Pure-blooded Greek
Euclid Kyurdzidis is Greek by nationality.
And this circumstance has always aroused increased interest in the actor among journalists. Where is he from? Where he was born? And then Euclid’s imagination turned on, and he began to tell that he was born in Greece, came to Moscow... In reality, everything was different. Even during the Great Patriotic War, Euclid’s grandparents emigrated from Greece to the Soviet Union. And so they remained to live. Here, in the south of Russia, in a small Greek settlement, on February 22, 1968, the future Russian actor was born. The parents decided to name their son Euclid - in honor of the great Greek mathematician. Later the family moved to Essentuki, where Euclid Kyurdzidis graduated from eight classes of high school.
Greek citizenship
While studying at the institute, the family of Euclid Kyurdzidis decides to move to Greece. The young man often visits his parents. Later he admits that more than once he wanted to quit his studies and live in Greece. But the desire to become an actor turned out to be stronger.
It should be said that in 1996, Euclid was given Greek citizenship, which he is proud of to this day. It is also noteworthy that in 2010 Kyurdzidis ran for mayor of Thessaloniki. The actor did not expect to win then. Euclid simply wanted to lift the spirits of local residents who were going through difficult times due to the poor economic situation in the country.
Thirst to become an artist
Euclid knew in early childhood that when he grew up, he would definitely become an artist. Which one? Well, that's another question. Maybe he will play in the theater, or maybe in the circus. The main thing is that the boy really liked it when people around him were happy. Having learned that in Dnepropetrovsk there is a theater school that accepts boys and girls from the age of fourteen, he left home after graduating from eight classes.
The parents were very worried about their son’s choice, believing that the man should acquire a “serious” profession. For example, a doctor, or a lawyer. But their hopes did not come true. I had to come to terms with it.
And then Euclid, as they say, circled across the expanses of our vast country. After graduating from the Dnepropetrovsk Theater School in 1987, he was assigned to Western Ukraine. After working for some time in the Drama Theater of the city of Lutsk, Euclid Kyurdzidis was drafted into the ranks of the Soviet army. He fulfilled his civic duty in the rocket forces at the Kapustin Yar cosmodrome, in the Astrakhan region.
After serving, Euclid Kyurdzidis got a job at the Pyatigorsk Theater. On his stage, the actor played Mizgir in the play “The Snow Maiden” based on A. Ostrovsky and other roles.
Interesting Facts
- In 2010, the actor was asked to run for mayor of one of the large districts of Thessaloniki. He was shocked at first, but then “saw it as a mission to lift people’s spirits” and agreed. Then there was the pre-election race, communication with voters. In the end, Kyurdzidis did not become mayor, but he does not regret the experience gained
- Euclid loves fitness very much and even calls it a “drug for the body”
- The artist writes his own column in the Essentukskaya Panorama newspaper, where he shares his travel impressions
- Today, Euclid Kyurdzidis often performs musical numbers in concerts, sings in plays and even took part in a musical. And as a child, he was not accepted into a music school due to “lack of hearing”
- One of Euclid’s most favorite films is “The Nameless Star” with Anastasia Vertinskaya and Igor Kostolevsky
VGIK
Euclid Kyurdzidis understood perfectly well that with his appearance it would not be easy to fit into the repertoire of the Russian theater. While still studying at the Dnepropetrovsk Theater School, the young man heard more than once: “Well, what are you going to play in the Russian theater?” Therefore, when Euclid decided to continue his education, he preferred VGIK to the capital’s theater universities. Maybe he can do better in cinema? And there, through the cinema - and to the theater...
To his great happiness, Euclid entered VGIK on the first try, taking the course of the outstanding master Anatoly Romashin. They had twenty-eight people on the course. About someone they said: “Star”, and about someone: “...and let these study.” He was one of “them,” proving his worth every day. Euclid Kyurdzidis argues about this: “Perhaps there is a meaning in this resistance, in the fact that they put pressure on us, but we break through? If everything was so easy, I don’t think it would be so sweet now.”
As a result, Euclid Kyurdzidis graduated from VGIK with honors, and this was just the beginning...
