Alexey Morozov is one of the most famous Russian hockey players, whose career any player can envy. Over the years, Morozov played for the Moscow “Wings of the Soviets”, the Kazan “AK Bars”, the American “Pittsburgh Penguins” and at the beginning of his career he defended the colors of the Moscow “CSKA”. As a member of the Russian national team, he became the world champion in 2008 and 2009. He ended his playing career in 2014.
Alexey's childhood
According to the parents of hockey player Alexei Morozov, their son started skating very early. This fact is not surprising, because Morozov’s father was a children’s hockey coach at one of the youth specialized schools. Alexei was introduced to hockey by his older brother Valentin, with whom he played pucks in the yard as a child. There were also small gates and children's plastic sticks at home. At the age of five, Lesha decided to keep up with his older brother and firmly decided on what he wanted to do in life. When Lesha turned 7 years old, their grandmother took them to hard and serious training, because their father was busy training other children. Valya and Lesha played in the Lokomotiv club, whose coach was the father of hockey player Alexei Morozov. A little later, Lesha moved to the Krylia Sovetov hockey school, and a year later Valentin joined the CSKA team.
Alexey Morozov now
In 2020, Alexey Morozov played political instructor Vasily Klochkov in the military drama “28 Panfilov’s Men.” The picture showed the feat that the 316th Rifle Division under the command of Major General I.V. Panfilov accomplished in 1941 in a clash with the Germans at Volokolamsk, two hours from Moscow. The division destroyed dozens of tanks at the cost of their own lives.
Alexey Morozov in the film “28 Panfilov’s Men”
Experts are still arguing whether the Panfilov’s feat actually existed or whether it was a motivating Soviet legend. This did not stop a group of enthusiasts from making a film about heroic Soviet soldiers. The film crew, consisting of both professionals and newcomers to the cinematic business, founded a separate studio, named after the film “Panfilov’s 28,” to produce the film. The directors received money to work on the film from Internet users interested in the project through crowdfunding. In this regard, “28 Panfilov’s Men” created a precedent showing the significance and possibilities of alternative cinema.
Alexey Morozov in the series “Mysterious Passion”
Also in 2020, the actor played the main role of Vaxon in the drama “Mysterious Passion,” a film adaptation of the story of the same name by Vasily Aksenov. The film is about fictional people, but upon closer inspection it becomes clear that behind the characters in both the story and the film there are famous figures hiding. The main characters of the film are famous writers, poets and musicians, hidden under consonant names: Robert Rozhdestvensky, Evgeny Yevtushenko, Andrei Voznesensky, Bulat Okudzhava, Bella Akhmadulina, Vladimir Vysotsky, Ernst Neizvestny. The character of Alexei Morozov, Vaxon, is a cover for a self-portrait of Vasily Aksenov himself.
In December 2020, Alexey Morozov appeared in the four-part melodrama “Wife for Rent.” The actor played the role of Dmitry, a resident of the outback, who was deceived by the rich traveler Lena. After an accident on the river, Lena loses her memory, and Dmitry convinces the doctors at the hospital that Lena is his wife. So Elena finds herself in a dilapidated house, surrounded by three spoiled children and people whom she despised in a past life.
Alexey Morozov in the film “Wife for Rent”
In April 2020, the actor played the main role in another melodrama, “The Forgotten Woman.” Alexei Morozov's hero Sergei receives a letter from his mother, whom he considered dead. Sergei meets with his mother and learns that her husband left her and took away her son, having learned that the woman was sick with tuberculosis. Sergei’s mother survived illness and adversity and found her son decades later. The idyll of a family reunion is spoiled by Sergei's wife, who finds the appearance of her mother-in-law suspicious. The girl goes to her husband’s hometown, where she reveals terrible secrets about her husband’s family and childhood.
Also in 2020, Alexey Morozov played German Titov in the drama “The Time of the First,” dedicated to the exploits of Soviet cosmonauts. The plot is based on the space race between the USSR and the USA and the stage of this race - the first human spacewalk. Due to the tight deadline, the astronauts took risks by flying on a ship, a test copy of which exploded during testing.
Alexey Morozov in the film “Time of the First”
In addition, news appears in the media about the actor’s future roles. Today Morozov is starring in the film “You Can’t Forgive,” which is scheduled to premiere at the end of 2020.
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Becoming
Until about the eighth grade, Lesha had to strictly combine two training sessions a day and studying at a secondary school, since most of his strength and energy was occupied by the long journey between the arena and the educational institution. For the last two years, Alexey nevertheless found a way out of this situation and continued his studies at the special school “Wings of the Soviets,” where, in addition to Lesha, other athletes also studied. Things were also going quite well for his older brother Alexei. Valentin Morozov ended up in a strong team where professionals played. Lesha was very proud of his brother and strived to become like him. But, unfortunately, at that time Alexey Morozov did not have sufficient physical abilities, and therefore his team coach constantly placed him in the third line. Lesha gained strength by the age of 17, when he showed all his leadership qualities on the court. It is worth noting that until the end of her days, her beloved grandmother always watched hockey matches and did not miss a single game with the participation of Lesha and Valya.
