Without exaggeration, Oleg Menshikov is now actually the face of Russia: his latest cinema works have made him known in the West and the East; Longines, the world-famous watch company, chose him its Ambassador of Elegance; and his box office draw far surpasses any other Russian actor or actress. The very name "Oleg Menshikov" has become the symbol of success and special way of living. But behind this symbol there is a person - creative, outstanding, controversial, constantly surprising, but at the same time always faithful to his own self. Who are you, Mr. Menshikov?

Most probably, if asked so, he would shrug his shoulders absentmindedly and, at once forgetting about the interviewer, meditate about something of his own. He finds no sense in giving interviews, and though he does so from time to time, he thinks that the parts he played can tell more. Indeed, being quite reserved in speaking about himself, he generously pours his personality through his characters, so different, but so alike.
The Russian public first discovered Oleg Menshikov as the charming Kostik Romin in Mikhail Kozakov's "The Pokrovskie Gate". The film has now become a national hit and celebrated its 20th anniversary this winter, but for many Menshikov remains the young man who personified all the hopes and energy of youth. "One day your Kostik will surprise you," this phrase from "The Pokrovskie Gate" proved to be prophetic for the actor.
He admits that there is a great deal of pure luck in his success. Everything seems to come easy to him, but he has always been very careful choosing the parts. And once he agrees to the offer, he will accept all the inconveniences the role can require. He will share all the difficulties with the crew of Sergey Bodrov's "Prisoner of the Mountains" when they are taken hostage in Dagestan. He will obey Nikita Mikhalkov's strictest conditions and take 20 years off to play a young cadet in "The Barber of Siberia". Not knowing a word of French he will memorize his lines and act in French in Regis Wargnier's "East-West". He will invest his own money into the run of his production of Griboyedov's "Woe from Wit" after the sponsors refuse to support the project during the financial crisis of 1998 in Russia.
He is a man of an incredible personal energy. So incredible that it can break through time. We will never see many of his theatre works. They belong to the past now, but from out there they transmit some kind of aura preserved in reviews, photos, short video fragments. We just need to catch a slight hint and set our imagination free to hear his Esenin recite a poem to Vanessa Redgrave as Isadora Duncan in the London staging of Martin Sherman's "When She Danced"; to see him rage and call out to the moon as Caligula in Peter Fomenko's production of the play by Camus; to leap out of the window with his Nizhinsky…
In fact, the production "N (Nizhinsky)" was Menshikov's directing debut. He was overwhelmed with the idea to reproduce on stage the diaries of the genius ballet dancer, and when three skilled directors quit their work with this play of fantasy, Menshikov and his partner in the performance, Alexander Feklistov, actually directed it themselves. Though the production's run was as short as the Vision of Rose, it still remains a theatre legend.
Starting his own Theatrical Company 814, Menshikov aimed to master directing activity, to which he has always been inclined, and give young and unknown actors the opportunity to claim their names. Some of the actors engaged in his first production, "Woe from Wit", made their debut on stage. But not only has he discovered new actors' names. Two years ago, when he decided to produce an original play written especially for his Theatrical Company, he found a young author to fulfil his ideas, Maxim Kurochkin, who now is referred to as one of Russia's most promising playwrights. This cooperation resulted in "Kitchen", a unique theatre experience when the play was created by common effort in the process of staging. This team spirit is what Oleg Menshikov values in his work most of all. His productions are always a single living body, and though it is Menshikov who is its heart and soul, there're no primary or secondary parts; take away any of them and the magic will disappear. This is especially felt in his latest production of Gogol's "Gamblers", a dashing comedy of tricks seeming to be invented right in front of the spectator's eyes.
But producing his own performances is not the only Menshikov's occupation. His intention to help young names to appear is not limited with his own entreprise. He finds ways to support the Centre of New Drama and Directing, the independent theatre famous for its modern productions. Being unsatisfied with the current level of theatre critics in Russia, he came out with an initiative to establish a professional award in the field and set the prize from funds of his Theatrical Company 814. Now Oleg Menshikov is about to make his film directing debut with a screen version of Boris Akunin's novel "State Councillor", in which he is also to play the main character, detective Erast Fandorin.
Peter Shepotinnik, well-known Russian cinema critic, once said that Menshikov was "a person, through whom time vibrates". It couldn't be put better. That's who he is, Oleg Menshikov.

