From Big Change to Spider-Man: The American Dream of Soviet Actor Ilya Baskin

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

Surely the name of Ilya Baskin does not mean anything to most viewers: in Soviet cinema, he played only 4 roles in the early 1970s, the most notable of which was the role of a red-haired student in Big Change, and after he emigrated to USA, at home his name was consigned to oblivion. His story is unique in many ways: unlike most expatriate actors, he managed to build a career in Hollywood and play about 70 roles! And although he got mostly episodes, his filmography included Walker, The Texas Ranger, Austin Powers, Spider-Man and other world famous projects.

Riga childhood and Moscow youth

Ilya Baskin was born in 1950 in Riga into a Jewish family. None of his relatives had anything to do with cinema, but from childhood he dreamed of becoming an artist. After graduating from school, Ilya left Riga for Moscow and entered the department of colloquial circus and stage genres at the State School of Circus and Variety Art. Gennady Khazanov, Ilya Oleinikov, Yuri Kuklachev studied at the same faculty.

After completing his studies in 1971, Baskin was assigned to the Utesov orchestra, and a year later he became an actor in the Moscow Theater of Miniatures. Then he made his film debut in the film "Telegram", and his next work was a cameo role in the legendary "Big Change". Although his episode was very small, the audience probably remembered the funny disheveled red-haired student who was sitting at the first desk next to Avdotin.

In the early 1970s. Baskin played two more small roles in the films "Not a word about football" and "Three days in Moscow" - and after that he never appeared on Soviet screens again. He did not get bright big roles, and then the actor decided on a desperate step - to emigrate to the USA. He did not know the language, understood that there would be no way back, that in America he would hardly be able to continue his acting career - and nevertheless decided to take the risk, in his words, "for fear of missing the moment."

The beginning of the road in Hollywood

When he was asked questions about how he was in the mid-1970s. decided to take such a step, the actor explained it this way: "".

He arrived in the United States at the age of 26, and immediately went to Los Angeles, where he took a job in a restaurant. Later, Baskin admitted that at first he was very frightened by the unrestricted freedom of choice - he simply did not know how to dispose of it. Six months later, the actor got his first small role in Hollywood, which he later said: "".

This was followed by other episodic roles, but they did not bring large fees, and in parallel with work in a restaurant, Ilya Baskin mastered the profession of an insurance agent, and then, together with a friend, created the first Russian-language weekly newspaper Panorama in Los Angeles, which he then published throughout 17 years. The turning point in his acting career in the United States happened in 1983, when Baskin played a bright role in the film "Moscow on the Hudson", where Robin Williams and Savely Kramarov became his partners on the set. Since then, the acting profession has become his main occupation.

At home among strangers

If we compare the acting fate of Baskin with his American colleagues, then it can hardly be said that he managed to conquer Hollywood. But if we draw parallels with the fates of the emigrant actors, then in this case he can be called one of the most successful and sought-after artists. At 70, he himself believes that his professional life has developed very happily, and he never regretted his decision to move to the United States.

Of course, he was not offered major roles, and he, like most immigrants from Russia, was content mainly with the images of foreigners and "bad Russians" - employees of the state security bodies, the military, bandits, thieves in law, etc. But when this Ilya Baskin starred in many films that have earned recognition outside the United States: "Walker, Texas Ranger", "Austin Powers: Legendary Man", "President's Airplane", "Heartbreakers", "Spider-Man 2", "Angels and Demons "," Transformers 3 "," Homeland ", etc.

His partners on the set were Harrison Ford, Hellen Miren, Robin Williams and Sean Connery. The actor had very pleasant memories of the latter - he said that there was no "stardom" in him at all: when the scenes with Connery were filmed, he did not leave the set and read the text together with a partner, although an actor of his level could leave it to the assistant director … He helped Baskin, gave him advice. And Robin Williams became his friend for many years.

Ilya Baskin admits that in the USA his profession is, first of all, business and craft, and not creativity, and he had few really interesting works, but nevertheless he considers himself a successful actor, as he believes that this is the one who does what he loves and feeds himself with it. He has long considered America his home, having spent 45 years there - most of his life. And when asked whether he feels happy, Baskin replies: "".

But his friend and colleague did not manage to achieve noticeable success in Hollywood: Why Savely Kramarov lost his viewer.