The body was failing
— Can your affair with your future second wife, actress Dana Abyzova, be called a “ mysterious passion” ? You, like her, were not free.
- You could say that two loneliness met. At the time of the beginning of our relationship with Dana, I was in the process of divorce... She and I worked together for two years at the Theater of Europe. I admit, at some point we didn’t even like each other. Then we became friends, and passion arose only later. But sooner or later passions will subside, but friendship will remain. Dana and I are always very fun and interesting.
My ex-wife, Maria, is not an actress, she is a make-up artist. In my youth, it seemed that profession did not matter much, but only an actress can truly understand an actor. For example, I can come home after a performance and remain silent for hours.
- Is it really possible that only an actress wife can understand a husband-actor?
“The fact that your body refuses to get out of bed after rehearsals in the theater, which is why you can’t take your child to kindergarten, only an actress will understand.” I brought good money into the family, but I didn’t want to, say, fix the faucet myself. I thought it would be much more efficient to call a specialist and pay him. I don’t like housework, I don’t have time for them. So, gradually, Maria and I grew into a tangle of everyday disagreements, and a large list of mutual claims accumulated.
- Who proposed a divorce: you or Maria?
- Thank God, we parted without scandals. We continue to communicate, because we have a common child. Masha was the initiator of the divorce, I then offered to improve relations at least for the sake of our son. We tried for nine months, but it didn’t work. At that time, Matvey was four years old, and I now understand that for a child, the divorce of parents, if it happens at all, the sooner, the better. Matvey accepted our parting with sadness, but with understanding. Masha said that dad had a new house, and I explained that now my mom and I don’t fight and to prevent this from happening, I moved. But I will never leave my child, I will always help him. I invested in their mortgage so that my ex-wife and son could have their own living space.
Alexey with his wife Dana and son Matvey. Photo: Instagram.com
The youth of Alexei Morozov
Coming to the ice palace for the first time, Alexey was eager to become a goalkeeper, but his father dissuaded him in time. By the way, Alexey did not regret this choice and instead of hitting pucks every second in training, he took on the role of a winger. As mentioned earlier, at the age of 17, Alexey Morozov began his professional career for “Krylya Sovetov” and in his debut season he was able to score 15 goals in the national championship. The dream of most Russian players was to go overseas and continue their career in the NHL. Alexey Morozov was able to achieve this goal in 1995, when his contract was bought by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Despite this right, Alexey played for the “wings” for two more years and only then left for his new club. A photo of hockey player Alexei Morozov still hangs in the ice palace where Krylia Sovetov once played.
The early years of hockey player Alexei Morozov
At first Alexey wanted to be a goalkeeper, but his father persuaded him to become a forward.
The son did not have to regret this decision. Instead of “catching flying stones” at the goal, he took on the functions of a striker. So, already at the age of 17, he began playing as part of the masters team (1993-1994) and managed to score 15 goals in the nearest championship. Most Russian hockey players at that time considered it an honor to join an NHL club. Morozov was awarded this right in 1995, but for two more seasons after that he continued to play for Krylia Sovetov. Top 10 goals of Alexey Morozov in the KHL Then Alexey played 451 matches with the Pittsburgh Penguins (National Hockey League), achieving significant success. Here his mentors were K. Constantine, I. Glinka, R. Kehoe. At first, Morozov did not know English well, and therefore it was not easy. Alexey was still single, his parents rarely visited him in America. The young man was homesick for Russia, but the opportunity for self-realization in what he loved helped him overcome this mood. Meanwhile, at first he played, as a rule, in the third (defensive) line. Only under Rick did Kehoe gain more freedom to express his own individuality. Games were held with the New Jersey Devils, where the famous Martin Brodeur stood at the goal. He expressed that he was very afraid of the “devil killer” - that’s how Morozov was then called overseas. The famous Jaromir Jagr, who spoke good Russian, was Alexei’s teammate.
American stage
Alexey played 451 matches throughout his entire period in the NHL, achieving great achievements. At first, Alexey Morozov did not know English well, so adaptation to the new country did not go very smoothly. The only person with whom he could speak his native language was striker Jaromir Jagr, he understood Russian quite well. Alexey was single, and his parents did not have the opportunity to visit him as often as they wanted. And the longing for Russia gave this whole situation an even darker shade. Alexey tried to drive away bad thoughts from himself and splashed out all his energy on the court while doing what he loved.
At first, Alexey Morozov played only in the third line, but gradually the team coach gave him more chances to realize his own individuality. The most famous Canadian goalkeeper, Martin Brodeur, playing for the New Jersey Devils, gave Morozov the nickname “devil killer.” This was picked up by most of the players in the league, and from that moment on the nickname stuck with him in NHL games.
What will happen to the KHL after the appointment of Alexey Morozov as president?
There has officially been a change of power in the KHL. Dmitry Chernyshenko
, who left for public service, yesterday, February 14, transferred the powers of the KHL President
to Alexei Morozov
. The former hockey player, known for his successful performances for Ak Bars, recently led the MHL, and has now been promoted. By the way, Morozov also retained the post of president of the Youth League.
