“I am a master of improvisation and a storyteller”: Roman Popov - about love for work and the TV series “Mukhich Detective Agency”

- Tell us why your hero decided to leave the police station and open his own detective agency?

—

To be honest, leaving the police station was not the decision of Igor Valerievich Mukhich.

Rather, he was forced by circumstances.

He remains without a job, without a bread place, and he knows nothing but to investigate various crimes.

Therefore, he agrees to open his own detective agency in Barvikha.

- Will the "Mukhich Detective Agency" have a feature that will catch the viewer's attention?

Maybe your character Igor will change dramatically or will there be more drama in the plot?

“There are definitely major changes.

In any case, even at the stage of the script, it was clearly clear that this was still the same Igor, but something had happened to him behind the scenes.

One of my colleagues on the set of the first episodes made a very good comparison.

She said: "Congratulations, your Igor is now Peter Griffin."

I asked her what particular series she remembered.

She replied, "Remember the one where Peter forgot how to sit?"

Left unattended by the boss, his girlfriend, he (Igor. -

) completely let go of the situation.

Therefore, his first thought - to accept Christina into his detective agency - is the most successful and correct.

He understands that he cannot cope without an adequate person.

- Can you say that Christina will be his deterrent?

- Together they will not let Igor do stupid things, let's say so.

- Will the audience see Igor's professional growth?

“He was a good investigator before that.

But he does not act logically at all, as it seems to the viewer.

Igor's secret is that he is impenetrably absurd, relatively stupid, but surprisingly, absolutely indescribably lucky.

That is, he is a lucky man whom fate loves, and this is one of the factors that helps him achieve everything.

- Can you say that you are also lucky in life?

- In most cases, yes.

I believe that a lucky star is always with me, because all my creative activity is an amazing chain of happy accidents.

Although, as we know, everything is not accidental, and the fact that I work 24/7 also makes itself felt.

But in general, I am lucky - I have a wonderful companion, wonderful children, I am very lucky with them.

I am lucky that I cope with the tasks set by the Universe, more often coming out as a winner or at least not a loser. 

• © Press service of the TNT channel

- When you were offered to star in the spin-off, did you immediately agree or were there any doubts?

- Yes, I immediately agreed, because I missed Igor, working with Legio Felix.

At that time I participated in other projects, some of them have already appeared on the screen, others are waiting for their release.

But working with Legio is always a pleasure and a mystery, so I didn't think for a second. 

- Reveal the secret, should the fans expect some kind of stability in Igor's personal life?

- Let's just say: a very large part of the series will be tied to Igor's relationship with women, and this will surprise our viewers.

So there will be a lot of drama, right?

- It depends on what you call drama.

- Love drama.

- For Igor, a relationship with any woman is an internal drama.

Therefore, if in this context, there will be many of them.

- Can the spin-off be called a separate project?

If people haven't watched Policeman from Rublyovka, will they understand the plot of Mukhich's Detective Agency?

- Viewers can watch this product separately.

And we can only hope that the spin-off will encourage them to watch the “Policeman from Rublyovka” as well.

In any case, at the very beginning of "Mukhich's Detective Agency" we immediately explain who is on the screen, and a person, roughly speaking, from the street, who has never been familiar with the universe of "Policeman from Rublyovka", will understand everything.

We are like Marvel, and the word "universe" is quite suitable for our world.

He's a little silly, but at the same time idealized, because in our series everything somehow works out well for both the heroes and the antagonists.

I am proud to take part in filming in the universe of "Policeman from Rublyovka", because in this world, for example, there was no covid.

I was pleased with the fact that Ilya Vyacheslavovich (Kulikov. -

) decided that we all live in an imperfect world, even though this muck would not be somewhere.

Therefore, we do not have masked people, there is no mention of the virus.

It turns out such a parallel reality.

Do you know how many seasons the series will have?

— I don’t have such forecasts, but I believe in the best.

The best thing is not ten seasons for the actors to get tired.

The best in my understanding is season three.

But so far no one has said anything.

- When you watch the series, it seems that the role of Igor was created just for you.

Was it easy for you to get used to it or were there any difficulties?

- Initially, Igor was a disgusting, nasty, vile, dishonest cop.

And then, when we started shooting the pilot, Ilya allowed me to make changes to the characters, for which I am very grateful to him.

By and large, together we made him what he became, namely, a charming, naive, funny guy living in his own world.

The only thing Igor truly appreciates is friendship, it is very important to him.

— Will your character change appearance in the spin-off?

Maybe he will start to put on a hat, like Sherlock Holmes, a raincoat, or carry everywhere with him, for example, a long umbrella?

—

My character during the first season - I hope I did not misunderstand, and this is only the first season - will change outwardly several times.

Not complex, but he will constantly change outfits.

In general, he remains the same Igor.

• © Press service of the TNT channel

- It happens that the spin-off loses in popularity to the original project.

Do you think the "Mukhich Detective Agency" will be as successful as the "Policeman from Rublyovka"?

—

I really want to believe that the naive, kind, stupid, but very sincere Igor, who has fallen in love with everyone, like all the heroes of this story, will be also loved by the audience, like the characters of "Policeman from Rublyovka".

- Does the "Muhic Detective Agency" have the potential for a feature film?

Would you like to play in it?

 — Yes, definitely.

I dream that this story will grow into a big feature-length picture.

- "Policeman from Rublyovka" has become very popular in Russia, for sure the fans will constantly recognize you.

How often do you get approached for a photo or autograph?

Does that kind of attention bother you?

- They do it all the time.

To be honest, it used to bother me a little, especially about seven years ago - then I stopped riding the Moscow metro.

