Kozlovsky Danila Valerievich is a young promising Russian actor, born on May 3, 1985 in Moscow. He actively acts in films and commercials, plays on stage and even sings! You could see him in the films “Duhless”, “We are from the future”, “Crew”, “Hardcore”, “Legend No. 17”, “Viking” and many others. Most film critics and people from the world of cinema unanimously recognize the young artist as the best actor of the new generation in Russian cinema.
Danila Kozlovsky is the most popular actor in Russian cinema
Childhood and early years of the future actor
Danila Kozlovsky was born on May 3, 1985 in Moscow into a creative family. His father, Valery Ivanovich Kozlovsky, is an Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation, professor at the Moscow State Institute of Cinematography (formerly MGUKI) and Doctor of Philosophy. He made a great contribution to the development of the advertising department at MGUKI, and also took part in the creation of the first Higher School of Advertising in Russia. Provided assistance during the first Russian student festival of social advertising. Mom, Nadezhda Zvenigorodskaya, an actress by training, devoted herself to raising her sons. Danila was the middle brother, the eldest was Egor, who now works in the healthcare sector. The youngest, Ivan, is engaged in cargo transportation and lives in Vladimir.
Little Danila with his mother and brothers Unfortunately, Danila’s parents separated when he was still little. Nadezhda had to carry the burden of being a mother of many children alone. The relationship with his father did not end, but he took little part in raising the children. All three grew up as tomboys, but Danila was always the ringleader. That is why the restless and disobedient Dani often had problems in schools, which he was forced to change one after another. In one of the interviews, Kozlovsky himself spoke about his childhood antics as follows:
My brothers and I generally did the devil knows what: they broke windows in the entrances, smashed stalls, bullied passers-by, and if they came across foreigners, they did not miss the opportunity to defraud
Danila in childhood
Correction path
Naturally, the parents did not like this behavior of their sons. They ended up in the police room, were expelled from several schools, and simply behaved like hooligans. However, according to the brothers’ stories, Danila, despite the fact that he was a notorious ringleader, had the strongest inner core. He is one of three brothers sent by his mother to the casting of the series “Simple Truths”; he spent money to get to the casting. The brothers preferred to buy ice cream. By the way, Danil’s casting went through and was approved for the role of a sixth-grader – the brother of one of the main characters, played by Nastya Zadorozhnaya.
The plump, harmful boy from “Simple Truths” - the future handsome Kozlovsky Egor about his younger brother Danil:
He is all like that, in everything. Even as a small child, he knew how to make decisions. And love was inherent in him by nature since childhood. I can say that Danya has been my older brother for a long time, despite the fact that he is younger than me. And the balance was restored only a couple of years ago.
In order to influence the character and fate of the boys, the parents decide to enroll them in a cadet school. The choice fell on the St. Petersburg Cadet Corps. However, even there, Danila’s brothers could not hold out for long, but he himself followed this path to the end and graduated with honors in 2002. It was in the cadet corps that Danila’s fighting and persistent character was formed, where he understood the meaning of the word “must”.
Danila is on the far right in the general photo Despite the fact that the officers, pleased with Kozlovosky’s successes, insisted on continuing his military career, persuading him to apply to the military academy, Danila still decided to follow his childhood dream and become an actor.
Apartments in Bali
In the summer of 2014, on social networks, fans of Danila Kozlovsky’s work wondered: had the actor left Russia forever? The reason for this was the pictures of the popular screenwriter and producer against the backdrop of the ocean and tropical greenery, as well as shots with a surfboard. As it turned out, Danila purchased luxury apartments on the island of Bali while he was taking part in the filming of the film “Duhless”.
The island in Indonesia left an indelible impression on the actor’s soul, and therefore he began to come here more often to relax in the company of his family and celebrity friends. His favorite activities during his holiday in Bali were conquering the waves on a surfboard and swimming in the rain in the pool at a Balinese villa.
Theater and acting career of Kozlovsky
Start
Contrary to the entreaties of the military leadership of the cadet corps, after graduation, Danila entered the St. Petersburg State Academy of Theater Arts for a directing course under the guidance of People's Artist of the Russian Federation Lev Dodin. Starting from his second year, Kozlovsky began to take part in filming on a regular basis. Starting with TV series and passing roles, Danila reaches the leading role in the reputable project “Garpastum”. The director of the project is the talented Alexey German Junior. In this wonderful drama about sports and courage, Danila managed to create a harmonious image of one of the brothers who is sincerely passionate about football.