After the army
After serving in the army, Euclid Kyurdzidis decides to continue his studies. This time he submits documents to the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography, to the acting department. Euclid passes the entrance exams, as well as all subsequent ones, with flying colors. But the teachers of the educational institution do not see a future movie star in the young man. Kyurdzidis is trying with all his might to prove the teachers wrong. As a result, thanks to his determination, Euclid graduates from the institute with honors.
First film roles
In 1995, as a second-year student, Euclid Kyurdzidis made his debut on the silver screen. Director Vladimir Motyl, without testing, approved the young actor for the small role of a Greek in the film “The Horses Carry Me.” To do this, Euclid had to make a small sacrifice - cut his hair and grow a mustache. Much later, in one of the interviews, the actor was asked what he could do for the role. Euclid replied that if the role is interesting to him, if the director is interested, then there are no restrictions. You need to gain weight, lose weight, shave your head - whatever! But at the same time: “I will never step over another person in order to get a role, no matter what it is. I can’t trample, destroy, say that the actor is bad, and I’ll play better...”
The real conquest of cinema by Euclid Kyurdzidis began after graduating from VGIK in 1997. The actor's appearance and nationality initially determined his roles. The young actor was invited to play mainly “Eastern people”, often terrorists: the militant named Scar in the series “A Man’s Work” (2001), the Chechen militant Vagif in the series “Special Forces” (2002, episode “Broken Arrow”).
The actor admits that at first he did not want to star in “Special Forces” - he was persuaded. First of all, Euclid Kyurdzidis changed the appearance of his hero - he refused the gold chains and tracksuit offered to him. “I agreed to play this character only on the condition that I had expensive clothes and no chains, because the opponents need to be made strong,” he recalls. But most importantly, Euclid tried to delve into the inner world of Vagif. However, this is important for him in any role. Euclid Kyurdzidis played a lot of anti-heroes in films, and never made them unambiguous villains; this is not interesting for him. “I always looked for some human side in them, tried to understand what pushed them to these actions. Otherwise it was impossible to play.”
In this regard, the actor’s very interesting work was the role of Ruslan Shamaev in Balabanov’s film “War” (2002). His hero is an elderly Chechen shepherd, a father of two children, who, by the will of fate, is drawn into a whirlpool of terrible events. Euclid Kyurdzidis recalls how he was appointed to this role: “Balabanov sent me the script and offered to choose a role for himself. I read it and didn’t understand what I could choose here at all. There is a field commander Aslan, but he is a big man, this is clearly not for me. There is also a Chechen Ruslan, but he is over fifty, he is a shepherd with gold teeth, almost an old man. Balabanov asks: “Well, how?” And I don’t know what to answer. He says: “Shamaev.” When they put me on makeup and began to transform me - squashing my hair, gluing on gold teeth - Balabanov stood next to me and kept repeating: “We need to knock down the intellect, we need to knock down the intellect. So that he was a shepherd, not an actor.”
The transformation was a complete success. Kyurdzidis is so organic in the image of an elderly shepherd that you don’t immediately recognize him.
"Babi Yar"
Euclid Kyurdzidis was greatly influenced both as an actor and as a person by his work in the film “Babi Yar” by Hollywood director Geoffrey Kanew, which tells about the tragic events of the Great Patriotic War. He recalls: “The story itself was very dear to me; in my opinion, it cannot leave any living person indifferent, especially since this story is vital, real. The German producer who sponsored this film experienced everything himself; this is his personal story, based on which a Hollywood screenwriter wrote the script and which was shot by a Hollywood director. When I found myself in these terrible conditions, I had moments of shock, displacement in time. There is such a scene in the film: my family and I are being passed through a line of Germans who beat us with sticks, shout, and dogs bark. And according to the script, I have three children, you can’t explain it to them... they, of course, understood that this was not real, but only until the camera was turned on and started filming. The dogs barked, the soldiers started yelling in German and the children started crying for real. At that moment I wasn't playing, I was really closing them down. It seemed to me that I was in a different time, now our family was going to be shot... Or the moment of the shooting. I went out to the cliff where we were to be shot and saw 300 or 400 naked bodies below. It turned out that patriotic Jews came there to film - old, young, and children... all naked, covered in blood, on top of each other... I was shocked. I didn't play anything in this picture. Because if you are a person, you experience all this yourself.”
