On Tuesday, September 20, at the age of 56, a Soviet and Russian actor and director, artistic director of the Yaroslavl Drama Theater named after F. Volkov, Honored Artist of Russia Sergey Puskepalis died in an accident.

The accident occurred in the Rostov region.

The death of the actor was confirmed by the governor of the Yaroslavl region Mikhail Evraev.

“Very big loss!

Sergei Puskepalis died tragically.

It's hard to believe.

Saw him yesterday.

He, as always, smiled.

Very positive, very energetic.

Talented actor, director and director.

A real patriot, ”said Evraev in Telegram.

Condolences in connection with the death of the artist bring his colleagues, politicians and other public figures. 

Russian Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova recalls cooperation with Puskepalis.

“I know (the language does not yet turn to write“ knew ”) Sergey Puskepalis for more than half of my life.

What they didn't do together.

And performances on stage in the auditorium of Moscow State University, and rock opera were once invented for a small theater ... and for the last 2.5 years, there are so many ... how many plans in Yaroslavl, an actor's exchange, tours in the LPR, a festival in Zheleznovodsk, how many shootings are ahead ... there should have been .

Kingdom of Heaven, r.

B. Sergius, dear Seryozha Puskepalis, ”the politician writes.

According to Vladimir Medinsky, the death of the actor was a great loss for Russian culture. 

“A talented actor and director.

A man of strong convictions, which is a rarity for the environment.

Competent and worthy leader.

In 2019, he was appointed artistic director of the Yaroslavl Drama Theater, where he also showed himself from the best side, ”said Medinsky. 

Actress Yulia Aleksandrova, in an interview with RT, called her colleague “a wonderful artist, a wonderful person, a subtle partner,” and writer Zakhar Prilepin remembered Puskepalis as “the kindest, most generous, brightest” comrade. 

“Loved him.

He did not have a soul in him.

He was amazing, unprecedented, ”the writer wrote in his Telegram channel.

Prilepin said that the artist was not only his colleague, but also a friend.

“And then we became friends.

Then he came to the Donbass and became completely native there.

Then we performed together a hundred times, held festivals, made plans, visited his house.

There was a whole life.

And at any difficult moment, his voice arose in the receiver, and he said: “Brother, I’m for you, let’s drive up, arrange for them all ...” Prilepin recalls. 

Eduard Boyakov, artistic director of the New Theater School, also spoke about his friendship with Sergei Puskepalis in an interview with RT. 

“He was my close and very close friend.

We've been friends for almost 20 years.

From the moment when he, having learned from Fomenko, began to be interested in modern dramaturgy and staged a play that was shown at my New Drama festival and even received an award.

Since then, we have always been together, always discussed events in the Russian theater, worried together about what was happening to him, ”says Boyakov.

He noted that Puskepalis was "an incredible man of amazing purity, with amazing charisma", who was friends "with a wide variety of people."

“A real man, a great artist with outstanding organics and outstanding male charisma of great talent.

This is a huge loss for Russian culture.

Here is such a person who was born in Chukotka with a Lithuanian surname, had a house in the south, and served and directed the first Russian drama theater, I mean the Volkovsky Theater in Yaroslavl, this is an incredible biography, ”concluded the director.

According to actress Lydia Matasova, "it was a pleasure to work with him."

“We enjoyed going to rehearsals.

His charm filled everything.

He is a charming, kind, talented person.

Very energetic, says the artist.

“Such a kind person, such a talented and beautiful person, you rarely meet in life, unfortunately.”

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Honored Artist of Russia, theater director and film actor Sergei Puskepalis was born on April 15, 1966 in the city of Kursk.

In 1980, together with his family, he moved to Saratov, where he entered the theater school for the acting course of Yuri Kiselyov (now the Theater Institute at the Saratov State Conservatory named after L.V. Sobinov).

In 1985, Puskepalis went to serve in the navy.

Returning to Saratov after demobilization in 1988, he served for ten years in the local theater for young spectators (now the Saratov Academic Theater for Young Spectators named after Yu.P. Kiselev).

In 2001, Puskepalis graduated from the directing course of Pyotr Fomenko at the Russian Academy of Theater Arts.

As a student, the artist presented his performances on the stage of the Samara theater "Monday", and after graduating from high school, his productions were staged in the Omsk Fifth Theater, the Magnitogorsk Drama Theater named after A.S.

Pushkin, as well as in the Moscow theaters "Workshop of Pyotr Fomenko" and the Studio Theater of Oleg Tabakov.

In addition, since 2019, the artist has directed the Yaroslavl Academic Drama Theater named after Fyodor Volkov, in which he served as a director.

The film debut of the actor took place in 2003.

Puskepalis played a small episodic role in Alexei Uchitel's film "Walk".

The first notable role, which brought the actor a number of film awards and fame, he played in 2007 in the film "Simple Things" by Alexei Popogrebsky.

For the role of the anesthesiologist Sergei Maslov, the artist was awarded the Nika Prize in the Discovery of the Year nomination, as well as the Kinotavr and Karlovy Vary festival prizes.

In total, the artist starred in almost 70 films, several more films with his participation are in production.

The last film "Chronos" with an actor in the title role was released on July 21, 2022.

Sergei Puskepalis was married twice: his first companion was actress Elvira Danilina.

In the second marriage with Elena Petrova, the son Gleb was born, who followed in his father's footsteps and became an actor.