Danila Kozlovsky and Evgeny Pronin in “Garpastum” The course leader, Dodin, recognized the acting talent in the young student. He invited him to his production of “King Lear” for the role of Edgar. The first role on the theatrical stage brought the first award - “Golden Spotlight”. For his first serious role in a big film, Danila became a laureate of the “White Elephant” award from Russian film critics and the film press. Later, during his studies, Kozlovsky played in several more performances: “Whim,” “Life and Fate,” “Warsaw Melody.” The latter brought the young artist together with his future wife Urszula Malka.
Kozlovsky with his ex-wife Urszula Malka
The slow path to the top of the acting Olympus
Contrary to expectations, after filming with the famous master Herman Jr., new offers did not begin to pour in as if from a cornucopia. And even the presence of leading roles on the theatrical stage, awards and rave reviews from critics did not affect the success of Kozlovsky’s career. By 2007, Danila’s track record included only ten film roles. Most of them were serials. But a fighting spirit, perseverance and determination always bear fruit. In 2008, Kozlovsky starred in the big-budget blockbuster “We are from the Future” by Andrei Malyukov.
A still from the film “We are from the Future” Danila was accompanied on the set by future and current stars of Russian cinema. Among them: Vladimir Yaglych, Ekaterina Klimova, Boris Galkin, Daniil Strakhov, Sergei Makhovikov and others. The young actor’s acting was appreciated, and the film itself was successful at the box office. The audience greeted the patriotic film very warmly and remembered the charming main characters. The flywheel of Kozlovsky’s successful acting career was spun. After “We are from the Future” and the courageous role of Borman, Danila starred in the company of the famous Finn Ville Haapasalo and the charming Alexei Klimushkin in the eccentric comedy “Veselchaki”. The film tells about the difficult fate of five men performing in a drag show. A very unusual role involving dressing up in women's clothing was played brilliantly by Danila.
Kozlovsky in the center, who played the travesty character Lucy
Recognition and a sharp rise in career
After three such diverse roles, no one doubted Danila’s talent. Kozlovsky’s next role was the image of a taxi driver of an elite taxi service from the film anthology “Moscow, I love you!” The entire color of Russian cinema was involved in the filming: Evgeny Mironov, Evgeny Stychkin, Maxim Sukhanov, Fyodor Bondarchuk, Dmitry Dyuzhev and many other stars of the first magnitude.
still from the film “Moscow, I love you!” Each subsequent role made the actor more recognizable and popular. However, the real explosion occurred after the release of the film “Duhless”, based on the bestseller of the same name by Sergei Minaev. Kozlovsky played the role of a wealthy top manager of a bank, Max's playmaker. Despite the fact that it seemed to Max that he owned everything he might need in life, doubts creep into his head about the correctness of what is happening. After this, everything goes downhill and his life collapses like a house of cards.
Max is a rich playmaker from the film “Duhless”. Despite the fact that the film was received ambiguously, it still made a resonance. They wrote and talked a lot about it, compared it with the original source, looked for inaccuracies and inconsistencies. At the same time, Kozlovsky was always considered one of the positives of the film - there is no fault with his acting, he did everything that the director and screenwriter would have wanted from him. The film's receipts significantly exceeded its costs - a rather rare phenomenon in Russian cinema. Kozlovsky’s role in the epic sports drama about the great “Red Car” helped Kozlovsky to finally gain a foothold on the acting Olympus. The role of the legendary Soviet hockey player Valery Kharlamov helped Danila rise to heights unattainable for other young actors. A high-quality drama with excellent filming and an excellent cast did not leave Russian viewers indifferent. The film collected a huge box office and positive reviews from critics and ordinary viewers.
Kharlamov (Kozlovsky) and coach Tarasov (Menshikov). Still from the film The film certainly took one of the first places among the best films of modern Russian cinema.
Notable film roles
In the same year as “Legend No. 17,” the television film “It All Started in Khabrin” was released. In the mini-series, Kozlovsky was accompanied on the set by the beautiful Anna Chipovskaya. Based on real events, the drama series became another high-quality work in which the young actor took part, confirming his high level of skill. The television film was warmly received by the audience, and the on-screen duet of Anna and Danila was named the most beautiful acting team.