After this painting, Euclid Kyurdzidis received an invitation from the International Samarkand Museum of Peace and Solidarity to take part in the “Autograph of Peace and Message to Humanity” program. Such world stars as Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu took part in this program. Euclid Kyurdzidis also wrote his message.
In different roles
The acting talent of Euclid Kyurdzidis helped him not to get hung up on one role. In the cheerful, sparkling comedy “Super Mother-in-Law for a Loser,” he played the role of “Rat,” who constantly swears and speaks in metaphors in different languages - Latin, Greek, Korean, Armenian, Turkish, Spanish. And in the historical series “Bayazet” the actor played the role of Kozi Magoma, the beloved son of the great Imam Shamil, an educated and outstanding man of his era. Viewers remember the works of Euclid Kyurdzidis in films and TV series: “Russian Amazons-2” (Aslan), “Hero of Our Tribe” (Tristan), “Balzac Age, or All Men Are Theirs...” (Artyom), “From 180 and Above” ( ski instructor) and others.
Euclid Kyurdzidis categorically refused to appear in Alexander Strizhenov’s comedy “From 180 and Above” - he was afraid of clichés and templates. However, he agreed and today I am very happy about it. He recalls with pleasure the filming where he, having never skied before, had the opportunity to play an instructor. He recalls: “The first time - and immediately in the frame. Complete delight! And next to it was an abyss... I had to move over, stick my poles in the snow, smile and take off my mask. I did it! I guess I can be proud that I overcame my fear, and no one guessed what, to put it mildly, novice skier was working in the frame.”
The role of the instructor itself is very small. At first he is shown in the mountains: he is a real macho, a conqueror of women's hearts. And then he comes to Moscow. And this is a completely different person: pathetic, funny, it seems that he has even become shorter. A wonderful, touching role.
Euclid Kyurdzidis now
Kyurdzidis remains a sought-after actor in Russian cinema. His extraordinary appearance allows him to play foreigners, and his acting abilities open up a wide range of roles for him: from comedic characters to serious and lyrical images.
Euclid Kyurdzidis in the series “Purely Moscow Murders”
The artist stars in TV series, but chooses only those films that attract him with their original script and characters. Kyurdzidis's filmography includes dozens of different films.
In 2020, the actor became a guest on Tatiana Ustinova’s program “My Hero,” where he spoke about his creative biography and plans for the future. The artist has already made one dream come true in the spring of this year. Euclid became the organizer of the Crystal Spring film festival, which took place in Essentuki.
Euclid Kyurdzidis in the “My Hero” program in 2020
In the future, Kyurdzidis plans to create his own film studio in the North Caucasus region. The festival program included the films “The King Bird” by Eduard Novikov, “Frozen Carp” by Vladimir Kott, “Cold Tango” by Pavel Chukhrai, “Unforgiven” by Sarik Andreasyan and others. The actor will continue to work on organizing the next film festival in 2020.
Favorite roles
Euclid Kyurdzidis repeatedly refused roles if he saw that the past was being repeated. Well, why play some terrorist again? However, he accepted the offer to star in the series “Operational Alias - 2,” although he again got the role of an action movie named Fahid. The actor himself explains this by saying that the role seemed interesting to him: “First of all, this is a love story, and I did not play a monster who kills, shoots, robs, but a man whose life was ruined and who has never seen his son and is very for a long time - my first love. I played a tragic man and I hope it worked out, I really love this role. Whether the series as a whole turned out well or not is not for me to judge, the producer dictates his own, the channel dictates its own... But I put my soul into this role.”
An important role was also played by the fact that the director of the series was Sergei Vinogradov. They had already worked together before, but as actors. Now Vinogradov has demonstrated excellent directorial qualities. “I felt comfortable with him, he is a delicate, subtle person,” admits Euclid Kyurdzidis. “He feels artists this way because, probably, he is an actor himself. It’s very interesting to work with him, with Vinogradov, and I would like to meet him again and again in the cinema and in the theater. If he calls me, I’ll go with pleasure!”
Another role that is very dear to the actor was played by him in 2005 in the TV series “My Personal Enemy.” After a series of terrorists and militants, he was offered the role of the French billionaire Philippe Beauvais. On the screen I had to speak a lot in French, and before that the actor did not know this language at all. Ironically, just at the same time, Euclid was about to audition for a Hollywood film, where English was already needed. “Everything needs to be done quickly,” recalls the actor, “at night to learn the French and English text, plus the Russian text. A lot of material is filmed per day. I thought I was going crazy! I no longer understood at all what kind of family and tribe I was!” However, Kyurdzidis is no stranger to overcoming difficulties, and he coped with this too.
