It's hard to believe, but Andrei Myagkov might have never played Zhenya Lukashin in the cult classic "The Irony of Fate." The reason was almost his own talent: officials decided that the actor portrayed the inebriated hero so convincingly because he was in that state himself, reports the publication taini-zvezd.
The Audition That Almost Ruined the Role
In 1975, Eldar Ryazanov invited Andrei Myagkov to audition for the film "The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!" The actor was to play a scene in which his character is inebriated.
Myagkov performed so convincingly that it almost cost him the role. As Ryazanov later recalled, during the screening of the audition tape, the chairman of the State Cinema of the USSR, Philip Ermash, walked into the hall. After watching the footage, he asked the director not to cast the actor.
According to Ryazanov's recollections, the conversation was brief:
— Eldar, I like all the actors, but please don’t take this one.
— Why?
— You see, he’s even drunk at the audition. It’s obvious.
Fortunately, the director managed to convince the authorities and insisted on Myagkov's candidacy. In the end, he created one of the most recognizable characters in Soviet cinema.
Fame That Became a Heavy Burden
After the film was released, Andrei Myagkov woke up to being a nationwide favorite. However, the actor himself had a rather restrained attitude towards such popularity.
Fans constantly associated him with Zhenya Lukashin, gifting him brooms, inviting him for drinks, and endlessly asking about his relationship with his co-star Barbara Brylska.
Myagkov admitted that such attention weighed on him. Moreover, he did not hide his complicated relationship with the Polish actress.
"After meeting her, I stopped loving Poles," he said in one of the interviews.
According to the actor, Brylska's arrogant behavior hindered him from fully immersing himself in the role of the lovesick hero. He claimed that the romantic scenes on screen were not easy for him.
"This Film Ruined My Career"
Paradoxically, the role that made Myagkov famous was not perceived by him as a creative victory.
The actor repeatedly stated that after the success of "The Irony of Fate," directors stopped seeing him as a serious dramatic artist.
"This film ruined my acting career. Everyone thought I was an alcoholic, even though I don’t like alcohol, and I absolutely hate baths," Myagkov confessed.
According to him, the audience identified him so closely with Lukashin that for many years they perceived him solely through the image of the unfortunate doctor from the New Year’s comedy.
One Love for a Lifetime
In real life, Andrei Myagkov was the complete opposite of his on-screen character. He did not enjoy noisy gatherings, avoided publicity, and rarely gave interviews.
The most important person in his life remained actress Anastasia Voznesenskaya. Their marriage lasted 57 years and became one of the strongest unions in domestic cinema.
Myagkov did not hide that he valued his relationship with his wife above all else and always tried to protect her feelings.
The story of Andrei Myagkov is one of the most remarkable ironies of Soviet cinema. The actor nearly lost his star role because he portrayed an inebriated person too convincingly. Yet, the character that brought him nationwide love, the artist considered for many years to be the cause of his professional difficulties. Nevertheless, it was Zhenya Lukashin who forever made Andrei Myagkov a legend of domestic cinema.
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