A change of power in a leadership position is a process that involves change. Global or local, high-quality or fake, external or internal. What awaits the KHL with the arrival of Morozov? Let's figure it out.
Morozov - people's candidate
Probably, if the post of KHL president was elective, and ordinary people who were not indifferent to hockey would themselves choose the new head of the league, then Morozov would have bypassed other candidates in this vote. The fact is that he has an excellent reputation, earned over many years of a successful gaming career. Morozov always created the image of a positive hockey player, a kind of gentleman scorer, setting an example for the younger generation both with his statistics, behavior and appearance. In 2008 in Quebec, Morozov was the captain of the Russian team, which 15 years later won gold at the World Championship. The next year, the “golden” captain and his team consolidated their success in Bern, and in 2010 Morozov carried the Russian flag at the opening of the Olympics in Vancouver.
Of course, Morozov, like everyone else, had his haters (especially in the Ufa area), but for the bulk of people in Russia, the captain of Ak Bars and the national team was a favorite. The most important thing is that during the period of his work in the MHL, Morozov did not tarnish his reputation or lose his authority. However, this does not mean that he was an ideal leader. If you look at it, during the years of his reign the MHL not only did not achieve any progress, but also lost its previous positions. Morozov, as president of the MHL, was quieter than water, lower than the grass, and for the first time he really spoke only after Igor Larionov
.
Larionov has washed his dirty laundry in public, but the MHL needs a shake-up. Morozov could remain silent forever
The Youth League does not have any positive background, and its leader is to blame for this.
But silence and apparent inaction in this case only played into Morozov’s hands. In the eyes of most people (who may not have heard that the ex-Ak Bars player ruled the MHL), he remained a great former hockey player, and not a populist official (like the same Tretyak in the FHR), and the trust of the masses in he will have much more than the same Dmitry Chernyshenko.
Morozov will truly be the people's president of the KHL, in whom people will definitely believe at first and expect changes for the better from him. But for the ruling elite of the KHL, he was the most convenient candidate for such an important post.
Timchenko about Morozov: the KHL will continue to steadily follow the league’s development strategy
Morozov will continue the party line
During the years of his reign in the MHL, Morozov did not show himself to be an independent and charismatic leader. There were no significant reforms in the Youth League, and its president preferred to be invisible. A leader of this format is an ideal option for the current KHL, where no one needs a revolution right now. There is a group of influential people here for whom it is not profitable to put themselves forward for the first positions, but it is very convenient for them to remain in the role of gray cardinals. It is obvious that now Morozov will be deprived of creative freedom and will simply continue to implement the ideas of the past KHL president. This is evidenced by the fact that Morozov will work with Chernyshenko’s team, and his first interview in a new incarnation.
Morozov is the new president of the KHL. Promises to introduce a hard cap and expand the league
First interview with the new head of the Continental League.
Morozov immediately made it clear that he was ready to be a full-fledged successor to Chernyshenko, and expressed full support for the existing line of development of the KHL, chosen under the previous president. He is also in favor of a hard salary cap and the legalization of rentals. He is going to work on expanding the league to Asia (read Uzbek Humo) and Europe. I am sure that the Old World is mentioned here for good measure, since the KHL currently has no real prospects for expansion into the hockey countries of Europe. Of course, Morozov is concerned about the massive outflow of Russian youth overseas and does not yet see the possibility of KHL clubs participating in the Champions League, and the topic of matches with the NHL is at the “we’ll talk and work through” stage.
At the press conference, Morozov did not say anything new, simply repeating all the main theses of the KHL development that were proclaimed under Chernyshenko. And at first it’s probably not so bad. The change of the KHL president came quite unexpectedly; the previous leader had several unfinished matters left, and the new person should finish good initiatives. Surely it will be Morozov who will go down in the history of Russian hockey as the leader under whom a hard salary cap will finally be introduced. And this will only add to his whist in the eyes of the public. The same applies to the official legalization of rentals, although this reform is not perceived by everyone as a good thing. If under Morozov these important changes are brought to fruition, and the KHL, thanks to them, becomes more competitive and interesting, then everyone will benefit from this. By and large, Morozov is now entering a new position with one task - not to spoil anything, and the new head of the KHL must cope with it.
Fastovsky: I expect that the previously made decisions and the KHL strategy will remain unchanged
The KHL needs an independent president
Perhaps the early Morozov has little chance of failure as president of the KHL. But what happens next? There was an opinion that he would become only a temporary figure until Rene Fasel was released from the IIHF, but the harmony of this version is slightly refuted by the four-year contract with the KHL signed by Morozov. Of course, this does not mean that Morozov will be the president of the league for this entire term, especially since he himself announced a planned meeting with the Swiss at the World Championships. But, again, there are no guarantees that Fasel will lead the KHL in September. Rene has excellent relations with influential people from Russian hockey, he always defends the interests of our country in the international arena, but it is not at all necessary that Fasel will be presented with the post of KHL president as a thank you. This may be another position, less energy-intensive and more symbolic.
So, in no case can we exclude the option in which Morozov remains the head of the KHL. And this will be a completely different situation. At first, it will be enough for Morozov to lead the KHL according to prepared notes, but very soon he will be required to make independent and bold decisions. Is Morozov capable of them? His work in the MHL, alas, did not give a positive answer to this question.