In general, the series “My Personal Enemy” was not very strong, but the audience liked the role of Philippe Beauvais, and, most importantly, it once again proved the wide acting capabilities of Kyurdzidis. It was after this picture that directors increasingly began to offer him diverse roles.
Theater works
In parallel with his film career, the artist’s theatrical career also developed successfully. Immediately after graduating from VGIK, Euclid Kyurdzidis took part in the production of Hamlet by Peter Stein, playing seven small roles at once. In the play, he had the opportunity to work with such recognized stage masters as: Vladimir Etush, Irina Kupchenko, Alexander Feklistov, Mikhail Kazakov. The troupe successfully traveled halfway around the world, visiting Bulgaria, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, and everywhere the performance was very warmly received by the audience.
Later, Euclid Kyurdzidis took part in the musical “Annie” (directed by Nina Chusova), played the role of Marquis de la Rondo in the play “Venice Night” by A. Musset at the Kazantsev and Roshchin Center for Drama and Direction. The actor’s very successful work in the play “Hey, Truffaldino!” by Moscow director Olga Anokhina. Kyurdzidis played Count Florindo, the role of the restless Truffaldino was brilliantly played by Alexey Chadov, and the temperamental maid Smeraldina was played by Elvira Bolgova.
For several years, Euclid Kyurdzidis has been playing with great success in Viktor Shamirov’s production of “Ladies’ Night, or Only for Women.” As you know, the play ends with an explicit male striptease, and for this reason the actor did not agree to sign the contract for a long time. According to him, he did not come to the theater to strip naked. But then I liked the play and was fascinated by the rehearsals and the director’s decision. As a result, the audience's ovation and the enthusiastic press only added to the actor's popularity.
Prizes and awards[ | ]
- Prize "Small Sturgeon" for a comedic male supporting role - VI Open Russian Festival "Smile, Russia!" (2005).
- Honored Artist of Russia (12/28/2007)[1]
- “Golden Crane” for his role in the play “Surprise for a Companion”
- November 26, 2006 - Awarded the Order of the Peacemaker. Assigned the status of Citizen of the World.
- March 16, 2009 - Awarded the sign of the Fund for Assistance to Internal Affairs Bodies "Reconciliation" - "The Honor and Pride of Russia."
- September 17, 2009 - Received the audience award at the Southern Nights festival (film Labyrinth, role of Vlad).
- September 17, 2009 — Awarded the title “Honorary Citizen of Kabardinka.”
- September 26, 2010 - Awarded the Special Prize of the President of the Festival for a new theatrical role in the play “Murder by Mistake” based on the play by Edward Taylor at the VIII festival “Amur Autumn” (Blagoveshchensk).
- June 4, 2011 - Awarded the Order of “Benefit, Honor and Glory” by the Hero of Russia Foundation, Colonel General G. N. Troshev, with the assistance of the commandant service of Moscow, the Kremlin and MVVKU (Moscow).
- October 23, 2011 — For his great contribution to the development of world and domestic cinema, high professionalism and fruitful creative activity, he was awarded the honorary title “Honored Artist of the Republic of South Ossetia” (Tskhinvali).
- September 10, 2013 - at the Yalta International Telefilm Forum "Together" - Euclid Kyurdzidis was awarded the Special Prize of the International Telefilm Forum Foundation for the main role in the film "Life After Life".
Kisa Katsman
Many actors involved in the play “Ladies' Night” then smoothly migrated to Viktor Shamirov’s film “Savages”. This is Euclid Kyurdzidis, and Gosha Kutsenko, and Konstantin Yushkevich, and Marat Basharov. The guests Alexey Gorbunov and Vladislav Galkin organically joined the acting ensemble.
The director had long dreamed of making a film based on the memories of his youth. The prototypes of the main characters were his real friends at Rostov University. While on tour in Rostov, Shamirov deliberately introduced the actors to their prototypes. And then there was filming. Shamirov intended, having gathered the entire team, to really settle them on the Black Sea coast as savages. His idea was only 50 percent realized. Still, the living conditions of the actors turned out to be much better than those of their heroes. Nevertheless, the director managed to achieve the necessary atmosphere on the set, which, in fact, was brilliantly reflected in the film.
