As a rule, every actor has a family: children, wife, parents. And they also have their own fate, which may be unknown to a wide circle of viewers for some time. However, often actor-spouses each live under their own last name. For example, not everyone knows who the husbands of these actresses are: Kristina Babushkina, Anna Osokina, Larisa Luppian, Anastasia Voznesenskaya, etc.
How it all began
In the city of Korolev (Moscow region), the future actor Andrei Merzlikin was born into the family of a driver and an accountant. The biography of his family is quite simple and standard. The family was friendly and strong.
His date of birth is March 1973.
A few years later, Andrey had a little sister, Lena. Mother and father always paid a lot of attention to their children - in such favorable conditions, the not yet actor Andrey Merzlikin grew up, whose family and parents always treated their children and each other with respect.
Time passed, the boy graduated from school and decided to become an astronaut. Understanding the importance of physical training for such a serious matter, he decided to significantly improve it by taking a special course - he had to comply with the necessary recruitment rules.
He entered the technical school at the Faculty of Space Engineering. But the troubled 90s were not the best time for the development of the space industry - many holes appeared in the economy. The childhood dream was not destined to come true.
After technical school, Andrei studied further, this time his choice fell on the Academy of Life Spheres in Moscow. He graduated from this educational institution with honors (1996). While studying at the academy, Andrei Merzlikin was also a student at VGIK. Thus, he combined his studies at completely different universities, studying to become specialists with different specializations for two whole years.
He studied on a course with Evgeniy Kindinov.
To be fair, it should be noted that Merzlikin was not one of the exemplary and disciplined students. Fights were commonplace for him, as a result of which Andrei was expelled from the university. And it was restored on a commercial basis.
But as they say, every cloud has a silver lining - he had to earn money for living and education. This served him as a good life lesson.
He graduated in 1998 with honors. But before this event there were several more:
- While still a student, he took part in the project “How I Spent My Summer,” for which he received an award.
- In the Popovsky project, he got a role in the production of “Hotel Europe”, with which they toured throughout Europe, collecting full houses. So, Andrei went through a “baptism of fire”, seriously declaring himself for the first time.
Childhood and youth
The future star of Russian cinema was born in Kaliningrad near Moscow, later renamed Korolev. The family was friendly and happy. Dad is a professional driver, mom is an accountant. Andrei was raised with his sister, who was several years younger than him. The actor’s parents adored their children, devoted a lot of time to them, and tried to instill correct moral values that helped their son in adulthood. When the artist became popular, rumors appeared that actor Nikolai Merzlikin was the father of Andrei Merzlikin. This is not true, they are not related. The artist's parents are Ilya and Nina.
Like many boys of that time, as a teenager he dreamed of flying into space. To begin with, after graduating from the eighth grade in 1988, I decided to enter the technical school of space engineering. But in the 90s the space industry did not develop. Therefore, after graduating from an educational institution and receiving a diploma in radio engineering, the future actor decides to study to become a manager at an academy for the sphere of everyday life and services. In 1996, he received a red diploma from this university.
It is noteworthy that the artist’s diploma work was a project for the restoration of the Sapozhnikov factory, the creator of which was Stanislavsky’s brother. The enterprise was located on the Stanislavsky estate, where the first performances were staged with Nemirovich-Danchenko. Andrey included bribes in the estimate for restoration work. In the 90s this was normal. The teachers smiled, but appreciated the resourcefulness.
The artist was also not destined to become a manager. While studying at the university, he went with his fellow students to a recreation center in Ivanteevka. There Andrei met a local gangster group. Their foreman advised him to enter the Institute of Cinematography. The young man did not know about the existence of such educational institutions and believed that acting was a vocation that was impossible to learn. In 1996, he successfully passed the entrance examination to the acting department of VGIK. For the next two years, his studies take place in two universities at once.
As a student, the artist received excellent grades, but his behavior was not exemplary. For another fight, he was expelled from the budget department of VGIK. But he could no longer imagine a future without acting. I had to switch to commercial training. To pay for his studies, Andrei took on any roles. Thanks to this, his acting career began during his student days. He played in films by young directors - O. Darfi, I. Khotinenko and others.
Work in the theater
Upon returning from tour, Merzlikin begins working at the Moscow Drama Theater with the famous Armen Dzhigarkhanyan. He worked with the master for 10 years, and it was an excellent school of skill. Works:
- Main role in The Marriage of Figaro.
