Vladimir Mashkov - 55: 7 best roles of the famous Russian actor

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

On November 27, Vladimir Mashkov, one of the world's most popular and well-known actors in contemporary Russian cinema, celebrates his 55th birthday. Today, he has more than 60 works in his creative baggage, and it is difficult to say which of them are the best, but some have become iconic for him. The brightest roles of Vladimir Mashkov are further in the review.

Now it is difficult to believe in it, but the directors did not immediately discern the acting talent in Mashkov. He was twice expelled from theater schools, and his first work in cinema did not bring him either recognition or popularity. One of the first who drew attention to his creative potential was Oleg Tabakov, who accepted him a year after expelling him to his course at the Moscow Art Theater School.

His first popularity came to him in 1995 after filming the movie "American Daughter". Only 20 years later, the director of the film Karen Shakhnazarov admitted that the plot was based on real events: after 6 years of marriage, his wife, tired of her husband's betrayal, suddenly left for the USA, taking her daughter with her and without explaining anything to him. The director was able to see his daughter only after 20 years. He never shared his feelings about this, and he threw out all his emotions in "American Daughter", where Mashkov had a difficult task - to convey the feelings of a father who was unable to communicate with his child. As Karen Shakhnazarov admitted, he never saw in Mashkov a sex symbol and a macho hero, as they tried to present him in many films, but he was able to discern in him, behind the external strength and equanimity, the touching and tenderness that were necessary for this role.

Vladimir Mashkov became truly famous after starring in the drama Thief in 1997. This film was highly appreciated by both viewers and film critics: it became one of the highest grossing in the 1990s, received 6 Nika awards and 1998 was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. True, he never got the prestigious prize - a competitor from France won. Despite the huge success, Mashkov heard a lot of criticism at that time: they say, he too romanticized the image of a thief, his hero is so charming and charismatic that it evokes sympathy, not condemnation. Director Pavel Chukhrai explained: "". After this success, Mashkov was invited to Hollywood, where he starred in several films.

The film "Mama", which was released in 1999, was also based on real events: the plot was based on the story of a failed attempt to hijack a plane by a large family of Soviet musicians Ovechkin. True, the facts of their biography in the film were interpreted very freely. The role of the mother of the family was played by Nonna Mordyukova, and one of her sons was played by Vladimir Mashkov. And although the actress at that time was already almost 75 years old, she admitted that she was fascinated by her filming partner and, if it were not for the age difference, she would have given her heart to him.

Mashkov's outstanding work was also the main role in the film "Oligarch", where he played one of the richest people in the country, Platon Makovsky, in the past, before the collapse of the USSR, a junior researcher. The actor talked about how he prepared for the role: "".

One of the most powerful works of Vladimir Mashkov is called the role of the merchant Parfen Rogozhin in the serial film "The Idiot" based on the novel of the same name by Dostoevsky. Perhaps the secret of such an accurate hit in the image lies in the fact that the actor was very close to this character, which he himself admitted: "". Interestingly, for the sake of participating in this series, the actor turned down an offer to work with Clint Eastwood.

One of the most popular film images of Mashkov among the people was the main character of the series "Liquidation", the head of the Odessa Criminal Investigation Department David Gotsman. The actor carefully prepared for this role: he lived in Odessa for almost a year, communicated with bandits, studied the local accent, which he could not get rid of for a long time. But initially he was not supposed to become a Gotsman. Director Sergei Ursulyak said: "".

Twice Vladimir Mashkov starred in films about Grigory Rasputin. In the first of them, the Russian-French project "Rasputin" in 2011, Gerard Depardieu played the main role, and Mashkov got the role of Emperor Nicholas II. And in the second - the 8-episode historical drama "Gregory R." - the Russian actor has already played the role of Rasputin himself. Preparing for the role, he studied archival documents, and on the set he reincarnated so skillfully that from his piercing gaze - the same as they said Rasputin had - it made all the members of the film crew uneasy.

Of course, it is very difficult to list all the significant works of Vladimir Mashkov within the framework of one review. Moreover, the actor still actively continues to act in films, and every year new projects are released with his participation. However, judging by the audience responses, Mashkov's most popular and beloved work remains "Liquidation": What's left behind the scenes of the series.