The genre of the film was defined as a comedy, although it is not a comedy in its entirety. Yes, there are a lot of funny moments, but overall the picture leaves a feeling of some kind of light sadness. This is, rather, a film about a midlife crisis, a film that says goodbye to youth. Lightweight and unobtrusive. It is no coincidence that the second title of the film is “The Edge of Summer.” Very symbolic.
Several heroes of the film: Ai-Yai (Kutsenko), Mister (Basharov), Cherny (Galkin), Baron (Gorbunov), Kisa Katsman (Kurdzidis) and Valerchik (Yushkevich) have been coming to the Black Sea as “savages” for ten years now. In real life, some of them are teachers, some are businessmen, some are mechanics, some are singers. But here it doesn’t matter at all, here they are vacationers. They take a break from work and worries. Sea, sun, vodka, girls... Trying to capture the moments of vanishing youth, they try not to think about anything serious. And the most important thing is not to think that youth, alas, is passing, and they are no longer the same as they were several years ago.
Viktor Shamirov worked on the painting carefully, without rushing. This is probably why all the images turned out to be very full-blooded, whole, and alive. Kisa Katsman does not appear on screen very often, but how bright this character is! I especially remember his fiery dance at the disco.
One of the final episodes, when we are shown him leaving in a reserved seat car home in a reserved seat car, is very important in terms of revealing the image of Kisa Katsman. Euclid Kyurdzidis recalls the filming of this scene: “An episode without words, a train and Kisa’s unhappy look, which returns to reality. There's nothing to play! And suddenly Victor comes up to me and says: “Euclid, you know, now it’s a very difficult acting task, I don’t know how you’ll play it... It’s fantastically difficult, I don’t even know who can play it, maybe Al Pacino... " I'm starting to boil, what's so complicated? And Shamirov continues: “You understand, there’s hopelessness here, he’s coming back...” And he was ready to devote 40 minutes to a story about one look!” The director managed to get what he needed from the actor - the man lying on the shelf with the piercing sad look is not immediately recognizable as Kisa Katsman.
Citizen of the world
Work on the film “Savages” lasted almost two years, and the film was released only in 2006. This year has generally turned out to be very productive for Euclid Kyurdzidis. He played a French chef in the four-part television film “The Milkmaid from Khatsapetovka”, TV presenter Vlad Topalov in the film “More Important than Love”, Serega in the comedy “Love-Carrots” and other roles. Some of these films were released in 2007.
Many viewers remembered the actor’s work in the historical film by Vladimir Khotinenko “1612: Chronicles of the Time of Troubles.” Initially, an Italian actor was approved for the role of the Spanish Diego Velazquez. The choice was not accidental - in the story, Diego Velazquez pretends to be Italian and, accordingly, speaks this language. When the director saw Euclid Kyurdzidis, he changed his mind. “Here is my Spanish,” he said, “why would we call someone from Italy?” So the multinational list of roles of Kyurdzidis was replenished with one more role.
As you can see, the actor generally had the opportunity to play heroes of various nationalities in films: Jews and Chechens, French and Italians - the list goes on for a long time. And Euclid Kyurdzidis always puts his soul into each of his roles. This is probably why in 2006 he was awarded a high international award: the Order of the Peacemaker, established by the World Charitable Alliance “Peacemaker”. This award is given to those who spare no effort in helping people. In addition, laureates of the Order of the Peacemaker receive the status of Citizen of the World.
Cinema
Euclid Kyurdzidis made his film debut in 1994, playing a small role in the American film “Killer”.
In 1996, Vladimir Motyl’s film “The Horses Carry Me” was released, in which the actor got a cameo role as a Greek. A little later, he participated in the films “Country of the Deaf”, “D.D.D. Detective Dubrovsky's file", "Death Directory". In the credits of his first works, the actor was often listed under the name Gurdjieff.
Alexei Balabanov’s drama “War” was released in 2002. Here Euclid Kyurdzidis played one of his first bright roles - the Chechen shepherd Ruslan Shamaev.
