Oleg Menshikov - People's Artist of Russia, three times laureate of the State Prize, head of the Moscow Drama Theater named after M. N. Ermolova. He is known to viewers for such roles as: Kostik in the Soviet musical comedy "Pokrovskie Vorota", Mitya in the Oscar-winning film "Burnt by the Sun", Fandorin in "The State Councilor", Zhivago in the drama "Doctor Zhivago" and many others. His charm, energy, lightness and sincerity leave no one indifferent.
Childhood and youth
Menshikov Oleg Evgenievich was born on November 8, 1960 in the city of Serpukhov, Moscow Region. His parents had nothing to do with the world of theater and cinema. Father, Evgeny Yakovlevich Menshikov, was a military engineer. Mom, Elena Innokentievna Menshikova - a neuropathologist. When Oleg was born, his parents moved to Moscow. From early childhood, the boy showed musical abilities. His parents sent him to one of the Moscow music schools, where the future artist learned to play the violin. During his school years, Oleg simply adored opera and seriously wanted to become an operetta artist. But at the last moment, before entering the institute, Menshikov nevertheless made a choice in favor of dramatic art.
Having successfully graduated from secondary and music schools, in 1977 Oleg entered the Higher Theater School named after M. S. Shchepkina. There he studied on a course with Vladimir Monakhov. At the school, the young man often staged theatrical sketches and numbers, participated in "skits", was always witty, very musical, knew how to surprise.
Carier start
The debut of the aspiring actor in cinema took place in 1980 in Suren Shahbazyan's film “I Wait and Hope”. In the first year of study, Oleg was invited to appear in several more directors. One of them was the famous actor and director Mikhail Kozakov. The role of Kostik in the musical comedy "Pokrovskie Vorota" glorified the novice artist throughout the Soviet Union. In the same period, Oleg received small roles in the films "Relatives" by N. Mikhalkov and the film "Flights in dreams and in reality" by R. Balayan.
All the theatrical bohemians of Moscow gathered to watch the graduation performance "Guilty Without Guilt", the course of Oleg Menshikov. Among the audience was the head of the Maly Theater - Mikhail Tsarev. The next day, Tsarev met with Menshikov and invited him to work at the Maly Theater. Despite the fact that by the time he entered the theater, Menshikov had already played several significant roles in cinema, on the stage of the Maly Theater he had to start with episodes. A year later, the young actor was drafted into the ranks of the Soviet army. The director of the theater of the Soviet Army, Yuri Eremin, saved Menshikov from serving. He noticed a talented young man in one of his performances at the theater school and invited him to serve in his theater. The most striking role of Menshikov, played in this theater, was the role of Ganechka in the play "The Idiot", based on the novel by Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky.
Seeing no further prospects for development in the theater of the Soviet Army, the young actor goes to serve in the Yermolova Theater, where he works until 1989. The most striking roles on this stage were roles in the performances "The Second Year of Freedom" directed by Valery Fokin and "Sports Scenes of 1981".
In 1990, the actor received an invitation to the theater. Mossovet. There he was offered the role of the Roman emperor in the play "Caligula", directed by Fomenko. For the brilliant performance of this role, the actor was awarded a prize and a diploma of the Moscow Seasons festival.
Creation
In the late 80s, Oleg Menshikov became a very popular actor and could only afford to act in those projects that were interesting to him. Such films were: "Dyuba-Dyuba" by Alexander Khvan, "Burnt by the Sun" and "Siberian Barber" by Nikita Mikhalkov, "Prisoner of the Caucasus" by Sergei Bodrov, "East-West" by Alexei Golovin, "Doctor Zhivago" by Alexander Proshkin.
In 1995 Menshikov became the head of his own theater, called
"Theatrical Company 814". Oleg Evgenievich became the director of many productions, the most famous of which are: "The Players" by Gogol, "Woe from Wit" by Griboyedov, "Kitchen" by Kurochkin.
Music for Oleg Menshikov has always played a great role. Therefore, in 2011, he created a youth orchestra. The artist defined the genre of the orchestra as a theatrical and concert performance. The main credo of the orchestra is the absence of rules. The musicians of the youth orchestra not only play, but also dance, sing, going on stage not in tuxedos with butterflies, but in work overalls.
In 2012, Oleg Evgenievich became the artistic director of the Ermolova Drama Theater. Becoming the head of the theater, Menshikov made repairs in the theater, completely renewed the repertoire, leaving only four productions. Said goodbye to many of the actors from the old troupe. Among them was his colleague, with whom he starred in the "Pokrovsky Gates", Tatyana Dogileva. Thanks to this, the theater is always sold out, there are many invited directors and talented actors working in it.
Oleg Menshikov is one of the few actors who transferred part of their work to the Internet. In May 2018, he opened his OM channel on Youtube, being the author of this project, he communicates with celebrities. Filming takes place on the stage of the Yermolova Theater. Among the invited guests, Oleg Evgenievich was visited by: Mikhail Efremov, Danila Kozlovsky, Vyacheslav Polunin, Alla Pugacheva, Fedor Konyukhov.
In 2003, Oleg Menshikov was awarded the honorary title of People's Artist of the Russian Federation.
Personal life
Oleg Menshikov does not like to advertise his personal life. In 2005, the 43-year-old artist married 24-year-old actress Anastasia Chernova. Their acquaintance happened at a concert of Mikhail Zhvanetsky on February 14. In 2005 they got married and went on a honeymoon trip to Switzerland. Anastasia was born in the north of Russia (Taimyr Peninsula), brought up in a large family. After moving to Moscow, she graduated from GITIS and became an actress. The spouses have no children. Oleg Evgenievich claims that meeting with Nastya is the main event in his life.