Let’s say that under Morozov a hard salary cap will be introduced. But after this, a whole series of steps are needed, which an imperious and moderately tough leader, aimed at developing the KHL not in words, but in deeds, will be capable of. Put all clubs on equal terms (not on paper), really reduce the outflow of average hockey players to America (talents will leave in any case), sort out relations with the FHR, to whose tune the seemingly private KHL has been dancing for many years now. To understand whether the league really needs expansion into non-hockey countries, or whether it is better to help Russian clubs that have a rich history, but no money. Continue to promote the KHL in media, make broadcasts of all matches available and free, and improve the work of the league’s social networks. Finally, transfer all official videos from the KHL to more convenient platforms so that people forget about the cumbersome player on the league website.
The NHL is free, and the KHL is for money. Something is wrong with the hockey show in Russia
To watch all the matches of the best league in the world on the Internet, you don’t pay a penny, but for the broadcast of “Kunlun” - “Neftekhimik” they ask for 75 rubles.
There is no end to the work, and I really want us to see the results of this work not only in official reports, where everything is always good and progressive in the KHL, but in reality. Will Morozov cope with this? The question is more rhetorical. Become a sort of Gary Battman
(a tough and odious leader whom many hate, but under him the NHL continues to develop with huge strides for many years) Morozov will definitely not succeed for the KHL, because getting rid of various influence groups is unrealistic for any league president. In our hockey, as in the whole country, oligarchs with extensive connections rule, and they will “gobble up” any talented leader with unpopular ideas. And Morozov, frankly speaking, does not yet look like a person who is capable of changing everything.
It would be simply stupid to demand something like that from Morozov, but I want him to grow in accordance with the post he holds, and at least try to be an independent leader, and not just a talking head with a retinue of gray cardinals, a pawn in a big game. The KHL needs bold ideas and charismatic personalities, and there is still hope that Morozov will live up to the best expectations.
Homecoming
During the American stage, Morozov was lucky enough to play in a trio with the great Canadian hockey player Mario Lemieux and fellow countryman Alexei Kovalev. Frequent injuries prevented his NHL career from lasting as long as possible. During the lockout in 2004, Morozov returned to his homeland and began playing for AK Bars Kazan. A year later, when financial problems and contradictions between the players and the National Hockey League were settled, Morozov refused to return overseas, remaining in Kazan. Head coach Zintuela Bilyaletdinov at that time created an excellent link around Alexey, which allowed him to win the main trophy of the tournament - the Gagarin Cup - for two years in a row. For nine seasons, Alexey was the permanent leader of the Tatarstan team. In 2013, Alexey had to leave the team and sign a contract with the Moscow club CSKA.
Childhood and youth
Alexey Morozov was born in St. Petersburg on November 16, 1979. From early childhood he was a romantic, he was fascinated by poetry, literature, and music. It was with undisguised pleasure that Alexey visited the theater with his parents. Probably, the atmosphere of the Northern capital of Russia influenced the boy so much that art became the meaning of his life.
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A post shared by Alexey Morozov (@morozzzofff) on Feb 12, 2018 at 12:52am PST
Actor Alexey Morozov
Alexey received his first acting experience in the 2nd grade, when he played the main role in the television play “Journey of the Blue Arrow” and earned the praise of the famous St. Petersburg director Valery Sarukhanov, who staged the fairy tale.
At the age of 14, the guy came to a casting organized by the television theater studio “Imagine”. He passed the selection and from 1994 to 1998 participated in the productions of this youth group. The studio's works showed a level of amateur performance that was sometimes envied by professional actors. At that time, Morozov had already finally decided on his future profession.
After school, the guy entered the Academy of Theater Arts in St. Petersburg, which he successfully graduated in 2001. Immediately after graduation, Alexey was accepted into the Maly Drama Theater - Theater of Europe. A difficult financial situation and self-doubt forced the guy to leave the profession for some time - playing on stage did not give him the same emotional pleasure.
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Alexey Morozov
In 2004, Alexey left for Moscow to engage in the art of PR, which was just emerging at that time. Soon he headed the Russian press service of Patricia Kaas and founded his own advertising and promotion agency. Morozov quickly gained a business reputation: he collaborated with the brands Nemiroff, British American Tobacco and other serious players in the global market.
In 2006, Alexey gained financial independence, but it was at that moment that he felt that he was missing the theater. A phone call from the Maly Drama Theater became a turning point in his creative biography - the artist happily agreed to the role of the Jester in Shakespeare's King Lear.
Personal life
Hockey player Alexey Morozov met his wife by chance when he caught a glimpse of her while sitting in a car and waiting for his friend. At the time of the meeting, Alexey was 21 years old. After the first sudden meeting, Alexey had to leave the city, but a week later he met her again in a supermarket. Then they met and started dating. A few months later, Morozov had to fly to America, but the separation from his beloved girl was not long, Irina flew to him immediately when the opportunity arose. A few years later, they both admitted that the meeting was fateful. Alexey proposed to Irina in America. In order to legitimize their relationship, the beloved couple had to return home for several weeks. With great effort, they managed to reach an agreement with the management of the registry office so that they could be registered in the near future, and not after 2.5 months, as prescribed by law.
