Interview with Petr Rykov
— You are an actor, a model and now (as you always wanted) a rock musician! So, I’m curious, imagine that you have neither the one of the aforementioned, who would you be, regarding more “simple” professions?
— There was once a chance to become a translator and I think an investigator would be interesting. However, it all started with music, so nothing was stronger than this anyway, and it couldn’t be.
— What are your hobbies that are not related to the stage and theatre?
— I can’t remember a single one. As a child, my grandmother taught me how to crochet and sometimes I sit in a chair and knit crooked napkins. But aside from that I’m a terrible bore.
— In interviews you often talk about your mother, not about your father. Did your mother raise you alone? Are there brothers or sisters?
— Nope, nobody. I don’t remember being raised. Rather, I was influenced by my grandparents and my mother equally. And I like who has grown.
— In which countries have you lived for a long time? Was there any desire to leave for permanent residence somewhere?
— Wherever I wanted, I have been there and stayed enough to clearly understand and feel that I am not drawn to the idea of permanent residence at all.
— Would you like to pursue an acting career for example, in Hollywood? It seems to me that with your appearance and fluent English, you would be welcome there too, especially the «Russian» beauty is everywhere in the price?
— Come on, seriously? How many of such examples are there? It seems pretty presumptuous to me to think that you could overcome all the competition and prejudice of Hollywood.
— By the way, what is your nationality? Russian or a mixture of blood, like most people here?
— I am Russian.
— Well okay, you are a handsome and talented boy from the provinces who came to Moscow. You understand that the competition in Moscow is huge, crowds come to auditions, and it’s harder for boys to break through. What helped you personally to get noticed? This is probably about your personal qualities. Many celebrities have already been born in families with actors, artists and this helped them at the start. You are not one of them, so what is the secret in your opinion?
— In my opinion, my adequacy helped me. I do not know how to make and use connections at all. I do not know how to ask for something. Everything that happened in life was deserved and to the point. It’s just that texture and ability converged equally. So it was in modelling as well as in acting. But, I don’t owe anything to anyone. I can look everyone in the eye and I can easily say ‘fuck you’.
— Do you believe that we are already born with the destiny to become a «star», and only the realization depends on us, but in fact it is a gift given from above and predetermined?
— Let’s remember the story of Vodianova, or even Irina Shayk. Yes, they are beautiful, but in Russia there are a lot of girls who could compete with them, and they tried.
— I listened to your music, it is very sensual and interesting, it seems to me that you have a distinct Russian soul, but it’s sad… it reminded me of the style of «Auktsion». Why did you choose this genre of rock? More driving songs, a la sex, drugs, rock and roll, not yours?
— Yeah, there are no funny ones. It happened. I didn’t choose. «As he breathes and writes,» Dolores O’Riordan said that it was not joyful events that sparked from her. Well, here I am the same.
— By the way, are your favourite Russian and foreign rock bands?
— BG, Splin, Auktsion, Zemfira. And of course, Radiohead, Bristol Troika (trip-hop). I am definitely Oasis and not Blur. I like music from England in the 60s. Bands like, Led Zeppelin, Cream, Fleetwood Mac from the Peter Green era. And music from the Americans, The Doors and Creedence Clearwater Revival, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Rage Against The Machine, and Nirvana.
— I will not and do not want to torture you with questions about marriage and so on, but there’s something else I find interesting. I read that you love your peers (by the way, why? Young people can also be very smart and interesting), feminine, etc. But do you have any exceptional fetish?
— Blondes, brunettes, skinny, etc.? Everyone wants to date blondes, but brunettes fuck better. In fact, this is all nonsense about parameters. Either there is something or not, that’s it. I like to get to know a person, and not with age, height, or bust… Although now, I probably like darker more.
— What are your own demons? Is there something that you realize is your vice (I’m more about personal qualities), do you understand that maybe it hurts someone? Well, for example, you don’t know how to forgive, or are you overly proud, or do you always feel bored and constantly need to find something new? And how do you deal with them?
— The little demons are more likely with me. There are kids, yeah, I feed them sometimes, otherwise you never know how the springs will burst if you hold them back for a long time. A vice that hurts — oh well! Now more than ever, people like to speak about how they were offended, or to talk about how painful it is, trying to play on the feelings of guilt — such vulgarity. In general, I am becoming more and more unsociable. How it affects anyone is of little interest.
— Money and popularity still do their thing. Were there any problems, addictions or at least, «hobbies» with drugs, alcohol, etc.?
— Oh well, everyone had youth. In general, I am a normal Russian person — sometimes I sit in the kitchen alone with a bottle. Of course there were mistakes and nonsense, but that was never a big problem, thank God. But I’ve been a glutton all my life! This is annoying me a lot!
— Are you more about darkness or about light? So I often say that I am more likely from the dark forces, although I never intentionally want to harm others, so I sort of keep myself at times — away from people.
— I agree, deliberately hurting someone is not about me. I hope that I am not an evil person. Although I have this inside me. Grandpa Petya, he is 73, and a fucking grumbler. He sometimes uncovers his shit gun and starts shooting.
— Do you do charity work, do you help people in any way? Or maybe this is in the plans?
— Nope. I don’t provide any help. I don’t do anything like that. I never had the ability to calm a person down or cheer them up in a difficult situation.
— Do you agree that the world loves interchange?
— I don’t know what the world loves, but if you want something (especially in large volumes and no matter the money, or the fame) you need to understand that it will become a part of life. The more you want something, the larger the part of your life you will need to give up for it.
— What’s one thing you would never do?
— You can think and imagine anything, but we do not know what will happen if we are really pressed. I want to think that I will not do something deliberately mean.
— A crazy dream that can hardly come true, but sits in your head (maybe fly into space?)
— I’m not really crazy about madness.
— Your favourite movie(s)?
— French liaison, Only Lovers Will Survive, Ad Astra Liked, Motherless Brooklyn, The Last Dance, Short Meetings of K. Muratova, and Coppola’s Conversation.
— Favourite fashion model(s)?
— Will Chalker
— Actors and actresses who impress you?
— Eva Green, Ingrid Bergman, Gene Hackman, Steve McQueen, Rife Fiennes, Vyacheslav Tikhonov, Gary Oldman
— Favourite colour and lucky number?
— Green, 4.
— Active sports for leisure, or relaxing?
— Someday I’ll want to go skiing.
— Favourite alcoholic drink.
— Whiskey.
— Imagine that you are not limited by finances at all, what kind of house would you build for yourself, where would it be and in what style?
— Lots of land, simple materials, somewhere northern.
— What will you do if you finally fall in love with someone to the point of insanity, and because of your career, you will not see her for a long time?
— It has already happened. I’m sitting here talking about brunettes, yeah.
— Of all the roles you’ve played, which one are you most proud of and which character reminds you the most of yourself?
— Sheymov, perhaps. Although, I can’t forget Nesterov Leha.
— Describe yourself in just one word
— A stone.