I really love the subway, but then it was June, the time when children walk in public places in gift wrapping, I mean graduates with ribbons.

I went from station to station, and where the transition took four minutes, it took me 40 minutes due to requests for photographs.

It was just the peak of the popularity of "Policeman from Rublyovka".

I was depressed when there were more than five dozen applicants.

But then I thought about it and clearly understood that I don’t need to be shy and afraid of my Igor, that I need to be proud of him.

I have a decent character.

Some people think that I am the same in life - narrow-minded, stupid, but I use it.

I am glad that I have such a hero as Igor, because many actors do not have their Mukhich.

Someone has been standing in the ninth row without words in a provincial theater for decades and dreams of acting (in a movie or TV series. -

).

I was not only lucky to act, but also to create a character that the audience fell in love with.

So now such attention does not depress me, it's just part of my profession.

Come, take pictures, I give autographs and I am open to communication.

- In the last couple of years, a lot of films with you have appeared on the screens.

You have a large family, children, and you have repeatedly admitted that you spend your free time with them.

How often do you get a day off?

“I don’t have days off, as such.

And yet, if there is a free minute, I sleep; if there is a free day, I sleep, but partially spend it with my family.

Now the elders (children. -

are with their grandmother in Sochi, the youngest is with us, and there is an opportunity to give interviews.

They constantly tell me: “Romochka, you can’t earn all the money.”

I always answer: “Friends, I am a large, nursing father who is building a house, I will still try.”

• © Press service of the TNT channel

- You are still touring with the duet "20:14", right?

- Yes that's right.

From time to time, for old times sake, we travel to different cities for private events or give concerts.

How often do you tour?

— It’s not often now, given that the world has not yet recovered from the post-COVID hysteria and the creative business is just getting back on track.

Now we perform a couple of times a month, one of which is visiting, the other is in Moscow.

Do you remember what your first casting was like?

How did it go then?

—

My first casting was for the project of Semyon Slepakov and Boris Khlebnikov "Concerned", I remember it very well.

For his sake, I came from Sochi, and they gave me a kissing scene.

Yesterday's kvnschik, an actor without education, who really does not know how to work with a partner, it was wildly difficult.

Probably, this was the reason why I did not pass the casting - and I am very happy about it!

But then, with tripled strength, he took up the creation of the character of Igor Mukhich.

Has your attitude to the process changed over the years?

Now how do you feel about kissing in the frame?

- I take kisses in the frame quite calmly, as well as bed scenes, I had all this, you will see all this in other projects.

Look soon on TV and (big. -

) screens of the country, unless, of course, you want to spoil your psyche.

In general, everything is fine, these clamps have been removed from me.

It is enough to look at the projects where we filmed with my friend Zoya Berber, where in the frame we just “eat” each other - this cannot be called a normal human kiss.

Everything works out when you have a good partner.

And if you feel a clamp in relation to a person, then no acting qualities will block this.

Sonya and I have been filming together for more than seven years, so it was easy for us.

Have you ever failed auditions?

- I had such failures a couple of times, no more.

But now, somehow, fortunately, I’m lucky to pass the tests the first time.

I really don’t want to fall out of the cage now, because everything is going well.

I am glad that I have a lot of projects waiting for me to come out on the screen.

The only thing I really fear is that the premiere will be at the same time on several federal channels of the country, or at the same time in cinemas, and people will simply get tired of my talented, charming, sexy face on the screen.

This has happened many times with my colleagues.

• Irina Vilkova and Roman Popov at the premiere of the film "Policeman from Rublyovka.

  New Year Mayhem 2"

• RIA News

• © Ekaterina Chesnokova

- 

- Yes that's right.

The title of the film was supposed to set fire to the hearts of all feminists.

Dangerous name, I didn't choose.

But I'm proud of the film.

We got a really cool picture.

If one of the readers, listeners suddenly has the opportunity to watch it, you are welcome, you will not regret it.

- 

- It is impossible to choose someone.

They are both slightly i.

I enhance some traits of my character, and the main features of the characters are obtained.

I love them equally.

Igor is ridiculous, stupid, lucky.

Vanya is a loser, very smart, but at the same time a social invalid, and if not for Lina, he would hardly have become more humane, and she would not have become more humane without him.

This is a win-win story.

— 

- "Nerd and Superwoman" was planned for a long time, it's not a secret.

) did not see

anyone else but Sonya in the role of Android .

In general, this character arose from Sonya's manner of communication: on the set she answers in monosyllables, and at one moment it seemed to Ilya that it resembled a conversation with a robot.

Then he began to create this character and the story of Vanya and Lina.

Sophia is a pleasure to work with.

She is an amazing professional.

She is a beautiful, wise, very sensitive and beautiful girl.

But the actress is even more cool than the woman on the screen.

She is a wonderful, perfect partner, so what emotions can there be?

Only positive ones.

- What other major projects are planned with your participation besides the Mukhich Detective Agency?

- In July, in my opinion, I have a meter (full-length film. -

) and another series.

I remind you, I have three children, and I am building a house, so there is no time to rest.

- Are there any roles in your filmography that you regretted?

- No, everything that came to me was not in vain.

It all either made me more professional or stronger, so I don’t regret anything.

If I had the opportunity to live my life differently, including my creative life, I would not change anything.

- Comedy is your hobby in life, do you find time for stand-ups?

- I have never done stand-ups, I am a kvnshchik.

I write stand-ups on the table.

Sooner or later I will go on stage and perform with them, but not in the show.

Basically, I am a master of improvisation and a storyteller.

- So we can expect that someday you will also be a stand-up star?

- You can wait, but not anxiously.

It's unlikely to happen soon.