Alexey Morozov: “My wife instills calm in me”
Alexey Morozov played leading roles in two of the most resonant projects of the past year - in the series “Mysterious Passion” and in the film “28 Panfilov’s Men”. There are new interesting roles ahead. But there was a time when he left the acting profession! Then he moved from his native St. Petersburg to Moscow. I worked in PR for several years, one might say, I made a career... And then I finally decided to return to creativity. In general, our hero began a new streak in his life - and it began with such a bang. Something will happen next?..
— Alexey, leaving the acting profession is a very drastic act! However, time has shown that you did everything right. Without that check and reassessment of oneself, perhaps there would not have been today’s takeoff?
- More likely. Apparently, I needed to leave in order to gain some other qualities and gain new experience. By the way, I returned because Lev Abramovich Dodin offered me the role of the Jester in King Lear. Before that, I played intellectual heroes, but here - the Jester! I couldn't agree more because it was a challenge that took me out of my comfort zone. Now, by the way, the situation is similar. Someone may probably think: how to leave one of the world's largest theaters?! (Morozov served in the famous Maly Drama Theater. - Author's note.) And that's it - the points of contact began to end. It would be possible to somehow endure and remain in the troupe, but for me this would mean an imbalance. To serve in a repertory theater now, there must be a powerful artistic motivation, which gradually disappeared for me.
— Your wife, actress Dana Abyzova, left the theater for the same reasons as you?
- You see, if Dana stayed and I didn’t, or vice versa, this would lead to some conflict situations in the future for at least one simple reason: someone is there, someone is here... So we decided to leave together. They simply terminated the employment contract, without any scandals. And we are very grateful to Lev Dodin for understanding us and letting us go without further ado. Dana also has a lot of work outside the walls of MDT. And she also needed some updating. Dana and I are now in a period when we both have more film work. But we didn’t say goodbye to the theater either. In March I have the premiere of a new play based on Pushkin’s “Little Tragedies”. I play iconic roles - Mozart and Don Juan. The director is Vlad Furman, the same one who directed “Mysterious Passion.” Danochka also has plans for the theater. But these will be roles and performances that we choose ourselves, and not that are given to us.
In the sensational television series “Mysterious Passion” Morozov played the writer Vaxon
Photo: personal archive of Alexey Morozov
— Have you and Dana already celebrated your wedding anniversary?
- Yes, in January. But we have been living together for about three years. What’s interesting is that we worked in the same theater for several years - and we didn’t even think that something could work out. Moreover, we even had, I would say, hostility towards each other. And it was impossible to imagine that this would change radically. We looked at each other with different eyes when I left my first wife, and Dana left her husband. Two solitudes met, so to speak, and everything became intertwined! (Laughs.)
— You and Dana are creative people, for whom filming and rehearsals often prevent them from being together. Did you even manage to go on your honeymoon?
“We had it, but it was unique.” We got married on January 15, 2016, and two weeks later we went on tour with the theater to Italy, to the city of Milan. And it was there that, one might say, we felt like newlyweds on their honeymoon. We walked around Milan, climbed to the roof of the fantastic Duomo Cathedral, which offers a beautiful view of the city, ate pizza, pasta, drank delicious Italian wine... In a word, we enjoyed all the gifts of ancient Italian civilization, including cooking.
— I saw your wife in the TV series “Major 2,” where she played the main character’s sister. Good job!
- Dana is a wonderful actress. She currently has several interesting projects going on in parallel. One is “Gogol” by Alexander Tsekalo. In it, Dana’s partners are Oleg Menshikov, Sasha Petrov, a Russian young star. And also television series where she has leading roles.
In the film “The Time of the First,” Alexey got the role of cosmonaut German Titov
Still from the film “Time of the First”
— And you also have another high-profile premiere. You played cosmonaut German Titov in the film “Time of the First.” What do you remember about filming?
— I remember them with almost Hollywood, I would say, precision. On the set, everything worked like clockwork: it took off and exploded exactly when it was needed, without any rework. The “terrestrial” block was directed by Yuri Bykov, and the “space” block was directed by Dmitry Kiselev.
— Is the theme of space close to you? Did you meet Titov's wife and daughters before filming?
— I was born in Soviet times, when this topic was almost closed. Or rather, the achievements were promoted, in modern terms, and the rest of the information was taboo. Therefore, space for me, as for most people of my generation, is only the flights of Gagarin, Titov, Leonov and other cosmonauts. I did not meet German Stepanovich’s wife and daughters, because I was approved for the role, as often happens now, two or three days before filming. I only managed to look at biographical information, photographs and some memories about this person.
— Other legendary cosmonauts — Alexei Leonov and Pavel Belyaev — are played by Evgeny Mironov and Konstantin Khabensky. How was it working with them?
