Alexander Petrov: “I had love and war at the same time”

“Correct the tone, I’m like Lenin in the Mausoleum,” Sasha looks at himself in the mirror before shooting. I smile: “Great! The number is for the 100th anniversary of the revolution … ”Petrov laughs like a boy. He arrived at the studio after a night shift, tired and with a cold. But as soon as it is included in the work, the eyes light up.

Looking at clothes for shooting, I appreciated a rare brand. It has long been paid attention to him, but did not get to the showroom. He himself, at first glance, is dressed simply, trousers and a jacket in black and gray, does not seem to stand out from the crowd, but … “Favorite Japanese designers and asymmetry?” I clarify. With a challenge: “Yes! And what? This is bad?” – “Why? I also love Japanese designers and asymmetries.” He catches my glance, which fell on a pack of cigarettes: “I’m not going to quit. Healthy lifestyle, sterile life – for those who live in the center of the Garden Ring … “

The artist Petrov might not have been. Could be a football player. But chance intervened. Or fate? They say: you can just leave the house, and the brick will fall on your head. In order for Sasha to have a dream of becoming an actor, it took a whole mountain of bricks.

Psychologies: Sasha, from childhood you were engaged in the football section of Pereslavl-Zalessky, at the age of 15 you passed the selection and you were invited to Moscow to train professionally, but suddenly …

Alexander Petrov: … in the summer school practice, a mountain of bricks fell on me. A concussion – and you could forget about sports. I was very worried because the dream collapsed. But since I was 15 years old at that moment, I got some medical treatment, then went outside to the boys, began to play football for fun.

At this age, some kind of skirmish-showdown in the yard, and you already forget about everything. So it wasn’t a tragedy, a tragedy… You see, there is such a thing – the mood of the parents. Someone is taught from childhood: you have to win, if you lose – a disaster. Nobody asked me to win. Well, I didn’t seem to disappoint my parents.

And I think there was one disappointment. They were expecting a girl, they even came up with a name: Tanya, – and here you are … Everything else in the global sense is no longer a disappointment, but trifles.

Everyone knew that the child should appear on Tatyana’s day, so in case of the birth of a daughter with a name, it was clear. But I didn’t disappoint anyone. I have an older sister, everyone wanted a boy … True, the doctors told my mother that it was better not to give birth, she has a negative Rh factor, there may be problems with the child. But my mother didn’t listen. Mom is good.

She taught you how to read poetry, didn’t she?

Yes, my mother is a paramedic, but in her youth she went to theater circles. She had abilities. When I was still at school, my mother said: “Sasha, I have friends at the Yaroslavl Theater School, will you try?” But I gave up on this and entered the Faculty of Economics in Pereslavl-Zalessky. It was wildly boring there. My comrades and I opened a company – we did prints on T-shirts, everything went well.

For the soul, I studied at the theater studio “Entreprise” with Veronika Alekseevna Ivanenko. From the first day she met, she devoted much more time to me than to the guys with whom she created this theater. I came to her house, we talked in the kitchen for five hours at night. It was then that I believed that I was talented. And … began to be conceited. Direct star disease has begun! I walked around Pereslavl like a star. Not like now – I have become much more modest. And then even outwardly tried to stand out. I had a sharp and torn haircut, I wore some kind of yellow shirts.

I played wildly, the wings began to grow. He behaved cockily, impudently. And the studio guys began to hate me fiercely. Some older boys spoke to me very harshly. Like, old man, you can’t do that. Judging by the looks, they had a desire to beat me … In general, they knocked me down.

And when I entered the institute and the craft began, there were no more outgrowths of stardom. On the contrary, there was suffering from a sense of insecurity and worthlessness. When I was very ill, I came to Pereslavl, went to Veronika Alekseevna, and she encouraged me. And now, when I am at home, I look to her … In general, Pereslavl is one of my places of power. You leave the house at night, listen to the silence. There is no such note in Moscow.

What was your home like as a child?

Fortress. The house was good and comfortable. I grew up under the protection of my mom and dad. And when he entered GITIS, he lost it. A very painful moment, I was left completely alone … I didn’t even think that the family is so important that life is so important. Previously, everything was as if by itself: you come running home after football all wet, they are already waiting for you with dinner, with blueberry pies. Mom either bought them or baked them. Grandma too. Pies for me are a symbol of the house.

And suddenly I was left without them and literally suffered from it! I was very surprised how this could be, because I really wanted to escape into another life, but I did not know that it was so difficult in it … Moscow seemed huge, loud, chaotic. On the one hand, it was pleasant, on the other, it was depressing. I had love and war with her at the same time. I literally got lost in the city. Then the study dragged on, and it became a little easier.

