Anatoly Bely: “To run into the passion of a loved one for another is scary”

He did not wake up famous: fame came to Anatoly Bely after 30, and even then through accumulation — work, reputation, experience. By growing up, «growing up» to «their» heroes. And today he is one of the leading artists of the legendary Art Theater with a trail of major film roles and awards.

From the very first minutes of communication, he incredibly disposes to himself with a warm baritone voice, sincere attention and flashes of sonorous, some kind of boyish laughter. We are sitting in the foyer of the Art Theater on banquettes, famous artists, idols of past years, are looking at me from the walls. And I’m interested in him, the hero of today. How does he live, what is the main thing in it? On screen, he is usually self-confident and brutal. On stage, rather, a restless neurasthenic. The artist himself is very ironic about his role and recognition: “Among my fans there are those for whom I am Sasha Bely, and those for whom I am Andrey Bely.”

Well, in a sense, the range is captured correctly: the list of his roles is as bizarre and varied as the distance between the Brigade series and the poetry of the Silver Age is. But in each hero there is a piece of himself: a sad actor with the soul of a teenager, full of torment and doubt, who found his way of talking to the world in acting.

Psychologies: Do your roles help you understand something about yourself? Change something in yourself?

Anatoly Bely: Yes, it happens. Each role in the theater is our life together with the hero, sometimes so long that it almost turns out to be a family. But they usually affect me not immediately, but over time. For example, I found out that I was hot-tempered and remembered my King Lear from the production of Suzuki.

So before you played Lear, before you were 33, you didn’t know you were hot-tempered?

It turns out so. Roles, when they are done honestly, open some kind of floodgates, boxes in the soul, if you remember Salvador Dali (we are talking about the sculpture “Venus de Milo with boxes.” — Approx. ed.). But they may actually be Pandora’s boxes. In Lear’s case it was like. Suzuki does not have psychological theater, but I still get into the character. I play a hot-tempered, unbridled old man, the head of a mafia clan, and I open this “box” in myself. And then, at some point at home, I suddenly lash out at my son and suddenly understand: Lear did it. And I quickly push the “box” back, calming the old man.

But with The Master and Margarita it was the opposite, the role of the Master cured me. At that point in my life, I was in a very shaky state. Endless «what», «why», «why», loss of meaning — all this nonsense. Quite a powerful crisis, let’s face it. And in the process of rehearsals, I understand that the Master reconciles me with reality.

What support did they find?

Margaret, probably. Support in love. Maybe these are common words that love is salvation. But when I passed it through myself, I understood with some cells: if your Margarita is nearby, you need to hold on to her.

In the role of Karenin, you are faced with the opposite situation — with the betrayal of your wife, with her insane craving for another.

To be honest, it’s hard for me to imagine such a situation in my life. To run into such a blind passion of a loved one for another is scary.

And it is impossible to return the obsessed with passion?

As Anna Karenina shows, no. Or perhaps? No, you still can’t hold on. Passion is an abyss. This train will sweep away and wind on wheels not only Anna, but everyone.

In terms of love experiences, is your parent’s relationship an example for you?

Yes, no doubt. Although their relationship was difficult. They even got divorced when I was little, then converged. I remember the day when my dad came back, arrived with a bunch of toys … But the gap did not seem to affect the rest of my life — their connection only grows stronger over the years. And after all, they are not at all like doves — they grumble at each other all the time, quarrel. But if only Alik or Rita feel bad, all quarrels are forgotten right there. They hold on to each other. Shoulder each other propping. Lovebirds. I look at them and think how it would be for me…

Does your family have a similar relationship?

We have harmony with Inesa. If we disagree on any issue, then we will sit down and discuss it. But turn it into a fight? Don’t know. I just respect her opinion madly. Although no, there were one or two global conflicts due to different attitudes towards one event in our lives. But over time, we overcame them, talked over them, changed our minds, survived and let them go. For a long time this process of ejection went on, the gears gnashed. She expressed everything that she thinks about me, I also spoke, and it became easier. And everything passed. There is no sense of inadequacy.

Your children, 11-year-old Maxim and 8-year-old Vika, have the same difference as you and your sister Zhanna — three years. Conflict as a child?

Not that word. These were wars! It so happened that in our large family — and we lived for a long time with cousins ​​- I was the youngest. Yes, I was a favorite and I understood it. Zhanka was kind of jealous, I think this is one of the reasons for our fights. But now that we are adults, I see that she is beautiful. Very kind and open. And she chose a profession to match — she became a doctor. She has a need to give to others. A person comes to the reception, and she already loves him and wants to help. Not because she has to, it’s her nature: she opens like a rose. I wouldn’t have the patience to deal with people like that. She manages to instantly disarm the most capricious patient with care, calm, warm, speak. And the man melts. We are very friendly today.