- “Three Sisters” - Vershinin.
- In The Inspector General - the role of Lyapkin-Tyapkin.
While studying at VGIK, he gradually began to make his career in cinema - he was shot by young directors in films:
- "Aylostera."
- "Why do you love Me?"
- "The final".
The best roles of Andrey Merzlikin
Since 2000, Andrei began acting in television series.
He played in some episodes of the project “Truckers”, “Deadly Force” and “Butterfly Territory”. In 2003, the actor took part in the American project “Mail Order Bride,” which made him famous. In the same year, Merzlikin was offered one of the main roles in the film “Boomer”, which also starred Sergei Gorobchenko, Vladimir Vdovichenkov and others, which can be called a landmark for the “era of perestroika”. Thanks to his role in “Boomer,” Andrei became one of the most popular domestic actors.
Andrey Merzlikin about the film Boomer
Actor's luck
Luck means a lot in any business - this is an axiom. In this regard, everything worked out well for the artist. His first roles, although not the main ones, were in popular films. Everyone knows these films:
- "Governor".
- "Love in Russian."
- "Old nags."
They became a worthy beginning of a creative journey in cinema. They gave impetus to his career.
Once popular namesake
Very often the name of Nikolai Merzlikin, an actor with the same name, is mentioned in search queries. It is also on Wikipedia. This actor was also very popular, he is of an older generation, but as they say, he is no longer with us. There are no family ties between Nikolai and Andrey.
Best roles
Merzlikin began filming in TV series in 2000. Very famous films:
- "Butterfly territory"
- "Truckers."
- "Destructive force".
- "Burnt by the Sun-2".
- "Two".
- "Swing".
- "Boris Godunov". For this film, the artist was awarded the Nika Prize.
- "Family Home"
- "Brest Fortress". Was awarded an award by the FSB.
He participated in the Mail Order Bride project (USA).
It would be a mistake to believe that his best roles have already been played. Merzlikin continues to delight his fans with new diverse projects:
- "Motherland".
- "Ladoga".
- "Leningrad-46".
- "Chkalov."
- "Teacher" and others.
Andrey acts almost constantly. These are the works:
- In the project “Drunk Firm” he was involved in the role of A. Chubais (2016)
- New film adaptation of “Walking in Torment” (“Sisters”) - in the role of Arkady Zhadov.
- "Route of Death" The role of Major Zvonarev. Film critics agree that this action-packed film is one of Merzlikin’s best.
The artist’s filmography includes more than a hundred works.
A big boost to his career was given by Pyotr Buslov’s film “Boomer,” which takes place during the notorious period of perestroika and the “dashing” nineties, a very troubled time for the country. Film partners:
- Vladimir Vdovichenkov.
- Dmitry Dyuzhev.
- Sergey Gorobchenko.
- Ekaterina Guseva.
- Pavel Maikov.
- Viktor Pavlov and others.
Despite the fact that many actors in this film played the roles of bandits, swindlers and complete scumbags, their characters became people's favorites.
Merzlikin played Dimon “Scalded” in this film. The film became a cult film, and the popularity of the actors involved in it simply began to go off scale.
It was this film that made Andrei Merzlikin mega-popular in Russian cinema.
Later (2006) “Boomer-2” followed, where Merzlikin was again involved in the role of the main character.
Career blossoming
In 2011, the artist tried his hand at directing. The premiere of Andrei Merzlikin’s short film “GQ” took place in 2012. According to critics and directors, the actor’s talent is multifaceted. He can play equally well in almost any genre. War heroes and bandits of the 90s in his performance look as convincing as possible.
The artist’s filmography includes more than one hundred films. Famous directors are happy to see him in their films. He played with many famous actors. For example, Maria Mironova became his partner in the melodramas “Swing” and “Betrayal”.
Fans of detective stories and military dramas will be interested in the following films:
- "Motherland";
- "Ladoga";
- "Peter Leshchenko. All that has gone before…";
- "Leningrad 46";
- "Chkalov."
The drama “The Teacher,” where Merzlikin can be seen in the role of special forces colonel Kadyshev, was released in 2020. It is curious that Andrei once studied at the school where the film was filmed.
In the 2020 film “The Green Carriage,” the artist received an invitation to play the main role from director Oleg Asadulin. The character of the main character and the plot of the film echo the life of Merzlikin. He was afraid of transferring fiction into reality, so he agreed to film only after the third proposal and with the blessing of his confessor. The film tells the story of the sacrifices that a talented actor has to make in order to achieve recognition in the profession.