A year later, the actor played the main character in the continuation of the series “Russian Amazons”. A year later - one of the main characters in the adventurous comedy “Lola and the Marquis. Virtuosos of easy money."
In 2005, the series “Satisfaction” was released with the participation of Euclid Kyurdzidis, and in 2006, the melodrama “More Important than Love” was released. He played the main role in the lyrical drama “Labyrinth” in 2009.
Viewers could see the artist in the TV series “Traffic Light” and “Sklifosovsky”. In 2011, he played two main characters at once - in the mystical comedy “Seven Miles to Heaven” and the adventure series “St. John’s Wort.” In 2013, he starred in the Ukrainian thriller “Life After Life.”
A bright episode is more valuable than a dull leading role
It is worth noting that Euclid Kyurdzidis often agrees to small roles - remember the films “From 180 and Above”, “Carrot Love”, and other films. For him, a bright episode is much more important than a nondescript leading role. In this regard, he recalls the legendary Rina Zelenaya, who, playing small roles, remained in the memory of millions of people as a great actress.
In the film “The Fate of the Tsar” (2008), he also had to choose between an episode and the main role. The actor was invited to play the small role of Napoleon, and this character seemed unusually interesting to Kyurdzidis. When the costume and makeup were done, it became clear that the actor was quite similar to the character. It was at this moment that the filmmakers, seeing the actor’s enormous potential, offered him one of the main roles. But Kyurdzidis, despite the fact that in terms of money he won ten times, immediately refused. He prefers to play what he is passionate about.
Another feature of the actor is that in each of his roles, Euclid Kyurdzidis tries to get away from cliches. Even if it is such a charismatic person as Napoleon. Of course, the image of Napoleon, against the will of the actor, dictated some manner of behavior to him. Everyone knows the famous gesture of the commander - the left hand in the jacket. Euclid recalls: “I tried to get away from this gesture, but when they started filming the episode where Napoleon walks with a proud gait and scolds Tyler, my hand itself reached for his jacket! I was shocked at how the costume, the makeup and what I read dictated what I should do.” However, Napoleon Kyurdzidis is exactly Napoleon Kyurdzidis. Played the way this original actor knows how to play.
Personal life
Euclid tries not to talk about his personal life and wives. Journalists have long dubbed him an avid bachelor, but in one interview the actor admitted that he had already been married three times. An artist, according to Kyurdzidis, simply needs to constantly be in a state of love.
Euclid Kyurdzidis with his ex-wife
Euclid considers himself an amorous person, unable to reliably act out love on stage or in films without being carried away by his partner. Perhaps due to this factor, as well as the lack of official comments from the star, journalists often attribute novels to him.
At the beginning of 2020, fans of the actor started talking about his alleged affair with Larisa Guzeeva. The TV presenter at that time was just going through a crisis in her relationship with her husband, and joint photos with Euclid on her Instagram prompted subscribers to certain thoughts. But there were no comments from the artists, and Guzeeva soon announced that they had reconciled with Igor Bukharov.
Larisa Guzeeva and Euclid Kyurdzidis
In an interview, Kyurdzidis calls himself a sociable and generous person. The actor loves to invite friends to visit and travel. The Russian Greek prefers to spend all his money on loved ones, creating a holiday around himself. Once he even mentioned that he wouldn’t mind trying on the image of a millionaire, which he repeatedly portrayed on screen. But then the artist would spend all the money on helping disadvantaged and sick children.
Euclid Kyurdzidis with Irina Grineva and Zhanna Epple
Greece remains Euclid’s favorite place on the planet, despite the fact that he grew up in Russian culture. At every opportunity, Kyurdzidis goes to Thessaloniki, where his relatives still live. At home, the name of Euclid is known to his compatriots. The Greeks call the artist “Russian Al Pacino.”
In 2010, the actor even ran for the position of mayor of Thessaloniki. Euclid did not count on victory; his goal was to cheer up the people of Greece, who were going through difficult times due to the difficult economic situation in the country.
Euclid Kyurdzidis
The actor’s friendliness is evident in everything: he never refuses fans who approach him on the street for an autograph. For the sake of communicating with friends and connoisseurs of his work, Euclid created personal pages on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. A website operates on his behalf, where the actor pleases readers not only with new photos, but also with small literary notes.
