Russians who conquered Hollywood

More and more American filmmakers look at Russian actors with interest and increasingly invite them to appear in Hollywood films. Edition Woman's day collected six success stories of Russian actors.

Actor Mikhail Gorevoy

In 2002, he played the Russian scientist in the James Bond film “Die, but Not Now.” 3 December: Steven Spielberg’s thriller Spy Bridge about the release of an American pilot captured in the USSR, where he played one of the main roles - the second secretary of the USSR Embassy in the GDR Ivan Shishkin.

“I became the hero of a famous acting joke. Spielberg calls the actor, calls to play, and he says: "Sorry, I can not, I have a Christmas tree!". But I played with Stephen. In his film “Spy Bridge” I got civilized, without stepping on anyone’s heels, - passed the casting. In America, so accepted. Interested actors are sent the text of several scenes of the film, are asked to play, record and send to the studio. I speak English, twelve years ago appeared in a film about Bond, and in December there will be a film with Jackie Chan “On the Trail”.

There is no pathos at all in both the director and Tom Hanks, who plays the main role in Bridge of Spies. When I first came to the set, Spielberg took me by the elbow, as if he was just waiting, took me aside and told me about his Jewish family from a small town, that his father spoke Russian. He values ​​his actors and is sincerely interested in everyone,” said Gorevoy.

Actress Svetlana Khodchenkova

In 2013, the movie "Wolverine: Immortal" came out of a series about X-men, comic book characters with supernatural powers. In this Hollywood blockbuster, Svetlana played the main role, the villain nicknamed Viper, the mutant Wolverine performed by Hugh Jackman leads the war. Our actress luck smiled after the role was abandoned by Jessica Beale, which the producers originally wanted to shoot.

But in the West, Khodchenkov learned in 2011 year. Then the movie “Spy, get out!” Of joint production of Great Britain, Germany and France was released. In it, the actress played a small role as the wife of a Soviet diplomat. The picture participated in the competition program of the Venice Film Festival, and Svetlana represented her on the red carpet. In addition, the tape had several Oscar nominations. "It is because of the small appearance in this film that I got into Wolverine," says the actress.

For the trial, Khodchenkova recorded a video, a few scenes from the film and sent it to the studio. By the way, she appeared in two forms: in a black wig (since she read that the Viper is Armenian and has black hair) and without him, but at the studio, contrary to the original, they preferred the second option.

“I asked the producers why they chose me, but never received an answer,” says the actress. “You went through the test well and liked us,” they said.

Svetlana speaks English well, but she admits that it was not easy to play:

“I can improvise in Russian, and therefore it is easier. It is difficult to improvise in a foreign language. In addition, it is more difficult to communicate with the director, to understand him. Language worked all the free time. And after the filming continued to teach, and it was American English. But the emphasis still remains, you cannot completely get rid of it. ”

And for Svetlana's colleagues it was a challenge to pronounce her last name. They tried, but in the end everyone called her Svetti, which, according to the actress, was pleasant to her.

Hugh Jackman had a warm relationship with Khodchenkova. He tried to help and even specifically went to the site to throw cues from under the camera.

“I was told this is an unprecedented case, so that an actor of such a level would throw remarks to someone. But it happened to me, and I am proud of it, - says Svetlana. - Often I remember our acquaintance. She came to the site, and suddenly Hugh ran. Shouts: “Light! Hello! Let's get acquainted!". And hugs. I thought I would faint. ”

Actress Anna Skidanova

Skidanova played in the films “Scary Movie - 5”, “Christie”, “Hercules”, “Woman in Gold”.

“When my friend was going to the Cannes Film Festival in 2012, I asked her to get me accreditation. It was there that she first met producer Harvey Weinstein (films “Shakespeare in Love,” “Gangs of New York,” “Pulp Fiction”). A friend introduced me, and while introducing myself, I asked his name. Harvey was surprised by this turn of events. A year later, again in Cannes, we crossed paths again, and he recalled this situation. She didn’t feel shy and, taking the opportunity, asked: “Do you have a role for a Russian actress now?” He asked me to pass on the contact information to his assistant, and a few days later they called me and invited me to Scary Movie 5. It was a real gift of fate! Yes, the role is small, but during filming I became friends with Julie Rappoport, who works for the Weinsteins, and she offered to try out for the thriller “Christie”, to play a student. Then, thanks to her acquaintance with the vice-president of the company, Harvey Victoria, Parker got into the film “Hercules” and the film “Woman in Gold,” which I am very proud of. Victoria invited me to appear in the BBC series “War and Peace,” but I had to refuse, because by that time I had created my own production company “October 24” and was working on my own project,” Skidanova said.

“Filming in Hollywood for the first time was scary, everything was unfamiliar, you didn’t know what would happen and how. At first I was surprised by the number of trailers, dressing rooms, and the huge selection of food that was delivered to the set. Now I can say that actors in the USA are more professional, the work process is organized at the highest level, everything is accurate - minute to minute, such training is worth learning. But the American filmmaking machine is still somewhat soulless. Our group relations go beyond the scope of the project, but they do not provide for this. What is my secret to success? I think that three factors played a role: spontaneity, appearance, to say nothing, in Hollywood they pay attention to this; and a strange situation when meeting Harvey: he remembered a girl who didn’t recognize him,” says the actress.