The film “Drunk Farm,” where the artist played Anatoly Chubais, was released in 2020. Next, a film adaptation of the novel “Walking Through Torment” was filmed. Andrey played the role of Lieutenant Zhdanov, Svetlana Khodchenkova played the role of nurse Lisa, his lover.
In the same year, the actor plays Ya. I. Dzhugashvili in the drama “Yakov. Son of Stalin." The film tells about the last days of the son of the leader of the nations, spent in a concentration camp. In the TV series “Molodezhka” the actor appears in the role of Maxim Streltsov, coach of the hockey team. This is where the ability to skate well came in handy.
A successful creative project in Merzlikin’s career was the detective story “Route of Death.” The artist got the central image of a police major. The plot is based on real events that took place in 2009-2014. on the Russian federal highway. The series turned out to be exciting and action-packed. The role of a police officer is recognized by critics as one of the best in the actor’s filmography. In recent years, the star’s acting baggage has been replenished with roles in the films “Draft”, “Tanks”, “The Secret of the Dragon Seal”.
Big family
The famous actor is the head of a large family. He got married quite late, when he was already 33 years old. His wife's name is Anna. His wife is a psychologist by training. There are four children in the family:
- Fedor (2006).
- Seraphim (2008).
- Evdokia (2010).
- Makar (2016).
Of course, from all this it is clear that Merzlikin’s personal life was very successful.
Andrei met his wife Anna Osokina on Victory Day - May 9, when this holiday was celebrated outside the city in the company of friends. He remembered one of the girls more than others for her openness and spontaneity. And only after a year did Merzlikin realize that this was his destiny.
About a year later they met again by chance - it was Maslenitsa. And again, in the company of friends. Then there was a long conversation - a whole evening, which brought them closer. Merzlikin realized that Anna was his person. And a year later he asked her to marry him.
Andrey Merzlikin, whose family is large, but he copes with his responsibilities well, even if his wife is away. On this occasion, they even once concluded a kind of battle - who would have a better time - she in Georgia during the weekend or he with the children at home. She, as it turned out, can continue to leave her children with him without fear - after all, many mothers are afraid to do this. And she even came up with her own rules for this peculiar game and called on her subscribers to join it.
Anna works as an assistant to Yuri Morozov, a director, although, as Osokina claims, for her it is more of a hobby than a job. Andrey, wanting to be together more, is often present with her on the set.
In addition to the fact that Anna Osokina is Merzlikin’s wife, he is also his director, as well as part-time press secretary.
Personal life
An important part of Andrei Merzlikin’s biography is family and children. Now this is the basis of his life. But it was not always so. He got married quite late, at 33 years old. Friends believed that he would remain a bachelor. But his friend, Stas Duzhnikov, introduced the Russian film star to his wife’s friend Anna Osokina. The actor liked the girl, but then he did not take any action.
The future spouses met again only a year later, again visiting friends. Then Andrey did not miss his chance. The young people began dating. The artist proposed to his betrothed a year later. In March 2006 they got married. There was also a church wedding. Fedor, the couple's eldest son, was born the same year. Two years later, Seraphim was born. Two more later - daughter Evdokia. In 2020, the family added a fourth child. The son was named Macarius.
Andrey, Anna and their children are an example of a large, friendly, strong family. Such unions are rare today, especially in a creative environment. When going on set, the actor often takes his wife with him. This allows you to spend more time with your family. The other half of the artist is a professional psychologist, and part-time his press secretary and director. Even the actor’s Instagram account is managed by Anna Osokina, Merzlikin’s wife.
The artist has a favorite hobby - photography. In his house there are always two cameras at the ready. The actor loves to capture happy family moments. Sports training at least three times a week helps him maintain his physical shape. Charity is also part of the artist's life. He helps the Family and Children Support Fund.
The spouses consider love and respect to be the basis of the family. The couple avoids quarrels and scandals. They spend their free time having fun, sometimes organizing friendly parties. In an interview, Andrei calls his parents an example of true love, a strong family. Their strong union is more than half a century old.
Andrey's partners
Andrey is in great demand in cinema, as a popular and talented person. Of course, this is also due to his long track record - more than a hundred films. He is invited by real mastodons of their profession:
- Valery Todorovsky.