- Amazing. Moreover, I have already met both of them. Khabensky and I studied in St. Petersburg at the Theater Institute on Mokhovaya with the same master - Veniamin Filshtinsky. Our course followed their course. Konstantin graduated from the institute in 1996, and I entered this year. He often came to see us, and we communicated quite closely. And Evgeny Mironov and I starred together in the series “Dostoevsky”. And I remember him for his incredible... altruism. Judge for yourself. I had one day of filming, a small scene with Mironov. I came to the shooting, and the first thing I heard from Evgeny Vitalievich was: “Lyosha, I was thinking: what if I add text from Verkhovensky’s monologue from “Demons”?” I was amazed that the leading actor thought about the small role of a student terrorist that I played! We proposed this idea to Vladimir Khotinenko, and he liked it. As a result, in the film “Dostoevsky” I pronounce Pyotr Verkhovensky’s monologue from “The Demons”. For which many thanks to Evgeniy Vitalievich.
In the television series “Cross in a Circle,” his hero will have to face mysticism
Still from the film “Cross in a Circle”
— Your Vaxon in the sensational series “Mysterious Passion” is, in fact, Vasily Aksenov himself. Do you like this writer?
— I met Aksenov as a writer at the airport about five years ago. It’s clear, I watched the films “My Little Brother” and “Colleagues” based on his early works, that is, I had some idea. And then I accidentally took his book “Burn” on the flight. This is like Aksenov’s central novel, because of which he was forced to emigrate. I read it all on the plane. There was some kind of long flight across the ocean. I read it and was amazed - such a style! Absolutely jazzy. How he swings, how he improvises! What an interweaving of themes and how brilliantly he handles them! I was amazed by this courage. Could I have thought that a few years later I would play this same Aksenov? Or rather, Vaxon is not Aksenov himself, but his ironic view of himself. In Vaxon, I also tried to find this “jazz”. There was also the task of showing the writer who, in the frame, now, before our eyes, seems to be composing this story. Show his constant “selective” view of what is happening: this is what I will remember and then describe. In some moments it seemed to work.
— Which of the movie heroines who were loved by your movie heroes in different films do you especially like? In other words, which female type do you prefer?
- Well, my wife Dana is similar to Ralissa, Vaxon’s main love - for some reason, internal culture, in understanding her feminine essence. Dana is Latvian, born and raised there, and this is a special mentality. Here, in my opinion, is a very correct attitude towards a husband, towards a man in general, towards comfort in the home. Dan has both restraint and explosive temperament, strength and weakness. These are wonderful combinations. And all this, it seems to me, is similar to Ralissa.
— I realized what attracts you in women. What repels?
- Vulgarity. Excessive strength, as it were... unfeminine. Male pressure. Now, unfortunately, the boundaries between femininity and masculinity are blurring. The rhythm of life, the Internet, all these technologies push us towards this. Women become locomotives, and men become trailers - this is wrong. But I think this is temporary, sooner or later the situation will level out. History goes in a spiral. Surely such a period has already happened. Now we just need to try to live correctly. Give birth to children. Move on.
Alexey and Dana have been together for three years, but got married a year ago
Photo: Ksenia Green
— Has your wife changed anything in you?
“Danochka instills calm in me. In general, an actor should be like that... a Buddhist. Because on the set there is always turmoil, madness. You need to be able to defend yourself from all this - to protect your ideas, your self, your inner world. If you don’t do this, “madness” will consume you and your “translator” will turn off. After all, the main task of an actor is not to speak the text and act out the mise-en-scène, but to broadcast and radiate. Therefore, the actor must be in his “box”. In general, by and large, our profession is a lonely one. Each for himself, and each for himself. And this despite the fact that we work in a team when we come to the theater or gather on the set. But this is a team... of such loners. Dana, with her Baltic mentality, helps me to keep the main thing within myself and not to be wasted on trifles.
— What are you bringing up in Dan?
- It seems to me that it’s the same. Because she had manifestations... quite sharp. This happened to me too. But the further we are together, the calmer and wiser we become. And we don’t quarrel over very little things. Growing up...
—Your son from your first marriage is growing up?
— Yes, this year I took Matvey to first grade. I sent him to a good school in the center of St. Petersburg, not far from his home. My son lives with my first wife, but we see each other all the time, communicate, and are all friends. Matvey makes me very happy. He is not very drawn to acting, but he definitely has directing and screenwriting talent. He not only composes various fascinating stories, but also tries to stage them and comes up with mise-en-scène.
Son Matvey went to school this year
Photo: personal archive of Alexey Morozov
- Can you imagine that he will someday invite dad to his project?
- Oh, it will be happiness! Here, Philip Yankovsky and I filmed “Mysterious Passion” in the same pavilion, and in the next one, his son Ivan starred in the film “Queen of Spades” directed by Pavel Lungin. And Philip says to me: “Lyosha, can you imagine what happiness this is: my son and I - and like this, side by side!” And I understand him: this is truly happiness.
— You play almost all musical instruments. Do you teach your son this art?
- Not yet. It all depends on the person himself. The initiative should come from Matvey. Don't think that six-year-old children are small. They are adults. In any case, they may well decide on their desires and aspirations. For example, at that age I asked my parents to enroll me in a music school because I felt the need to learn to play the piano. It seems to me that such things should not be propagated. The parent’s task is to discern, understand what is interesting to the child, and direct him there, and not to realize his own desires.
