Russian actor Arthur Smolyaninov living in Riga on what he likes and dislikes about Latvia

The premiere of the film took place on November 6, 2025, in Riga. Arthur played a KGB officer tasked with overseeing women's basketball. The actor told the publication Kas Jauns Avīze about how he is living in Latvia, how he is learning the Latvian language, and what he thinks about his latest film.

• You had a brilliant career in Russia, why did you decide to leave?

• It was a decision related to the fact that my Russia ceased to exist at the moment it began the war against Ukraine.

• Was it difficult to adapt to life in Latvia?

• I don’t know. It seems to me that compared to a million or hundreds of thousands of other people with whom I currently share this fate, it’s not that hard. Probably, rather no, it’s not hard.

• What did you like here, and what did you not like?

• I really like the weather, the landscapes, the rhythm of life, the architecture. I like the calmness of the people. And what I didn’t like... I don’t like that people are leaving Latvia. That makes me very sad and sorry. This is a cultural space, this is a historical space, this country is still so young, this community of people. With such an interesting and complex history and culture. It deserves a better attitude towards itself, so to speak.

And, of course, I don’t like that there is such a division in society. But it is probably historically inevitable. It’s a pity that it exists. And I hope that maybe I will be one of the many other reasons for which this division, this distance will decrease.

• You are studying the Latvian language. Is it difficult for you?

• No, the language itself, it seems to me, is not difficult to learn, because it is quite close to the Russian language, despite the fact that it seems completely different. Nevertheless, it is an Indo-European language group, many common words and grammatical rules. Rather, not grammatical, but the rules of cases, the case norms are quite similar.

The most difficult thing in learning any language is finding time and doing it regularly. If you find the discipline in yourself and the determination to do it every day, then it’s not difficult.

• Are you already trying to speak Latvian with anyone, or is that still far off?

• I am trying and speaking, I already know the language well at the A1 level, maybe I am even creeping into A2. I speak, but to maintain a long conversation, not yet. But I am working on it. I understand better than I speak. I already understand quite a lot.

• Recently you starred in a film about the Latvian basketball team TTT. Was it difficult to integrate into the Latvian team?

• No, you know, art has an amazing property of uniting people. That’s why we love it. In times when such strong centrifugal processes are happening, and the world seems to be tearing apart, art, on the contrary, becomes an even more unifying factor.

Art has its own language. The language of images, the language of form, the language of feeling. A universal language, a human language. Well, verbally we communicated in English. Everyone speaks English very well. And if it was necessary to explain some details, the director would switch to Russian with me. But, you see, I don’t see this as a problem because language is just a tool. Language is not to blame.
Knowing another language besides your native one is better, two is better, three is even better, especially one as rich and complex as Russian, or English, or Latvian, it only enriches any person. So we communicated in all the languages we could, and there was no question about it. Well, during the work process, you always get closer to some people. You become just good acquaintances, companions, and with some even friends.

Therefore, in any film crew, in any creative project, the crew is not national, it is primarily human. And art vividly demonstrates to us how people can actually unite, not only fight and resist, and divide, but also unite.

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• What could you say to the audience about the film "In the Net. The Birth of the TTT Legend"? Why should they watch it?

Oh, it’s hard for me to answer this question, especially before I have seen the film myself. I should say some marketing words, some enticing ones. Or something like that, that it’s worth watching because I starred in it. I don’t know why it’s worth watching the movie. Perhaps because it will transport you to those times, which I think are interesting to experience. And to take a look at least in such a strong distortion and artistic interpretation. To glance into your own past. I think that’s very, very interesting. You know, cinema is dreams that you can revisit. And I think it’s a good dream.

• How do you spend your time outside of work? Do you have hobbies? Favorite activities?

• Outside of work, I also work. I always work on myself. Well, my favorite activity is working on myself.

• Do you dream of returning to Russia one day? Or is that already impossible?

• Never say never, but today I am not thinking about it.