- Nikita Mikhalkov.
- Nikolay Dostal.
- Fedor Bondarchuk.
In addition to acting, which he masters perfectly, Andrey also tries himself as a director. He has made one film so far: GQ.
Andrey Merzlikin in our time
Andrey starred in films that gave him the opportunity to reveal himself as a versatile actor.
He played a role in the film “Burnt by the Sun-2” by Nikita Mikhalkov, “Swing”, and in the film “Brest Fortress”. His acting work in “Brest Fortress” was named the best, the actor received an FSB award. In 2010 and 2011, the actor worked on the set of the films “Two”, “Family House” and “Boris Godunov”. The supporting role he played in the film “Boris Godunov” was named the best, the actor received the “Nika” award. In 2011, Merzlikin tried himself as a director. His painting is called "GQ".
Other television activities
A talented person is multifaceted and is not limited to any one profession or occupation. Among other things, Andrey is engaged in dubbing. These are the films:
- Fast and Furious.
- Training day.
And voice acting did not bypass Merzlikin. He has several films, a cartoon and dubbing of an online game to his credit.
He, like his friend Stanislav Duzhnikov, is also involved in charity work. He takes part in projects of a special fund that supports family and childhood.
Filming in videos
The actor appears in video clips. There are quite a lot of them:
- “In 91” - rapper Rich and writer Z. Prilepin.
- “Cold days” by Anatoly Krupnov and others.
Starting in 2020, Mezlikin and A. Egorov are leading a new project about military events, technology, battles of different years (TV channel “Zvezda”). The project is quite popular.
THEATER
After graduating from VGIK, Andrei Merzlikin entered service at the Armen Dzhigarkhanyan Theater, where from 2001 to 2011 he was involved in the plays “The Inspector General”, “Powder Keg”, “Crazy Day, or the Marriage of Figaro”, “She in the Absence of Love and Death” ", "Killer Theatre". “I played for Dzhigarkhanyan for ten years, then he let me go to the movies, and it would be strange not to let me go - he himself acted, God willing, for everyone. We parted on very friendly terms,” says the actor. In 2014, he took part in the “Class of the World” project as part of the Cultural Olympiad in Sochi.
Awards and prizes
Andrey Merzlikin has many prizes and awards. Here are just a few of them:
For the film “How I Spent My Summer” - Best Actor (1999).
For the best role - the film “Edenichka” (2015).
FSB Award - for his role in the series “The Cry of an Owl”, etc.
Andrei Merzlikin recently spoke out in support of the president as part of the Putin Team movement.
Creation
Filmography
Actor
- 1997 - Aylostera (short film) - Fly
- 1998 - Final (short) - Andrey
- 1998 - News - captain
- 1998 - Why do you love me? (short)
- 1999 - How I Spent the Summer (short film) - Dad
- 1999 - Love in Russian 3: The Governor is a werewolf policeman
- 1999 - Person of French nationality - policeman
- 2000 - Truckers (episode No. 19) - helicopter pilot
- 2000 - It’s okay (short film) - nurse
- 2000 - The Hard Work of the Old Moiras (short film)
- 2000 - Old nags - lieutenant
- 2003 - Mail order bride - dancer
- 2003 - Boomer - Dimon “Scalded”
- 2003 - Station - Roman Khomenko, investigator
- 2004 - Team - Oleg Grach
- 2004 - Convoy PQ-17 - Nikolai Lunin, submarine commander, captain 3rd rank
- 2004 - Red Chapel - Michel, member of the PCF
- 2004 - Cadets - Panasyuk, sergeant, company sergeant major
- 2004 - Obsession - Oleg
- 2004 - Soldiers (season 1) - stranger
- 2004 - Penal Battalion (episodes No. 5, 6, - Vyacheslav Bredunov, captain
- 2005 - Zhmurki - security guard of "Mikhalych"
- 2005 - Vocation - Oleg Mikhailovich Krainov
- 2005 - Night seller - cigarette buyer
- 2005 - Lethal force 6 (film No. 4 “Good intentions”) - Kedrov
