Yurie Kolokolnikov: “We live in Russia as “Game of Thrones” characters “

- Yurie, have you already attempted to invade Hollywood?

- It seems like an ordinary situation. I graduated from university, went to America, knocked around, came back and here I acquired a profession. Life is much brighter than we suppose. I don’t mean working as a porter, waiter, baby-sitter or whatever I was in the US – this is just an ordinary story of young would-be actor who came to invade Hollywood. Even I despite my Canadian childhood – my mom moved to US when I was 5 – I am awe of Hol-ly-wo-od! There is a ordinary world –and there is Hol-ly-wo-od!Oh! It is another matter that the world has changed. The boundaries have blurred but if there is any – they are in us. Everything has changed. And now it is not a drama if you haven’t sprouted your roots in Hollywood.

- But fate can’t be fooled – anyway you acted in the number-one series? The most expensive, popular and cool one. Will your character be high, bald and earless?

- I won’t say anything about Styr, besides he is a representative of wild Thenn tribes, he is a magnar. The word is close to Scandinavian. It is a title, rank- as a general for example. What will happen and what will be the end – is a mystery. There is one thing written in the book, there is another one in the seriesl. Talking of ears I won’t say anything, even if you torture me with iron. Contract is a contract. I’ve kept silence for 5 months while acting. No way I come through now. Let’s wait till April – the forth season is coming.

- They say you had to leave shoots in Russia to work there – you were filming in “Intimate places”, the prize-winning movie at Kinotavr this year.

- No, “Intimate places” had been over by this time. I left Kinotavr in England just for casting. But I hadn’t said anyone about it. Maybe someone knew, my friends told me “We were aware of where you filmed but decided not to disturb you. Such information is rather serious in our profession. If I was told – the information is restricted for 15 years- I won’t say a word.

- How many series are there in a new season? Ten? Are they all about crafts, ambush, slaughters, blood and love. Are you in each series?

- Yes, ten series as in each season. I can’t say whether I am in each series and the wilds get into the castle , beyond the Wall. In general it is a uniquely broad series, with the budget in 150 million dollars and work style. It is has been made by the best people in the industry – 2 groups of 450 people in each. At the same time every day in different cities, in different countries with different film directors different scenes of different series with different artists that have to be engaged and produce results immediately, without swinging. Though we have time for rehearse. Every other day all groups go here and there. As a producer who have filmed several movies know the technology but I have no clue how they balance the schedule! It a big-big machine. They say they could make it perfect by the third season. Two film directors about 40 years old, young. How they stay calm when everyone goes nuts. Monsters!

- In your opinion why do we love this series?

- It is mostly about Russia. It is about what is going on, about us. There are several clans, groups that divide spheres of interest. There are the dragons there, oil – here. No one conceal the motives. “Game of thrones” - it is about feudal but not civil society. There is a small elite group and the rest are people that basically keep silence keeping the head down while the elite is struggling among each other. But we are moving – step by step. Listen, we are only 20 years. It is an insignificant term for a civilization. So don’t denigrate ourselves – we are stupid, helpless, we always keep silence, suffer, and look how the Ukraine ran to Maidan. We have just got out of 70-years GULAG. And before GULAG we were in a serfdom. It was repealed 150 years ago. This term is “yesterday” for history. But the world has changed, we live in one information field and there is no way for Russia – our country will integrate, overcome the distortions and mess. Our country is a part of the world wherever it is. We have to globalize, integrate, work here and there together. There are no boundaries and can not be. The better we realize it – it is generally better for usl.

- The serial impresses with scale, it is true. But… maybe you were disappointed while filming – oh, everything is so triviale.

- Talking about stage props, weapons, decorations – everything is made so naturally that you even start pretending yourself there in “Seven Kingdoms”. No matter what is beyond the wall or in the castle or somewhere else. Attention to details impresses by its accuracy and scrupulosity. You want to touch everything. When artists come for shooting they seek for sitting on the iron throne made of swords, take pictures – it is a throne! The costumes and requisites are so impressive that are exhibited around the world. My suit for example is hand made. It is a great job as all the rest.

- Who are they – the artists who act Daynaris, John Snow, The Lannisters? We love the characters. How did you join the company?