Danila Kozlovsky and Anna Chipovskaya Then there was a role in the comedy melodrama “The Habit of Parting,” in which the actor played together with his student love Elizaveta Boyarskaya. Another notable appearance was the role of Prince Dmitry in the historical film “Rasputin”. But, unfortunately, despite the presence of such high-profile names as Khabensky and Depardieu on the list of actors, the film was not of very high quality and was not very warmly received by the audience. In 2014, Kozlovsky conquered the next stage of his acting career - he starred in Hollywood. “Vampire Academy” is a film based on a series of best-selling books for teenagers written by Rachel Mead. Unfortunately, the first experience of filming in Hollywood was a failure - the film turned out to be weak, aimed more at young fans of the book than at a serious viewer. However, as you know, any experience is useful.
Still from the film “Vampire Academy” After the debut in Hollywood, the commercially successful and well-received domestic “Dubrovsky” and the continuation of the resonant “Duhless” followed, where Kozlovsky again played the former top manager of the bank, the matured and matured Max.
Danila Valerievich Kozlovsky Born in the spring of 1985 in Moscow. He has two brothers: the elder, Egor, and the younger, Ivan. Mom instilled in her children a love of creativity: little Danila attended dance classes, studied music and vocals, and was interested in sports. Football was one of his main hobbies. Parents sent their sons to study at the Kronstadt Naval Cadet Corps. They did well, but only Danila survived until graduation in 2002. By this time, the young man had already acted in films: in 1999, he played a small role as a hooligan boy in the popular youth series “Simple Truths.” This event made an indelible impression on him: he developed an unshakable desire to become an actor.
Kozlovsky entered the St. Petersburg Academy of Theater Arts, in the acting and directing department of the course under the direction of Lev Dodin. In parallel with his studies, he took part in castings and filming, mostly the roles were episodic in nature. The turning point in the career of the aspiring actor came in 2005, when he auditioned for the main role in the historical drama “Garpastum” by Alexei German Jr. The film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival that same year. The film received the National Film Critics and Film Press Award “Golden Aries” in the “Best Director’s Work” category, and Danila received the Russian Film Critics and Film Press Award “White Elephant” in the “Best Actor” category.
From that moment on, Kozlovsky began to take a more thoughtful approach to choosing roles and did not grab the first one that came his way, preferring serious projects. Since 2006, Kozlovsky has actively participated in theatrical productions of the Maly Drama Theater (Theater of Europe). He played in such productions as “King Lear”, “Warsaw Melody”, “Life and Fate”, “Lord of the Flies”, “Whim” and “Lorenzaccio”. For his role as Edgar in the production of King Lear, he was awarded a special prize from the Expert Council of the Golden Sofit Award in the Best Debut category. Real success and popular fame came to the actor after participating in the science fiction film “We are from the Future” directed by Andrei Malyukov. Danila played the main character, the “black digger” Sergei Filatov, nicknamed Borman, who lives by the principle “take everything from life.” The character's evolution from self-confident cynic to loving friend captivated audiences and impressed critics. The film received a number of positive reviews and was especially warmly received by the youth audience, for whom it was intended. This work brought Kozlovsky a prize for the best leading male role at the XVI festival of film actors “Constellation - 2008”.
In 2011, the actor appeared in a key role in Karen Oganesyan’s comedy “Five Brides.” His partners in the film were Elizaveta Boyarskaya, Irina Pegova, Svetlana Khodchenkova and Yulia Peresild. In 2012, Danila played together with Fyodor Bondarchuk, Vladimir Epifantsev and Victoria Tolstoganova in the adventure film by Alexei Andrianov “Spy” (2012), based on the work of Boris Akunin “A Spy Novel”. The film received mixed reviews, but the image of Kozlovsky himself turned out to be solid and intriguing. The young actor’s career continued to develop, and a year later he played the main role in the film adaptation of Sergei Minaev’s bestseller “SpiritLess” (2012). The success of this film allowed Kozlovsky to receive an honorary offer to play Valery Kharlamov himself in Nikolai Lebedev’s sports drama “Legend No. 17” (2013).
Kozlovsky passed the most difficult test with honor, which, of course, was the embodiment on the screen of one of the greatest stars of Soviet hockey. The risky production triumphantly went through cinemas, received six Golden Eagle awards in various categories, including for best feature film, and instantly turned into a modern classic of sports cinema, paving the way for such future box office hits as Moving Up (2017) and “Streltsov” (2020). “Legend No. 17” finally secured Kozlovsky’s status as the most sought-after young actor, and in the future Danila barely had time to rake through the mountain of incoming film offers. In 2014, Kozlovsky starred in a modernized adaptation of the novel by A.S. Pushkin's "Dubrovsky", and a year later - in the sequel "Spirit of Less". Media exposure and success allow Danila to experiment freely, and soon he takes part in the fantastic action film “Hardcore” (2015), where for the first time in his career he played a completely negative role, and did it with his usual brilliance.