And you, as a pet, your parents, then, spoiled you?

They were more likely to be spoiled by grandparents. And the parents were quite strict, in their upbringing there was a place for everything: they sometimes fought by the ears, and dipped their faces in cold water to calm down. I was a rather hysterical kid, and it was not easy to bring me to my senses. Then I was wildly offended, of course, protested, even ran away from home. But now I am grateful to them for everything, including for excessive authoritarianism. You know, like in aikido: he took his energy of protest, denial and transformed it into something useful for himself.

When did it happen?

Almost as soon as I left home. We lived in Tolyatti, and after school I entered the Kuibyshev Aviation Institute, well, I escaped. And as soon as he escaped, he began to live a free life — he calmed down and slowly regained consciousness.

My parents have been living in Israel for a long time. Did they talk about your roots? When did you realize your national identity?

I didn’t have it for a long time. The fact that we are Jews, and in all generations, I simply did not know, because the family did not talk about it. They hushed up, they were afraid — such a Soviet trait, it is customary. Because it was a working-class city of Tolyatti, my father had problems with employment because of the surname Vaisman, and it was better not to focus on this.

When we used to visit my grandmother, my mother’s mother, in Bratslav (this is in Ukraine) in the summer, and I was walking down the street for bread, I heard Yiddish here and there. It seemed strange, but it was explained to me like this: they speak the old language. And quickly changed the subject. Jews, Jewish — it was almost not pronounced. But at school, my identification was solemnly “handed over” to me, like a butt on the head. There, in the teacher’s journal, there was a column «nationality», and next to my last name was: «Jewish.» It was only then that I began to realize that I was something else. According to the explanations of peers, it turned out that the word «Jew» is almost a name-calling. It got me hooked, of course. I asked my mother. She hurriedly said, “We are Jews, but that’s not bad. This means nothing. You just don’t have to tell anyone.»

But at school I was reminded of this. No, they didn’t throw stones at me. I had my own life: sports, acrobatics. I was such a “quiet athlete”. But I heard a lot of jokes about nationality. At one of the NVP lessons, already in the senior class, the ensign began the lesson like this: “Today we have the topic of the lesson “Arab-Israeli six-day war.” Recorded? Here. Now let’s turn to the Jews.» And the whole class, as one, turned to me. I was sitting in Kamchatka, drawing something in a notebook. And at that moment he was ready to fall through the ground. I felt a strong humiliation and did not understand why.

Of course, I smiled then, everyone laughed, the lesson continued, but from that day on I really wanted to figure out what was the matter. I began to remember Bratslav, local food, language, traditions, but who should I ask about this? There is no google yet. Parents are silent, grandmothers are no longer alive. And only in Kuibyshev, when I got to the institute library and made friends with my dormitory neighbor Misha, who was a member of the Jewish Youth Organization, did I gradually begin to understand how steep my roots were and began to live with an inner sense of pride.

And yet this feeling did not prevent you from taking on a pseudonym.

Yes, I am often reproached: “Did you change your surname Weissman to the pseudonym “Bely” because you were ashamed of the Jewish surname?” Here I say as a spirit: no, not because of this. I have always been proud of my nationality.

I remember how at the Shchepkin Theater School, where I entered a little later, each student had to come up with a dance number for himself. And I did a solo Jewish dance. Because the first thing I listen to is Jewish songs, these melodies evoke incredible emotions in me. Tears flow like a clown.

I can’t watch films about the Holocaust — I start to shake. In the Israeli museum «Yad Vashem» I generally became ill. I hear this voice of blood, it screams in me. And yet the pseudonym is another plane, creative. This is a carnival, masks, theater of life. Don’t believe?

There can be many arguments in making such a responsible decision.

I didn’t take it that seriously.

Didn’t expect to be famous?

(Laughs.) Yes, I didn’t think about it at all. I looked back at the Silver Age, at that atmosphere of mystification, doubleness … Since childhood, it’s as if two people live in me, like “A and B were sitting on a pipe.” They argue, talk… I have always felt this duality in myself. I think at that moment I wanted to become someone else.

Grow up and it’s time for something different? Remember, as in Ecclesiastes: “There is a time to scatter stones, and a time to collect them; time to search, and time to lose … «

I think that I have matured, but not completely … This process has not yet been completed. I was childish for a long time. Only recently I began to realize, honestly, for myself, what my obligations are. What am I entitled to and what am I not. And that my life, my example is before the eyes of my children. And I agree with Ecclesiastes (laughs). This is a fine correct position, but it also needs to be reached. Because in my youth, when they didn’t approve, they didn’t give roles, I thought: that’s it, krants. I plunged into the abyss of depression. And now I understand clearly: there is a time for everything. So, for something not yet ripe.