- 2006 - Franz + Polina - Pavel, Polina's brother
- 2006 - Hero of Our Time - Semin, Lieutenant
- 2006 - Lonely Sky - Boris, paramedic
- 2006 - Boomer. Film two - Dimon Poshparin (“Scalded”)
- 2006 - Hunting for piranha - "Headquarters"
- 2006 - Countdown - Max Smirnov
- 2006 - Your Honor (episode No. 6) - Popov
- 2006 - Rush Hour - Yuri Smirnitsky, Kostya’s childhood friend and his wife’s lover
- 2006 - Make God Laugh - Igor Kvaskov, investigator
- 2007 - May - Alexander Gaevsky, comrade of Evgeniy Pechalin
- 2007 - Russian game - Krugel
- 2008 - Swing - Sergei Makarov (“Sledgehammer”), captain, special forces soldier
- 2008 - Plus one - Makarov, captain
- 2008 - Inhabited Island - Funk
- 2009 - Oh, lucky one! — Sanya “Frigate”
- 2009 - Crossing - Usov, captain
- 2009 - Lost (Kazakhstan) - guy
(main role) - 2009 - Hot news - Oleg Smirnov, major, operative
- 2009 - Russia 88 - official
- 2009 - Good Reason for Murder - Nikolai Potapenko
- 2009 - Isaev (part two - “No password needed”) - Chen (Mareikis), security officer, resident in Vladivostok
- 2010 - Burnt by the Sun 2: Imminence - Nikolai, tanker
- 2010 - No room for error - artist
- 2010 - Two - Alexey Buryan, young partisan
- 2010 - Hydraulics - Sergey Samsonov (“Sam”)
- 2010 - Doctor Tyrsa (episodes No. 19, 24) - Anton, Catherine’s husband
- 2010 - Family home - Dmitry Sergeevich Sokolov, Zhenya’s husband
- 2010 - The only man - Andrey Voloshin
- 2010 - Brest Fortress - Andrei Mitrofanovich Kizhevatov, lieutenant, head of the 9th border outpost, Hero of the Soviet Union
- 2011 - Burnt by the Sun 2: Citadel - Nikolai, tanker
- 2011 - Boris Godunov - Grigory Otrepiev
- 2011 - House on the Roadside - Sasha
- 2011 - Strong - Andrey Safronov, investigator
- 2011 - Forgotten - Grigory Tampeev
- 2011 - Betrayal - Mikhail Samarin, Natalya’s husband, surgeon
- 2011 - 4 days in May - Sedykh, Soviet intelligence officer
- 2012 - Dragon Syndrome - Vladimir Terekhov, state security officer
- 2012 - Daughter of an accordion player - Vasily Sinitsin
- 2012 - Gold - Pavel Andreevich Zelensky, prosecutor
- 2012 - If only - Ruslan, a special agent working undercover, aka transvestite Lyudka
- 2012 - Chkalov - Alexander Anisimov, pilot, friend of Valery Chkalov
- 2012 - Stories (short story “The World of Fasteners”) - wedding planner
- 2012 - One, two! Love you! — Andrey, mechanic at a chocolate factory
- 2012 - Spy - Karpenko
- 2013 - Pyotr Leshchenko. Everything that happened... - Georgy Khrapak, comrade-in-arms of Pyotr Leshchenko
- 2013 - Ivan son of Amir - Andrey
- 2013 - Children of Aquarius - Valery Petrovich Mezentsev, psychiatrist
- 2013 - The cry of an owl - Andrei Severyanovich Balakhnin, police major
- 2013 - Sherlock Holmes (film No. 6 "Halifax", series No. 11-12) - Halifax, aka Trout, aka Buckley
- 2013 - Crooked Mirror of the Soul - Lieutenant of the Ryndins
- 2013 - Red Mountains - Zotov, White Guard officer
- 2013 - Invisibles - Klebeev
- 2013 - The Longest Day - Titov
- 2013 - New old house - Hera
- 2013 - Once upon a time - Tretyakov, criminal
- 2013 - Sviridovs - Ruslan
- 2014 - Ladoga - Maxim Kirsanov
- 2014 - Youth (2nd season) - Maxim Eduardovich Streltsov, head coach of the Ice Kings hockey team, hockey player of the Canadian club Ottawa
- 2014 - White dew. Return - Ivan, Gali's husband, Anya's father
- 2014 - Son - Andrey Safronov, investigator
- 2014 - Heart of an Angel - Ivan Serafimovich Pozharsky
- 2014 - Wolf Sun - Viktor Alekseevich Romovsky, general of the White emigrant troops
- 2014 - Talyanka - Stepan Verigin, captain, long-range aviation pilot
- 2014 - Shaggy Christmas trees - Lyokha, the swindler
- 2014 - Fort Ross: In Search of Adventure - Kuskov, captain, commandant of the Fort Ross fortress
- 2014 - New Year's happiness - Leva
- 2014 - Doll (short film) - Rudolf, Mikhail’s boss