Alexey has already discerned directing and screenwriting talent in his son. The boy writes fascinating stories
Photo: personal archive of Alexey Morozov
— St. Petersburg residents often have no sympathy for Moscow. Are you one of them?
— I lived in Moscow for several years, when I left the theater, I worked here in PR. Moscow is so... changeable. It seems to “adapt” to the person, to what he is doing in it now. I had several such periods: life circumstances changed, and Moscow changed too. But Peter is a constant, he doesn’t change at all. And I, as a person who loves architecture, cannot help but admit that St. Petersburg is more beautiful. Although in Moscow, in the center, of course, there are amazing corners. For example, we were looking for “location” from the sixties for filming - and we found it! Some courtyards, churches... So both capitals are dear to me, but each in its own way. Now, with the advent of Sapsan, the borders of our two cities are practically erased. About three and a half hours - and you’re there! Therefore, I will be happy to continue living in St. Petersburg and working in Moscow.
- You are definitely on the crest of success today. Without what do you think this would have been impossible?
“I think that in my case the main driving force was my need to look for new opportunities for myself. I got into “Mysterious Passion” only because it appeared to me. If I had not gone to the casting for Andrei Zholdak, the Ukrainian-Russian “mad” director, in a good way, for the play “Madame Bovary,” then Vaxon would have been played by someone else. I was working for Dodin and suddenly I saw an advertisement for recruitment. Then I read Zholdak’s letter addressed to the artists, I really liked it. And I, an MDT artist, went to a casting for another director in another theater. This was also, you know, a step. I passed this casting, and then there was a nine-hour run of “Madame Bovary,” which was attended by Vlad Furman himself, who later directed “The Mysterious Passion.” And he saw me. If I hadn’t pushed myself in some other direction, that’s it, this wouldn’t have happened. You need to expand the boundaries of your role, your achievements and not be afraid to leave your comfort zone. A modern actor must throw himself into different situations.
A happy family
Alexey’s wife is a psychologist by training. It is worth noting the amazing fact that Ira, like her husband, was born on February 16, but the age difference was two years. Currently, Irina is a housewife and mother of four children. Alexey is very happy with how his wife copes with household chores and success in the kitchen. Irina and Alexey have a common musical taste and they always find common activities and hobbies. Alexey cares very much about the children and even teaches his son Nikita to play hockey: he scores goals for him, tells him the intricacies of the game and just has fun with him. The children of the Morozov family attend English courses because their father knows how useful it will be in the future.
Significant career milestones
From that moment on, Morozov played in several productions of the Maly Drama Theater: Biron in Love's Labour's Lost, Prince Gennaro in The Raven, Ralph in Lord of the Flies, Fedka Katorzhny in The Possessed. Alexey was also invited to other theaters - in the Comedian's Shelter theater he played Ivan Timofeevich in the play "Olesya" (2011), Rodolfo in the production of "Madame Bovary" (2013) in the Russian Entreprise Theater. Andrey Mironov.
Alexey Morozov serves in the St. Petersburg MDT (“Life and Fate”)
At the same time, work was going on on filming. The first notable film role of Morozov Jr. was the image of the son of a priest, Soviet commissar Maxim Proshin in the film “Angel's Chapel.” The film took place in the 20s of the 20th century against the backdrop of the conflict with Finland.
Still from the film "Angel's Chapel"
This was followed by work in the multi-part film “Cross in a Circle”, where the young actor also played the main role, or rather, two: an NKVD officer and his grandson-historian, and many scenes with the participation of these characters were filmed on the same day, so Alexei Morozov had to quickly change clothes, make up and transform into radically different people.
Alexey Morozov had a hard time on the set of “Cross in a Circle”
Then there were works in the series “Raskol” (Fyodor Rtishchev), “Gregory R.” (Sukhotin), “Dostoevsky” (terrorist), the paintings “Odessite”, “Bird”, “Report of Fate”, “Cop Wars”.
Over the years, the actor managed to work with well-known people throughout the country: Sergei Bezrukov, Chulpan Khamatova, Roman Madyanov, Timofey Tribuntsev, Evgeny Mironov, Alexander Domogarov, Irina Rozanova and many, many others. Alexey has said more than once that the stars with whom he worked behave exclusively as professionals at work who do not allow themselves whims and shortcomings - this style of work has always aroused his genuine admiration.
In 2020, the jury of the Cannes Film Festival was impressed by the Russian-German short film “Exit”. In half an hour of screen time, the actors, among whom was Alexey Morozov, managed to embody a real tragedy tied to a difficult moral dilemma.
Working in films did not prevent Morozov from hosting television shows. From 2011 to 2014, he hosted a program about memorable places in the cultural capital, “The Reserved Region with Alexei Morozov,” and from 2020, he hosted the program “Petrograd-17” on the Russia-Petersburg channel.