In love relationships, too, there is a time for everything, don’t you agree?

I do not know.

It seems to me that we are drawn to those whose way of life attracts and inspires. But in one period we seek and find one thing for ourselves, in another — another?

It’s a little hard for me to talk about this topic, to be honest. I will say this: in Inna I find my peace. Our meeting was kind of bumping into each other. And in our life now there is that harmony, you can call it a safe haven, which is very dear to me. Her way of thinking, feeling, life position impresses me insanely. This is a person who touches you with his hand, says: “quiet, quiet, everything is fine,” and the storms subside.

But have you had another relationship experience in which you were looking for and finding something different?

Probably. It was a completely different relationship, a different energy. You are absolutely right, then it was time to collect. But I have already said everything I could on this subject, and I try not to recall the past.

Are you dependent on the opinions of others?

I depend, yes, what is there to hide. Other people’s assessments are important to me. Although they can be very painful — this applies not only to private life, but also to the profession. I try to do my job as honestly as possible. And it can be a shame to receive an unfair review in response. It would seem, yes, let them say what they want. No, not yet.

Is it important for you to like it?

Yes, but please don’t confuse this with narcissism. I always pick out the desire to present myself, to fall in love with myself. And he went into the profession not to feed on the love of the audience, but, on the contrary, to splash himself out, for some kind of therapy.

For me, to please others means to give people joyful emotions. Grimacing, making everyone laugh, because I loved it since childhood. I love being a «holiday person». I am a Leo according to my zodiac sign. And this picture warms me very much: a wide table set by me, everyone is sitting, feasting and loving each other, including me. The premiere of my project “Film Poetry” became such an embodiment of a dream, when all my friends and acquaintances came to the Pioneer cinema, and then we went to a restaurant, joined the tables, and toasted. I was happy: an important project for me was born, my “child” was appreciated, the holiday turned out.

And when you are left alone with yourself, with that inner voice that is only for yourself, not for others, what do you feel? Peace and harmony? Discomfort?

It’s a heavy feeling. There is no peace there at all. There is a feeling of wild discomfort from understanding one’s insurmountable and insurmountable imperfection. There are some things in me that I cannot change. With all the desire for the holiday that I described, in the very core, in the magma of my “I”, I have a picture of the deep, existential loneliness of each of us. And love, the birth of children is just a salvation from the global cold. This is my feeling.

Does faith help?

The picture of the world is something like this: here you come into this life, here is your school, your backpack. You put your stones into it, get grades and leave. You come next time and again a backpack, pebbles, lessons, lessons. And although there is some reconciliation in this wheel, this picture is not optimistic, for sure. And from the insane fear of death, she does not save me in any way.

What is more scary? Why can’t you do something? Or leave your loved ones without their support?

Rather the second. The first one is too pretentious. Zemfira sang, remember? “I’m so afraid of not being able to do at least something.” When we were young, we all wanted to do something. Ah, leave it.

Three of his favorite activities

Chopping wood

“It is not often possible to wave an ax, usually at the dacha of friends,” says the artist. — And recently I was vacationing with my wife in Georgia, they brought us to a village cafe, and I asked for it to chop firewood there. They took me to the backyard and they said: “You see the woodpile — it is yours!” And I went to cut, but with a delay. Bliss! Immediately, some forces in me are released, a natural instinct wakes up — from the category of «go hunting, kill a mammoth.» And immediately I feel like a normal person.

To swim

“As a child, when we lived in Bratslav in the summer, every morning we rushed with my mother to the river, the Southern Bug, rushed into the water with a run, swam across the river back and forth. Then, at the institute, he already mastered sports styles. I came to the pool for the first time — and there Dima Pevtsov cuts through the water area with powerful seedlings. Butterfly, breaststroke, crawl, and I realized: you need to learn how to swim beautifully. Dima doesn’t know about it, but he was my inspiration. Now this is a reboot and meditation for me, I plunge into the pool, and all thoughts disappear somewhere.

voice

“I love dubbing movies and recording audiobooks. An incredibly exciting task, because I have only one instrument at my disposal — the voice. In Shrek, I voiced the fool Prince Charming and completely fell into childhood: I grimaced, sang in a bad voice, squeaked. In general, he went into complete isolation. And when recording Sasha Filippenko’s novel «The Red Cross», he told the story on behalf of an 80-year-old woman, it was a unique experience. I also had a real fix idea — for my children to listen to the “Little Prince” performed by me at night. And at the Vimbo studio we recorded such an audio performance and the children had time to listen to it when they were little. My dream has come true!»