In 2021, two high-profile premieres with Kozlovsky in the title role were released: “Crew” and “Viking.” The first film was a half-remake and half-continuation of the legendary Soviet disaster film directed by Alexander Mitta. Danila played the role of a young, hot, but exceptionally talented pilot again under the direction of Nikolai Lebedev, director of Legend No. 17, and again their collaboration turned out to be successful. The new “Crew” became one of the very few remakes of Soviet classics that earned recognition from viewers. A completely different fate awaited “Viking,” in which Kozlovsky played the holy Prince Vladimir, the baptist of Rus'. The long, arduous filming did not justify the efforts of the creators; the film was torn to smithereens by both professional critics and ordinary viewers. The fate of another noisy premiere, the historical melodrama by Alexei Uchitel “Matilda” (2017), turned out a little better. The highest-budget film in the history of Russian cinema did not bring fame to its authors, and Kozlovsky, who played the role of Count Vorontsov, had surprisingly little screen time.
In 2021, Kozlovsky presented his first directorial project – the sports drama “Coach”, in which he also played the main role. The film caused a restrained reaction from critics, but paid off at the box office, showing Danila’s promise as a director. Kozlovsky was entrusted with the creation of the Russian series “Chernobyl” (2021), which should become a worthy response to the super-successful project of the HBO channel.
In 2008, Danila married Polish theater actress Urszula Magdalena Malka, but three years later the marriage broke up. Currently, Kozlovsky is not married and maintains the status of one of the most attractive Russian grooms.
Personal life
As his older brother Yegor said about Danil, he is different from their younger brother Ivan, who chose his life partner a long time ago and lives with her to this day. A creative nature, Kozlovsky devoted himself with all passion to love and relationships. His first serious, but, alas, short-lived love was Elizaveta Boyarskaya. They met as students. However, Lisa’s stern father, Mikhail Boyarsky, intervened in the relationship. He forbade his daughter to have a relationship with an “infantile, not yet fledgling youth.” It's a pity, the couple would be beautiful!
Kozlovsky and Boyarskaya at the premiere of “Status: Single” In 2008, suddenly it became known about Danila’s wedding with the Polish actress Urszula Malka. They met when they played together in the play “Warsaw Melody”. There were rumors that Kozlovsky’s wedding with Urshula was more out of spite for Boyarskaya than out of mutual love. It is not known whether this is true, however, the marriage turned out to be unstable. After 3 years, the family broke up. In 2013, Danila’s new chosen one was the beautiful actress Yulia Snigir. However, this beautiful couple did not last long. At the beginning of 2014, it became known about their separation. As Danila’s older brother Yegor said in an interview: “Bullfinches fly and fly away, but Danya remains.”
Yulia Snigir and Danila at a social event In 2015, the actor began a new romantic relationship. He began dating model Olga Zueva. It’s too early to say what this relationship will lead to, but in the spring of 2021 the girl moved to Danila’s St. Petersburg apartment. At all social events, lovers appear together and with all their appearance demonstrate the seriousness and romance of their relationship.
The actor's new passion, model Olga Zueva
Danila Kozlovsky 2021
2016 was the most productive year for the actor. At the beginning of the year, the premiere of an experimental film from producer Timur Bekmambetov “Hardcore” took place. The crazy action thriller, shot entirely from the first person, became Kozlovsky’s second Hollywood experience. A low-budget action film by Hollywood standards, a joint Russian-American production, collected a good box office and surprised audiences all over the world. Some people really liked the film, others were not delighted, however, the resonance was colossal.
The image turned out to be spectacular. Kozlovsky tried on an unusual image of a villain. Together with him in the film, in addition to Russian actors, Sharlto Copley (“District No. 9”, “A Robot Named Chappie”, “Malificent”) and Haley Bennett (“The Great Equalizer”, “The Girl on the Train”, “Marley and Me”) starred "). The next grandiose project that touched the audience was the remake of the Soviet disaster film “Crew”. The film received high marks from both viewers and film critics. A clear confirmation of the good reception was the colossal box office collected by the film. Made on a Hollywood scale, the film remained a drama with a Russian soul. The duet for Kozlovsky was composed by the magnificent actor Vladimir Mashkov. The parents of the talented pilot played by Danila were portrayed on screen by Sergei Shakurov and Elena Yakovleva. “Crew” rightfully stands on a par with “Legend No. 17” among the best films of post-Soviet cinema.
