andrei Nikolaevich Pershin - aka Zhora Kryzhovnikov - allowed me to add something of my own.

- For instance?

“Oh, I don’t remember everything now. One of the jokes that I suggested: “The main one didn’t open - don’t pull the spare one.” It's about the parachute. This is all from the army, from my life!

Do you miss the army days?

“People always miss their youth. I was young then, and it was great and comfortable for me to live. And in the army, I fulfilled my duty to the Motherland, which I am still proud of.


In general, do you often offer to bring something to the script, to your characters?

- I'm still a pupil of the old school - I served 14 years at the Bolshoi Drama Theater of St. Petersburg, where I had five main roles and six reprimands for gouging. I believe that an artist is first and foremost a person, not an answering machine! True, there are some: they wrote to him, he learned and went. But that's not my way! Yes, I offer directors hundreds and even thousands various options, and they are already saying: this is necessary, but this is not. Fortunately, the directors tolerate this, and I am very grateful to them for this. In this is real actor, not an answering machine.

FAVORITE CHINA

- Jan, you are now in great demand, and of course, most of the time is occupied by shooting. But sometimes there are weekends, right? What do you do on such days?

“Of course, I have days off. But they often take place away from the family and look something like this: you will sleep in a hotel until one in the afternoon, sleeping off the entire previous week. Get up - your head hurts. Get dressed and go out to eat. Then you will return to the hotel, read the script, watch a good movie on your tablet and go to bed.

— What about vacation?

- And on vacation, which usually falls from December 25 to January 14, we go to China with the whole family. We rest, swim, go for massage and acupuncture.

— And why to China?

— My wife is an orientalist, candidate of sciences, knows Chinese. So for our family, China is our everything!

And when did you first go there?

— In 2007. And when I saw South China, I was in a culture shock! High-speed roads, trains that run at 400 or more kilometers per hour. Quality goods - no matter what they say. And man is brother to man. There are a lot of nationalities and cultures... You can study China all your life. With every trip I discover something new in it. This is amazing!

HOBBIES

- In one interview, you said that you spent part of the first fee on the purchase of tin soldiers. Do you keep collecting them?

No, I don't collect them anymore. I love edged weapons, knives. I love to shoot. True, now I rarely do this, because with age I began to see worse. I love the sea. If possible, I always go somewhere to fly, steer.

- So, you yourself are sitting at the helm?

- Exactly. At the controls of an airplane and a helicopter. However, nobody gives me to plant them. But as a co-pilot I fly. And I get incredible pleasure.

DAUGHTER

- And your daughter Liza, in whose footsteps does she want to follow: in yours or in her mother's?

- She took all the best from both her mother and me. Mom knows languages ​​​​well - and the daughter speaks good English and French. And from me, Lisa took my "trouble": she goes to a theater studio. True, she hasn’t acted in films yet, but in China they say very well about this: “Nothing happens sooner or later - everything always happens on time.”

- How old is Lisa?

– 14. She was born on May 16th. And every month on the 16th, I will definitely congratulate her. No matter where she is that day, she always gets flowers from me. Recently, she came from St. Petersburg with classmates to Moscow. And then she stayed with me for a few more days. And a bouquet of flowers was already waiting for her in my hotel.