- 2015 - One - Finogenov, lieutenant, political officer
- 2015 - The Far Side of the Moon 2 - passenger
- 2015 - Motherland (film by Peter Buslov) - Dmitry
- 2015 - Motherland (TV series by Pavel Lungin) - Oleg Basov, deputy
- 2015 - Leningrad 46 (film No. 8 “Vera” - series No. 29-32) - captain, commander of Danilov’s penal company
- 2015 - Happiness is... (film almanac; short story No. 5 “The Last Point”) - Sergey
- 2015 - Teacher - Kadyshev, special forces colonel, head of the operation to rescue schoolchildren, former school graduate
- 2015 – Norway – Mityai
- 2015 - Green Carriage - Vadim Raevsky, director
- 2015 - Youth (3rd season) Maxim Eduardovich Streltsov, head coach of the Ice Kings hockey team, hockey player of the Canadian club Ottawa
- 2016 - Baltic Spirit - Friedrich
Director
- 2012 - GQ (short film)
Dubbing
- 2001 - Fast and Furious - Leon
(Johnny Strong) - 2001 - Training Day - Paul
(Dr. Dre)
Cartoon dubbing
- 2000 - It’s okay - nurse
- 2012 - From the screw 3D (cartoon) - Thunder: MiG-29 fighter
- 2013 - Picky mouse
Scoring for computer games
Andrey Merzlikin participated in the alternative dubbing of the online computer game “World of Tanks”.
Participation in documentaries
- 2014 - “War and Myths” (Channel One; episode No. 4 “Penal Battalion” [12]) - Andrei Merzlikin reads the memoirs of soldiers of the penal battalion of the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War
[13]. - 2016 — “Suvorov. Alps. 200 years later" (commissioned by OJSC "TRK RF Armed Forces "Zvezda", 2020) - Andrey Merzlikin plays the role of Captain Gryazev, a participant in the Italian and Swiss campaigns of A.V. Suvorov
[14]. - Voiceover: Dmitry Donskoy. Save the world" Year of release: 2015
Participation in video clips
In addition to working in films and TV series, Andrei Merzlikin also starred in music videos:
- to the song “Cold Days” by singer Anatoly Krupnov[15];
- to the songs “Smile” and “Heaven on Earth” by the group “Network”;
- to the song “Earth” by the group “Masha and the Bears”;
- to the song “Sand Through Your Fingers” by the group “Bi-2”[16];
- for the song “Memory” by the project “Scratch”;
- to the song “Think for yourself” by the group “25/17”;
- to the song “You Left Again” by the group “SerGa”.
Participation in advertising
- Andrey Merzlikin starred in a commercial for the Mountain Dew drink.
Movies
The cinematic biography of Andrei Merzlikin began with the short film by Natalya Pogonicheva “How I Spent the Summer,” which was released in 1999. For this work, the aspiring actor received the first award at the VGIK International Student Festival.
After finishing his studies at the theater institute, the aspiring actor worked for some time in the international theater project of Ivan Popovski “Hotel Europe”, and visited the largest European theater festivals in Vienna, Avignon, Stockholm and Bologna.
Andrey Merzlikin in the theater
However, it is impossible to say that Andrei Merzlikin’s career was brilliant. For 10 years, the artist played on the stage of the Moscow Drama Theater under the direction of Armen Dzhigarkhanyan. Here the actor honed his skills every day and tried his hand at creating diverse images. Theatergoers appreciated the artist’s performance in the productions “The Marriage of Figaro”, “Three Sisters”, “The Inspector General” and “Powder Keg”. But it is unlikely that the ambitious artist was satisfied with his work. The proposed roles for the most part turned out to be secondary. The actor was invited to take part in the filming, but even here Merzlikin’s roles can hardly be called bright and memorable.
Andrey Merzlikin and Maria Shukshina on stage
Andrey appeared in the films “Ailostera”, “Final”, “Why do you love me?”, “Loving in Russian”, “Truckers” and “Old Nags”. Surely none of the viewers will remember Merzlikin in these films.
