Bohdan Stupka becomes “double-headed eagle”

Moscow hosted an awarding ceremony of Russia’s Eighth Double-Headed Eagle Cinema Prize, a professional award that is given for achievements in the sphere of cinematography and for a contribution to the development of cinema.

People’s Artist of Ukraine Bohdan Stupka won in one of the main nominations, Best Male Lead, for the role of Taras Bulba in Vladimir Bortko’s film bearing the same title.

The next day after the awarding ceremony we met with Stupka in Ukraine’s Cultural Center in Moscow. Throughout the conversation we were interrupted by phone calls. Those were the actor’s friends, colleagues, directors, and journalists from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus calling to congratulate him. And Stupka liked this very much.

Mr. Stupka, let me begin by congratulating you on receiving this award. What does an actor feel when s/he is nominated and…

“Receives nothing as a result?”

I suggest considering your case — when the actor is nominated and becomes a winner.

“It is every pleasant. All actors love fame. I am not an exception.”

Is it only pleasant? What about excitement, nervousness?

“It is pleasant. I already have two Double-Headed Eagles in my pocket. I received the first one for the Actor in Supporting Role for playing General Serov in the film directed by Pavel Chukhrai, A Driver for Vera, and today I have received the second one. I have never even thought about becoming a double-headed eagle (laughing).”

Taras Bulba was put in two more nominations, The Best Costume Designer and The Best Production Designer, which was well-deserved. In your opinion, were there any other nominations, where the film could be named?

“Yes, there were. The Best Director and The Best Cameraman.”

Does Taras Bulba belong to roles you had dreamt of playing?

“I have never dreamt about playing it. I was sure that I did not have the appropriate temper to play this character.”

But you predicted this role for yourself in 1999, in an interview you gave to Volodymyr Melnychenko. To the question about the film that should be shot in Ukraine after Ogniem i mieczem (With Fire and Sword), you replied, “Taras Bulba .”

“I did. I said exactly these words. But, first, I meant that the film should be made in Ukraine, not Russia. Second, I was not speaking about myself. I did not even think in this direction. I admit, when the shooting started and my late mother heard that I would be playing Bulba, she said, ‘Don’t play this role, son. They command to kill the Poles. They won’t you let in Warsaw afterwards.’”

Did your mother’s prediction come true?

“No. I am allowed to come to Warsaw.”

What arguments did Bortko bring in order to persuade you to play this role?

“I was interested myself. It was written by Nikolai Gogol [Mykola Hohol], after all. And I am an actor. The director did well to break the usual primitive understanding of Bulba and reveal deep psychological and tragic moments. We agreed on this point.”

Did you have any difficulties while working?

“The only thing was that every day I looked in the mirror, checking whether I did not lose weight, as I had put on weight specially for the role. Thanks goodness, now I am back in shape.”

Have there been any other occasions when you had to change your appearance?

“No, this was the first and the last time. By the way, I won’t ever again either mount a horse or gain weight.”

The Day of the awarding ceremony of the Double-Headed Eagle Cinema Prize was full of other, no less important events. Tell us in a few words about them.

“I took part in the International Conference dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Anton Chekhov, which was attended by outstanding and world renowned workers of theater, including Peter Stein and Robert Sturua. Besides, I was part of a special cultural mission which was headed by President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia and went by plane to Taganrog, Chekhov’s homeland.

“We set out at five a.m. We were returning the same day, and at seven p.m. I had to come to Mosfilm. But the trip was worthwhile even if we had been late to the awarding ceremony of the Eagle. We visited the local theater, built in times of serfdom. By the way, in 1962 I performed on its stage together with the company of the Lviv-based Zankovetska Theater in Nevolnyk (Slave) by Taras Shevchenko. The atmosphere there was simply wonderful. We visited the house where the writer was born and grew up. By the way, Taganrog is going to open the Anton Chekhov Cultural Center.”

What place in your creative life is occupied by Chekhov as a playwright?

“Chekhov’s plays are a great school for actors. This is a dramaturgy of mood, and not everyone can master it. An actor loses a lot without Chekhov, Ibsen, and Franko, as they require hook-up, and art starts when subconsciousness comes into play. The rest is logic. And logic has never been a kind of art.

“I have been fortunate to perform in Chekhov’s plays a couple of times. I have played theater parts of Treplev in Seagull, Voynitskiy in Uncle Vania, which brought me the State Prize of the USSR, and Chebutykin in Three Sisters. I have also played movie parts of Bishop in Today the Son of Man will be Glorified. The last cinema role I played based on Chekhov’s works was Lebedev in Ivanov, where I was playing with Ostap. By the way, at one point I played Treplev, and later this was Ostap’s diploma role, while now my grandson Dmytro, who attends my course at the Karpenko-Kary University, is playing it as well.”

From your experience, what skills and knowledge should an actor acquire in order to perform in Chekhov’s plays?

“First, they should be talented, because otherwise whatever skill or knowledge an actor possesses, nothing comes out of it. Second, they should have a clever director. Most of them are seeking new forms at the moment, but the thing is not about this. The main thing is that everything should come from one’s soul.”

Have you tried yourself as a director?

“No. And I’m not going to.”

Why?

“In 1972 I played in Mikhail Ulyanov’s film The Last Day. When I came for dubbing, I saw that he was very sad. I asked, ‘What’s happened?’ And he replied, ‘This is the first and the last film that I am making. I don’t want to join the cohort of untalented film directors.’ Neither do I want to join the cohort of untalented stage directors. We already have too many of them. I am dealing with another, no less important thing – I am making up a strategic plan for a theater.”

What words are the highest praise for you?

“Again, I will be speaking about Chekhov. For him the word ‘good’ was the best praise, while contemporary directors are shouting during the shooting, ‘Brilliant! Fantastic! You are superb; you are the best of all.’ This is all rumpus.”

What do you prefer these days, cinema or theater?

“I like both. I suddenly became famous in 1970 after the film White Bird with Black Mark. Today, being an old man, I have received a downpour of good roles, directors, and scripts. It would be interesting to play a role without cues, not simply be present on stage or in the movie, but to live an extraordinary human life. But this role has not been written yet.”

Do you change with time? If so, in what direction?

“I do change, for the better. Some people grow sillier with time, while others learn something from life. I always support talented people, both as an artistic director and an actor. Even if they play poorly, I will always find something to praise. There was an actor, Borys Romanytsky, one of the leading figures of the Ukrainian theater. When I was working on Richard III, I was 33. He would always sit in the hall and then invite me to his office. And he always started his tirade in the following way, ‘In my humble opinion, you are made for this role, but you lack emotions, temperament, and logic.’ So I was lacking everything. But the first phrase gave me hope and desire to do something. I remembered only the initial words that I was made for this role. This was a good lesson in my life. I use it in my communication with other people. One should be capable of providing support. One should be capable of doing good and not be waiting for gratitude in return. I have become simpler in my communication with people.”