Mikhail Khimichev: Actors are people with a frayed nerves
- In the TV series “I will find you” you play the good officer, an absolutely positive character. How hard was it for you to do? Usually the actors do not really like goodies to play...
- Yes, my character is absolutely positive, he is non-contentious, a diplomat, which irons out difficulties in the family, he has a wonderful relationship with her daughter Katya, although she is a teenager and difficult child. And, by the way, he cooks. And his work is very positive - he is a major, a major crimes detective. But when he faces with a family conflict, he realizes that he has been deceived all this time. He changed his mind about his wife and tried to understand how he lived with this person. But there are such characters, whom I call Mr. Heroic Character, who is boring to play,. It’s always more interesting to play scoundrels. And here there is a trick and what I liked is a completely different period starts after the crisis: he does something, becomes different. This is the so-called "role arch", these are the most interesting moments of this character development.
- Have you immediately agreed to play?
- I am often offered both negative and positive roles. There are already roles that I decline - such a handsome peasant who cheats on his wife, and there is nothing else, no development. If at the end he plans to kill or torture someone, this is an action, there is something to move. Recently I starred in a movie where played gigolo, and at the end, he will have a kind of confession, he explains why this was, and for this only moment I agreed.
- How did you work together with actress Liza Mayskaya, partner in the TV series?
- Liza and I shot together about seven years ago in Kiev, she played a rascal, and I was a policeman, finally, I detained her. Well, then they started another story.
- Do you have actors-friends?
- No, I do not believe in actors’ friendship, I have not had it in my life. The profession is very... womanish, or something like that. Actors are complicated people, generally. When I started acting in long-running TV series, I was naive and I thought - well, we’re friends, had dinner together, planned to go hunting. Then the project ends - and the person just disappears. I used to worry, but then I realized that it is OK.
- Is your daughter still not interested in the acting? Doesn't she want to be an actress?
- It is too early for her, she is studying at school, she is only 12 years old. I think that everything should be on time, she has a childhood, after all. We are still waiting what is gonna be her point of interest, definitely, she is a creative child. She loves to draw, to DIY something, it seems to me that she has a greater skills to design. I do not want to push her to do something, but if she says she wants to be an actress, I will have nothing against. After all, it is very important to find your favourite job in your life, it depends on you will be happy or not. It's terrible to do a job you hate.
- And was your path to your favourite job difficult?
- Yes, I went to this for a long time, I did not immediately decide. At first I wanted to be a rock star. Entered the Russian University of Theatre Arts at 22 years. I was more interested in singing, but since my parents were not oligarchs, there was no bag of money, I had to rely on myself. And, although my songs have even got on the radio, I understood that I lacked some skills and knowledge, so I went to the theatre. I decided that I would be more sensible and with a sense to convey my music to the audience.
- And what was the jump start for you?
- This decision was mainly influenced by the uncle (Boris Khimichev is an actor. - ed. note). At a certain point, he said the right words: Who will take the family flag of the profession further? And I entered the drama school, just myself, without favors. But he kept in mind after graduation I would sing again. I, like any other boy, I got only C marks, math and physical education there were my A, and then I decided that I would study everything and got A. It is great that physics and chemistry were not taught any more, but there were interesting disciplines - literature, theatre history, psychology, philosophy. And I decided that I would really try and study well, and as a result I had only one B mark. The funny thing is that I got it by music subject. A very respected elderly teacher said that I did not know the notes. Although I wrote songs that were played on the radio, I studied music for many years, played the piano. But she still pointed me B! After Mosfilm working, I filmed in advertising, and when I came to Juno and Avos in Lenkom, I was really impressed and understood: I want to do just that, and completely stopped writing music. That’s the idea. This profession implies a process of self-education, self-knowledge till the end of life. This process is not easy for the majority of people. And I can honestly admit that the actors are people with a very frayed nerves, schizophrenics! (Laughs).
- You are very calm person!
- Therefore, I am not a genius, unfortunately. Or fortunately. All geniuses are schizophrenics. Someone is alcoholic, someone is addict, someone is a homosexual. I’m, unfortunately, just workaholic. So that’s why my path is more difficult - you need all this, like muscles, to build up by your hard work. As Georgy Tovstonogov said: the actors are not born, actors are grown. If you want it and stubborn, then you will do something.
- The shooting change sometimes lasts almost 15 hours, how do you cope with stress?
- Do I drink a lot after the shooting day? I have my own way to recuperate. I love hunting and I often go hunting with friends in the woods. This is the real male romance - the smell of a fire, in wintering, the hunting cabin ... And in the forest silence ... And you understand that nature doesn’t care a wit about your problems, your urban fuss. It is eternal. And here are its laws of life and survival, its own energy, and all the same what you brought: if you come, just relax and relish. Being a part of it, and do no harm - the most important thing. I live in the city, but I try to go to the country. As soon as I ever can When I go to the nature - I exhaled, it was a change of energetic perspective. I just began through the years to understand that the apartment is a ward. A man must live in a house. And what is good in the house? You go out, even when everyone is asleep, went out on the porch - and exhaled.
- Do you like to travel?
- I love very much, I love life on wheels, a change of sink. I have been on the shore of the Arctic Ocean for the sixth year already, I hunt geese in the spring. I was drawn to the North, and in general the North magnetically attracts men. All this coast - there own mad energy, its own romance. North gave a lift, so if have been there - it attracts and attracts you. I could not live there because it is an extreme and a different way of life. But I can come there to rest every year. Tundra, rocks, ocean. Very inserts.
- Does the family support your passion?
- No, why should they go there? The family wants palm trees, and I take them to the seas, but this is quite a vegie thing. I like to go north, to be weathered, frostbite, we live there in a such small house, everything is in the ice, to heat the stove with coal. And family should not be there. And a capable man doesn’t need some palm trees. A one day is enough to sunbathe - and we should move, otherwise it’s boring.