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"I think the most important thing is to stay honest. You know what I mean. Not to lie to yourself. "I will do it afterwards" - no, you won't. There is no "afterwards". You should do everything now and do it well; there are no rough drafts."
("Reserved. Patient. Jovial. Oleg Menshikov" by Larisa Vinnik, "Argumenty i Fakty", 1995)

"I think in young years it's a must to be influenced by strong personalities. I'm lucky to have been working with Mikhalkov, Balayan, Kozakov when I was young. They all are absolutely different, but bright personalities. I often think about it. "I'm so scared to be influenced by you, to become the second Menshikov," young actors in my troupe often complain. But what's so bad in somebody's influence? You can get rid of it later, but now you need school."
("The One and Only…" by Zoya Boguslavskaya, "Kultura", No. 28, July 11-17, 2002)

"Professionalism has nothing to do with everyday acting onstage. If you have to act every day and you play something you don't like, it will hardly increase your professionalism. There are people who like playing five performances a day, that's OK. But I don't like it. What's going on in my life is much more important for me than my profession. There are people who forget everything - personal life, family - for the sake of career; I am not one of them. It is so, whether it's good or bad. It's not a problem for me to leave theatre for cinema and vice versa. The profession is the same!"
("Oleg Menshikov: "I meet Mikhalkov only on the set" by Alexandra Denisova, "Fakty" (Kiev), March 12, 1999)

"You can hide from life in the profession, but you needn't. Why? What is profession? It's our life, my life at least. This is my way to perceive life. I've chosen it. I perceive the world through acting."
(Meeting with the viewers in St. Petersburg, April 28, 2000)

"My experience convinced me that the difference between the theatre schools was basically minimal. There is difference, of course; it is dictated by the national character, the social state of the society (one can't compare the way people live in Great Britain and Russia; I think, in England they want to laugh and rest in the theatre more). But having worked there and in France I understood that all the actors were very close. They can find a common language. I heard someone saying it before, and now I can say it myself - it is really so."
("See, how short our interview is!" by Marina Dmitrievskaya, "St. Petersburg Theatrical Magazine" No. 20, March 2000)

"The entreprise "Theatrical Company 814" is our response to state theatres. There are shouldn't be as many of them as there are now. State can support the Maly theatre, the Art Theatre, the Bolshoi, and that's all. The rest must earn their leaving themselves. Nobody should pay for your well-being."
("He Doesn't Like Ceremonies" by Poleena Kapsheyeva, "Vesti" (Israel), December 13, 1999)

"I try to gather people who are interesting to me and to one another, and those who are interested in me too. We try to do a common thing. I know I can put my energy into them. I know I can direct, suggest something to them. Moreover, directing can be perceived only when people work together, when they create a performance together. And some intense rhythm is absolutely necessary here. But it is also a great joy! It's just wonderful, when you are surrounded by understanding people and can suggest ideas non-stop. Therefore, it's not just necessity, but also freedom. I must cope with it, if I chose this way. I realized perfectly well, what I was about to do. However, this is a pleasant responsibility, it's not a burden. Besides, it is a mutual process; and those, who work with me, I hope, take responsibility for me too. The other thing is that if something goes wrong, I take it as my account; and if it's a victory then it's everybody's victory."
("An Interview with Oleg Menshikov" by Asya Kolodizhner, "Vechernyaya Moskva", November 8, 2000)

"I can't agree that actor's profession is subordination. For me, it's understanding. Attempt to understand what director wants from me. If you trust him and realize that he knows more than you do; knows some ways you have no idea of; knows some mysteries beyond you, then it's not subordination, but an attempt to get into a different world. And in such a way that two worlds become one."
("In "Kitchen" and in Car with Oleg Menshikov" by Svetlana Korotkova, "Zerkalo Nedeli" (Kiev), No. 46, November 25, 2000)

"Well, the most important, I think, happens at the start, when you read the role, and it must somehow hit you in the heart. Something, that you must understand, that must attract you in it, the role must call for you. And if this doesn't happen to me, nothing will come of it. That's why the most important thing for me is to hear myself in this supposed role, and then… Then simply the professional work begins."
("NHK TV Russian Language Course" (Japan), November 4, 2001)

"Actually, I think what brings me onstage is the opportunity to be honest. It is impossible always to stay honest in real life. Honest with myself, with those who are around me… And onstage we are somehow different, we are someone else… And we can be honest. And if others look at me, it doesn't matter. Those are the rules of the game. They are set. And I can laugh, I can cry… I don't just play a role, something is happening inside of me. Some processes, which push me here and there…"
("Impenetrable Menshikov" by Charna Ryzhova, "Chas", July 31, 1998)

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*) The article is published as originally written by the author, without considering some of the editorial changes necessary for "inexperienced" reader, but unimportant for our visitors.