Actors of “Crew” at the presentation of the film at the Oktyabrsky cinema. At the end of December 2016, the epoch-making work “Viking” was presented to the audience, the film was shot over 6 years. The film's budget exceeds 1 billion rubles. Excellent cinematography and acting, unfortunately, were blurred by unsatisfactory direction and script. The film was shot superbly, the picture is mesmerizing, but the viewer was left dissatisfied. The film's box office revenues paid for the production costs, but viewers noted some historical inaccuracy and excessive cruelty in the film. There were those who liked everything. But who definitely has no complaints is the cast. The entire casting worked perfectly, smoothing out the overall impression of the film.
Still from the movie “Viking”
Danila Kozlovsky now
In 2021, several films with Danila’s participation will be released, including “On the Area”, produced by Kozlovsky himself, the script for which was written by his girlfriend Olga Zueva. He will also appear on screens in the films “Dovlatov”, “Matilda” and “Decorator”. In the latter he will try on the image of Erast Fandorin. In addition to filming films and playing at the St. Petersburg Maly Academic Drama Theater, Kozlovsky plans to continue the development of his musical career. In 2015, as an experiment, he gave a solo concert show “The Big Dream of an Ordinary Man,” produced by Philip Kirkorov. At the concert, Kozlovsky performed hits of classics of American pop-jazz vocals from the 40s to the 60s.
Show “The Big Dream of an Ordinary Man” In addition to all this, the man-orchestra Danila Kozlovsky is known for his work in the field of charity. He supports several charitable foundations and their number is growing every year. Danila is a real example for other artists; he has been repeatedly noted with the warmest words from representatives of healthcare, hospitals and children's foundations. Charity dinners with a star, performances and performances, the income from which goes to various foundations, direct financial donations and visits to sick children and adults are not the whole list of Kozlovsky’s good deeds.
Alsou, Elizaveta Boyarskaya, Danila Kozlovsky and Ksenia Rappoport during a visit to one of the children's hospitals
Career
Kozlovsky was enrolled in the Theater Academy the first time and graduated in 2007. While still in his third year, he was accepted into the Young Studio at the Maly Drama Theater, and a few years later he joined the troupe. He still plays in three plays, despite being busy in films.
First steps to success
During his years of studying at the Academy of Theater Arts, the teacher of the future actor Danila Kozlovsky was Lev Dodin. He played an important role in the guy’s fate: he noticed his abilities and offered to take part in his performance. In the production of King Lear, Danila played Edgar. Theater critics noticed the soulful performance of the aspiring artist. After some time, he received his first Golden Spotlight award.
Theater and music
Over the years of his studies, Danila took part in many performances. In the production of “The Cherry Orchard” he played Lopakhin. For this role in 2014, he received the Oleg Yankovsky Prize and the Konstantin Stanislavsky International Award. A special prize from the Breakthrough Prize was awarded to his work in the production of Intrigue and Love.
In 2015, Kozlovsky tried himself as a performer in the concert “The Big Dream of an Ordinary Man,” performing songs from the repertoire of F. Sinatra, D. Martin, and T. Bennett. The producer was Philip Kirkorov, and Paulina Andreeva was responsible for the dance numbers.
Movies
Soon Kozlovsky began to be offered work in cinema. At first these were episodic roles in TV series and feature films. In 2005, Kozlovsky was offered to star in the film “Garpastum”. He played the main role of a football player who dreams of his own team. The film directed by A. German was highly praised by film critics. For this work, Kozlovsky received the White Elephant and the Audience Award at the Venice Film Festival.
Facts about the actor
- Height and weight of Danila Kozlovsky: 184 cm/85 kg
- Number of films and TV series with his participation (as of February 2017): 38
- Eastern horoscope: Zodiac sign Taurus, year of birth Ox
- Was married for 3 years to Polish actress Urszula Malka
- Plays the saxophone and viola, sings and dances well
- Winner of two Golden Eagle awards for best actor
- In 2014, he became the face of the international advertising company “Coco Medemoiselle” together with Keira Knightley
- Loves red wine, TV series “Mad Men” and “Downton Abbey”, home cooking and Italian Tuscany
- Doesn't like parties, nightclubs, himself as a child when he was chubby, and lack of discipline
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