How did you impress Leonid Kheifets so much during the first round of introductory classes that he took you to the course, bypassing the next tests, and said that he wanted to be friends with you?

First of all, the fact that he acted only to him. It seemed strange to Heifetz, because applicants are trying to use all the options. He did not even believe me right away and asked me to put my name on the lists of other institutions. And Leonid Efimovich gave me a very difficult task, which I completed.

What kind?

He said: “You come to the grave of a loved one, and the place is disfigured. Show your reaction…” I don’t remember all the details, but it was wildly painful. Anger, a feeling of helplessness, because, most likely, it is impossible to find out who did it, and in general a huge range of feelings. I experienced all this, otherwise it is impossible to play. I strongly believed in this … Recently, Leonid Efimovich and I talked about this, and he said: “I still blame myself a little for that task. It was impossible to do this, because it hits the psyche hard … “

At the entrance exams, Kheifets tested us ruthlessly. The entire audience was full of applicants who hate each other, because they are competitors. And I hated it too. It was a war of each against each. And when the lucky ones were chosen, it became even tougher. The strongest gathered on the course, each defeated 500 people. The first year was very hard, we occupied “places” – some under the sun, some under a beach umbrella on a sun lounger, some in the sea …

Where was your place?

On the first line by the sea – never. Some guys were leaders of the course from the first to the last day. But not me. I didn’t have many performances, awards and rewards. Although once lucky. Every month, two or three of the best students were paid a scholarship, which was used by older, already working guys and teachers. One day I became the best. My roommate Sasha Palem and I went to a cafe, ate too many pizzas. They were happy, spent the entire scholarship. OK it’s all over Now…

On the second course, I realized that in two years adulthood will begin, you need to cling to any chance, start filming. I calculated everything, I have this. This lesson was taught to me by my dad when he taught me to drive: “Sasha, while driving, you have to calculate the situation one step ahead. So it is in life: you need to play different options in your head, then you will be ready for anything.

And I was preparing for the fact that when my studies are over, I need to be in business, have jobs and acquaintances. Many guys didn’t think about it – it goes and goes … Not my story, because there is nothing behind them. My parents couldn’t buy me an apartment, they say, Sasha, live and don’t worry. And I am grateful for this circumstance. Because as soon as the airbag appears, you relax, do not chew the ground for the sake of the role. You stop trying, you think: lucky next time. And I didn’t have a next time, there was no option to lose.

You are so successful right now. Honestly, is your head spinning?

No. Orientations are different. Here we are sitting in the office, on the wall of Jennifer Lawrence (options for the cover photo of the October Psychologies. – Approx. ed.), The whole world knows her, she is filmed by the best directors on the planet. Another level, the scale of personality, the power of influence… Just imagine that it was Leo DiCaprio, and not me, who came up with the play #REBORN (the premiere of Petrov’s experimental production, which combines theater, cinema and modern music, took place in 2016. — Approx. ed. .). DiCaprio would have shown it in New York, gathered the audience in Times Square … It would have been great!

Do you want this level?

Of course!

Is there a person for whom you dream of conquering the world?

Undoubtedly. Everyone has such a person.

Probably, this is the actress Irina Starshenbaum, about whom you said: “She sprinkles light around her …” Does a man most often conquer the world for the sake of a woman?

Yes, otherwise it makes no sense. A man doesn’t need much. Our interests are small. Eat, sleep, meet friends, go to the bathhouse. But when a man is not alone, he strives for other things. Everyone has their own. For example, I write poetry. I open the phone, I type something, I get a poem. You begin to look at the world differently when there is someone for someone else … You become a different person. And it feels like that’s exactly what’s happening to me right now. I want to achieve a lot…

What, for example?

Again, perform in Times Square. Work in Hollywood. Get an Oscar. And it will ever happen. It’s a matter of time… It will work out if you give up everything that is here – from success, from interesting proposals. But until it’s time, I’m here and completely immersed in work. I take on new projects, I can’t do it any other way. I raise and will raise this degree.

Are you a fanatic?

Yes, yes, yes, I’m a fanatic! Otherwise, you won’t get results. I’m going through a revolutionary period in my life right now. Thirst for change! I am in favor of destroying conventions in art, taking risks. Expand frames. I always wanted to close the distance with the audience and be wildly unprotected on stage, which makes it possible to work at 900%.

The usual repertory performances in the theater are no longer so interesting to me. Of course, I still get nervous before going on stage, but when I go out, I find myself thinking that I have experienced something much more before. I’m addicted to adrenaline! When I receive it, I am in a wild high and I am not even a person, but an energy substance.

What else do you enjoy?

From football, I experience a rare state of euphoria when I play. Even with myself, I just stuff the ball – and it’s already nice. By the way, I always have the ball in the trunk.