A breakthrough in his creative biography happened in 2003, when director Pyotr Buslov invited the artist to the project “Boomer”, offering the role of Dimon Oshparenny. This picture became a cult film, and the artists participating in the film gained phenomenal popularity and all-Russian fame. Participation in “Boomer” allowed Andrei to become one of the most popular actors in the country. In 2006, Buslov filmed a continuation of the drama “Bumer-2”, in which Merzlikin again played the main character.
Andrey Merzlikin in the film "Boomer"
The actor’s filmography included roles in the acclaimed films “Burnt by the Sun-2”, “Swing”, “Two” and “Family House”. Later the films “Brest Fortress” and “Boris Godunov” will be released, which will become successful for Andrey. For his work in the first one, Merzlikin received an award from the FSB, and for his role in the historical project, the film actor was awarded the prestigious Nika Award. In the future, the artist will gain fame through participation in TV series.
In 2011, Andrei Merzlikin tried his hand at a different role - director. In 2012, he presented his own work - a short film "GQ".
Andrey Merzlikin in the film “Brest Fortress”
Film critics and directors claim that now Andrei Merzlikin is universal, one of the best dramatic artists. He easily transforms into both negative and positive characters, does not confine himself to strict genres, and also conveys characters on the screen in an unconventional way. Fans of melodramas appreciated the actor’s skill in the films “Swing” and “Betrayal,” where Andrei brilliantly played in tandem with Maria Mironova.
Fans of the artist enjoy watching new projects in which Merzlikin participates. What are the particularly striking films called “Chkalov”, “Ladoga”, “Petr Leshchenko. Everything that happened...", "Motherland" and "Leningrad 46".
Andrey Merzlikin and Maria Mironova
In 2020, the action-packed drama “Teacher” was released, in which the actor played special forces colonel Kadyshev, who led the operation to rescue schoolchildren. According to the script, Kadyshev is a former student of a teacher who took graduates hostage. As it turned out, Andrei Merzlikin also studied at the school where the film was filmed.
The author of “Closed School” Oleg Asadulin gave Merzlikin a full-fledged leading role in the drama “The Green Carriage” about what people have to sacrifice in order to comply with the rules accepted in the film industry. The main character is a fanatic of the profession, so talented that he was nominated for an Oscar, but paid for his success with the lives of his loved ones. Victoria Isakova and Anna Chipovskaya played the role of wife and mistress. The music for the film was written by Evgeny Rudin (DJ Grove).
Andrey Merzlikin in the film “The Green Carriage”
The actor only agreed to film the third time, and then with the blessing of the priest, because, having found traits similar to the character, he was afraid of the projection of the screen story onto his personal life.
“Probably the only benefit that the hero brought me: the understanding that you need to be in spiritual tone before the moment of inevitability of fate comes in your life.”
In 2020, the project “Drunk Firm” was released, in which the actor appeared in the image of Anatoly Chubais. In the new film adaptation of Alexei Tolstoy’s novel “Walking Through Torment,” Andrei’s character, Lieutenant Zhadov, won the heart of nurse Lisa, whose role was played by Svetlana Khodchenkova.
Andrey Merzlikin and Svetlana Khodchenkova in the TV series “Walking Through Torment”
In the biographical film “Yakov. Son of Stalin” Merzlikin reincarnated as the son of the leader of the peoples. The film is dedicated to the last days of Yakov Dzhugashvili in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp.
The popular sports series “Molodezhka” gave Andrey the opportunity to skate. The actor's friends play hockey, and he enjoyed every free minute to get on the ice. Merzlikin’s hero is Maxim Streltsov, the coach of the Bears’ rivals. When he was an NHL player, the hockey player injured Denis Nikiroforov’s character, which forced him to retire from the sport. And the final match between the players is a philosophical debate between representatives of different styles, power struggles and well-thought-out tactics.
Andrey Merzlikin and Denis Nikiforov on the set of the series “Molodezhka”
The series “Highway of Death” tells the story of real events that occurred from 2009 to 2014 on the M-4 Don federal highway, when the criminal gang “GTA” was operating on the roads. In the crime drama, Merzlikin got the role of Major Zvonarev. A task force under the leadership of an officer is investigating the circumstances of the crimes.
Andrey Merzlikin in the series “Route of Death”
The film attracted the interest of a wide audience of viewers, because the action-packed series is full of exciting events. According to film critics, “Route of Death” became one of the best in the actor’s track record.