Director and producer of Hollywood films Timur Bekmambetov

Bekmambetov shot: "Wanted", "President Lincoln: Vampire Hunter", "Apollo 18", "Phantom". He spends most of his time in Los Angeles.

“Here I am on a business trip - a long one. When it ends, I do not know yet. Hollywood is an opportunity to make new films, to work with interesting people, such as Tim Barton. In Los Angeles, you sit quietly in the studio or on the set - working on a film. And at six o'clock in the evening the light turns off. Everything, work is finished, and you are already at the resort.

Do I feel like a Hollywood director? The main thing is to be yourself. And so in America I am considered a Russian director. There is probably envy. Something inside tells me: high you, boy, jumped. Although nobody told me in the face. I have a good relationship with many. For example, with actor Elijah Wood (the hobbit Frodo from The Lord of the Rings).

Because I grew up in a different cultural environment, I have no fear of Hollywood stars. For me, the star is the actor Andrei Myagkov. I am in awe of him. Why haven't our actors achieved success in Hollywood? Because we have our own wonderful cinema. Our films have a huge audience. And she loves her stars. And why would they go to America to film in this case? It was poor Schwarzenegger who had nowhere to turn around in Austria, so he set off to conquer Hollywood,” says Bekmambetov.

Supermodel Natalia Vodyanova, lives in France

On the success of Vodyanova told her mother Larisa Kusakina.

"For the first time, Natasha went abroad in 17 years, when model agency recruiters Viva after the casting in Nizhny Novgorod, they strongly recommended that she go to Paris. Oddly enough, the daughter was not torn there at all.

Firstly, she did not focus on the model’s career at all and did not believe in the bright prospects that recruiters drew to her. And secondly, at that time she was in love with a young man named Sergey and did not want to part with him at all. By and large, if the agency’s representatives had not shown rare perseverance, Natasha would not have gone anywhere at all. But we were constantly called, and my daughter gave up. Like, I will go, see what's what, and come back.

It took six months to complete the necessary documents. During this time, Natasha still had to learn English, but for the above reasons she didn’t show much zeal in this matter, so she went to France with a very conditional knowledge of the language. She is now fluent in both English and French. Paris, of course, shook her, especially the shops. After all, at that time we had a problem to buy good things even if there was money, but here such abundance!

True, at first all this was unavailable to Natasha, and her Parisian life was far from easy. 80% of her earnings went to the agency, she remained mere crumbs. Natasha, with other girls-models, chose to rent an apartment, they lived in a terrible crush, eight people in a room. Due to the lack of money, they ate, too, not with what is good for health and for the figures: all kinds of convenience foods, fast food. Natasha still with a shudder recalls fat fried chicken in breading.

She liked French cuisine right away, although she didn’t have the money for specialties. But both then and now she misses rye bread, borscht, vinaigrette and herring. I remember once in Paris we went to a restaurant with her for dinner and ordered a fish plate. So Natasha chose exclusively herring from this selection, which consisted of a variety of delicious fish, which surprised the waiter. And now, when I go to visit her, I bring herring and Borodino bread as a gift. And for breakfast we like to go with her to some bistro and drink coffee and croissants. Natasha loves them! And he eats them, generously smeared with jam and butter. This is how many Parisian women eat breakfast, but there are practically no fat ones,” says my mother.

It was in Paris that she met Justin Portman, her now ex-husband, and moved to his homeland in England. They bought a great old manor Mill a couple of hours drive from london She lived there for ten years, but she never got used to England. First of all because of the climate.

“Natasha does not like dampness and fog. It so happened that today, by the will of fate, my daughter returned to the city of her youth - Paris. Together with Antoine Arnault, her common-law husband, they rent a large apartment in the center of Paris. In terms of mentality and rhythm of life, Natasha is already French. He loves late dinners, after which Antoine plays music on the piano. She still loves Russia, but she could hardly live here anymore. This is where her home is now, her children study in a French school, she also communicates with her loved one in the language of his country and lives in accordance with the local way of life. But, you know, she always repeats that since her departure to France, life in Russia has also changed a lot and in many ways has become similar to European life,” says Vodianova’s mother.

Hockey player, top scorer of the NHL and the Washington Capital Club Alexander Ovechkin

“In America, it took a long time to get used to the language and mentality. There, people always live by the rules. If they are told that they need to go in one lane, although there is a second free one, they will do just that. For a Russian, this is wild. It’s good that I don’t like to switch from one lane to another. So I did not have to change my habits.

In the States, everyone celebrates Thanksgiving, Christmas. And now I, too, because friends often invite me to these holidays. In turn, I call them on our traditional New Year, birthdays.

Some of my American friends still think that bears walk our streets. Of course, they say this as a joke. But at the same time, such jokes are still relevant. But the most ridiculous question that Americans asked me most often is: do you have snow all year round in Russia? Yes, if only they could see how much rain it sometimes rains in Moscow in winter!” Ovechkin said.

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