Life now
Alexey Morozov’s career has been more than successful: world champion in 2008 and 2009, silver medalist at the Nagano Olympics, two-time winner of the Gagarin Cup, three-time champion of Russia and winner of the Continental Cup, and champion of the European Champions Cup. If we talk about Alexey’s personal achievements, for three years he became the owner of the “Golden Helmet”. Participant in many matches of KHL stars, holder of the record for the most goals scored in one match, and also winner of the award for the most valuable player in the Gagarin Cup playoffs. Many wondered where hockey player Alexei Morozov is now. Now Morozov works in the Russian Hockey Federation and is undoubtedly glad that his hockey career has developed this way.
Morozov is the new president of the KHL. Whose man is he and what does this mean for Russian hockey?
It's finished. More than three weeks have passed since Dmitry Chernyshenko left the post of president of the Kontinental Hockey League, becoming deputy prime minister of the Russian Federation, and now the country’s main hockey league has received a new leader. There was no sensation - as expected, this post was taken by former MHL boss Alexei Morozov. The new president of the KHL was elected by members of the board of directors using absentee voting.
Sport24 introduces the new KHL president and reflects on his prospects in this position.
Morozov began to be called the first candidate to replace Chernyshenko immediately after the promotion of the former head of the league. At the same time, everyone who confirmed this information stipulated that, most likely, Morozov was a temporary figure. The two-time world champion and two-time Gagarin Cup winner should supposedly hold a place for Rene Fasel. The Swiss, whose term of office in the IIHF expires this year, could not lead the KHL here and now. The president of the international federation needs to comply with formalities.
Kuzmin Yuri, photo.khl.ru “No one contacted me or said anything. Do I have a desire to lead the KHL? You know, everyone has different desires, let's speak factually. Now I hold my post and take care of the affairs of the MHL,” Morozov said immediately after rumors appeared about his transition from the youth to the adult league. The remark about desires seemed very fair: in the state sport, which is hockey, it is usually not offered, but assigned.
So what does Morozov’s appointment mean for the KHL? Answering this question, we automatically try to calculate whose person this is. Chernyshenko, and this is no secret, represented the interests of Gennady Timchenko. He once managed his assets, and in the major hockey league he put the boss’s ideas into practice. Including a hard salary cap. At the same time, in addition to Timchenko, there are several more “towers” in our hockey. The Rotenbergs (Roman and Arkady) - on the one hand, conditionally CSKA (Mishustin, Sechin, Esmantovich) - on the other. Whose man is Morozov?
If you remember which club Morozov gave his best years to, then Ak Bars should be in chocolate with the new president. A year ago, the Week of Hockey Stars was held in Kazan, and they say that this holiday was brought to Tatarstan by the former captain of the Leopards. However, Morozov’s connections with Kazan should not be overestimated. After finishing his career, he was destined for a position either in the club, or in Tatneft, or in the government of the republic, but he decided to take a different path. Now, as the managing director of the MHL, Alexey Alekseevich can more often be found at the matches of another team.
vk.com/hc_avangardomsk
Today Morozov is a member of the board of directors of Avangard. Yes, the main competitor of Ak Bars in the fight for leadership in the East. The situation itself, when the head of the league is part of the management of one of the clubs, looks wild. But very Russian. Morozov is, of course, not a pioneer here. If Timchenko, and before him Medvedev, can combine positions in the KHL and SKA, then who can deny something to the main man in the MHL? But the fact that he often appears in public in the company of Alexander Krylov is very interesting. It is believed that the ambitions of the Avangard boss extend beyond the Omsk club. He himself denies this, but if such talk is not groundless, the head of the Omsk club can try to implement his plans through Morozov.
If Krylov really has influence on Morozov, then this is not as critical as if CSKA appointed his own person to the post of KHL president. In this case, one could seriously worry about the salary cap. While the chairman of the board of directors of Avangard is a controversial person, he is modern and promotes reasonable ideas. However, it would be wrong to consider Morozov as Krylov’s pawn. Timchenko nevertheless appointed him to the post of managing director of the MHL. The former captain of the Russian national team is a man of the system. During the four years that he led the youth league, he did not take a single drastic step, did not make a single revolutionary decision.
Yuri Kuzmin, photo.khl.ru
“Doing no harm is already a great benefit,” agent Alexey Dementyev answered my question on Twitter about what Morozov did for the MHL. And this best characterizes the activities of his namesake in his position. Morozov did not expand the league or reduce the number of teams. He did not reform the age limit. Under him, the MHL changed its logo, but its global image did not change. At the same time, the attendance cannot be compared with what it was at the dawn of the league. And now there are accusations of corruption in the league, to which her boss has not really responded. Morozov, perhaps, did no harm, but at the same time the project he headed floated with the flow. Can the KHL afford this?
It is naive to believe that the new KHL president will be an absolutely independent figure. Such people, by definition, do not reach the upper levels of our sport. The question is how decisive and principled he will be. It took Chernyshenko two to three years to get to the bottom of things and form his own opinion. Will Morozov, who created the image of a gentle and liberal person, be able to exclude this or that club or disqualify managers who do not pay hockey players salaries? His predecessor knew how to make unpopular decisions. Despite the fact that in the current system much is left to the KHL board of directors, the president must have his own position. On rent, salary cap, draft and many other issues. Does Morozov have it?
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