- They are really good artists. They are very popular in America and Europe – Emily Clark, Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Samwell Tarly. All of them whoever is there. They are hard workers, very attractive, talented. My favorite character is Big Daddy Lannister. Charles Dance – a fabulous actor. Very powerful, he can play only by his eyes. But we shouldn’t’ forget scenarists and film directors. They are giants. They know exactly what they want and do it. What is the difference between west casting and the Russian oner? There the casting-directors are psychologists. They swiftly understand if you have something special – the energy that is necessary for your role, if your character can become a part of you. If yes, the play is becoming interesting. Probably, they have found something about me. Firstly they tried me on different role. But then suggested me this one, wild Styr.

- Will they roll you into the fifth season?

- I don’t know, let’s see. Everything is in secret there; no one knows what will be then. They have been working for the whole year, for example, it‘s November, 10, they have finished filming, the video installation has been started at the same time, at the beginning of the year the will start working on the scenery of the next season, preproduction period and then filming – summer is a peak season. And then the first night, promotion, great job with advertising company. It requires much effort.

- The film director of your previous movie “Intimate placess” Natalya Merkulova said that you have extremely attractive bestial force, though you seem intellrctual. By the way, the film is wonderful. But I’m interested if you use a toilet talk in your life as fruity as your character?

- Of course, I use it and very often. But my character follows the script - very vivid, it is obvious by his talks and by the way he behaves with his girlfriends.

- How come he had relationship with women if he took pictures of intimate places – male and female - round the clock. It is like a joke about gynaecololist…the machines are all around.

- He is an artist. The movie is not about – he could or not – it is about inner freedom. My character is a symbol of this freedom, availability of everything but at the same time - he is a hostage of his internal taboo.

- At the beginning of the film your character was put into the cremation furnace. Is it you in the coffin – naked?

- Yes, it is me, in the real coffin. We filmed the scene in the crematory. It is my first experience. But I wouldn’t’t like to repeat it. When you are on camera you travel some way for some reason but it was filmed - that’s it.

- To lay in coffin, naked, in the crematory is not a taboo for you?

- Fore filming this way you have to drink 50 grammas of vodka and put the bottle under the pillow. That is what I did. But I don’t have any frightful superstitions. It is just a movie, play; you have to treat it this way. In general, the way you live is the matter of what you project into space. That is what the “Intimate places” are about.

- Weird parallel and interaction is seen with your other role – in a good and not vulgar lyrical comedy “Happy end” where your character was, pardon me, a penis. But with a good evolution he has turned into a nice man. We often see face counter examples. But I’m not about it. Why does all things connecting with this part of body is so important for men?

- Not all men think and speak about it all the time. But if you probe deeper, I’ll say. It is a intimate part that gives birth to a new life. Much energy is involved there. Its origin is a part of men’s body. He always interacts with this energy. How couldn’t it be important? Sex by itself - is a creative energy. It is important. What is more important? Everything is about it; the art is a result of it and tells about it – about creativity, love, relations between a man and a woman. Life itself is a main artistic action. Even an interview is an act of life creation. This is it.

- Oh, what basics we have got down! Maybe you can tell what happened when you mom sent you from Canada to Russia to your father that basically determined your further life?

- If you don’t see beyond the surface and don’t understand, it looks like the mother sends a child because he is a bully. This is not true. It was just a juncture. My mom immigrated to Canada in 1985. I and my elder brother were with her. I was 5. I had lived there for 5 years, and then when life decision was taken – my mom sent me back to my dad in Russia where I spent very important periods of my life when you become a man greedily gaining information about the outside world, this is the reason why my English is good. In this context I’m lucky.

In our family everything was for children. My father is a mathematic – but he felt something about me that once in 1991 he saw an ad he took me to Mosfilm to screen test of “Iron Curtain” directed by Savva Kulish. I was a street child there. Then he gave me advice about cinema school. I graduated from school externally when I was 15 – it was not complicated at all – and I entered university. My elder brother took after dad. He is a mathematic as well, lives in Canada. I’m always on the road here and there. I have recently filmed in the series”Seventh rune”. For the last year I have seldom been to Moscow because of my work. I travel a lot. Though it’s hard. But it’s also hard to stay in Moscow all the time.

Русская версия: Юрий Колокольников: «Мы в России живем, как герои «Игры престолов»