Konstantin Khabensky

Konstantin Yurievich Khabensky, PAR (; born 11 January 1972) is a Russian actor of stage and film, director and philanthropist.

From 1997, he was part of the Saint Petersburg Lensoviet Theatre cast until 2000, after which he transferred to the Moscow Art Theatre in 2002 where he is still active. Khabensky's first lead roles in cinema were in Women's Property (1999) and in the film In Motion (2002). Among the Russian audience, he gained recognition with the TV series Deadly Force (2002-2005), while his international breakthrough came with the films Night Watch (2004) and Day Watch (2006) as the protagonist, Anton Gorodetsky.

Other notable films with him in the lead role include Poor Relatives (2005), The Irony of Fate 2 (2007), Collector (2016), TV series Pyotr Leschenko. Everything That Was... (2013), The Method (2015) and Trotsky (2017).

One of the most acclaimed actors in Russia, Khabensky has earned numerous awards, including two Nika Awards for The Admiral (2008) and The Geographer Drank His Globe Away (2013). He has also won three Golden Eagle Awards for Best Actor, three Kinotavr Awards and the Russian Guild of Film Critics Award.

Based on the data of the website KinoPoisk, Konstantin Khabensky was declared to be the most popular actor in Russia in the first 15 years of the 21st century.

Khabensky made his directorial debut in 2018 with the Holocaust drama Sobibor, where he also played the role of Alexander Pechersky.

Alongside his work in cinema, Khabensky is a philanthropist, in 2008 he established the Konstantin Khabensky Charitable Foundation which provides assistance to children with oncological and other serious brain afflictions.

Early life Khabensky was born in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) to Russian Jewish father, Yuri Aronovich Khabensky and Russian mother, Tatiana Gennadievna Khabenskaya (née Nikulina). Both of his parents were engineers. His mother also worked as a mathematics teacher. He has an older sister, Natalia Khabenskaya.

In 1981, he together with his family moved to Nizhnevartovsk, where Konstantin lived over the period of four years. In 1985 the family returned to Leningrad. Konstantin entered the Technical College of Aviation Instrument Engineering and Automation, but after studying there for three years, he realized that this profession was not for him. In 1990 Khabensky entered the Leningrad State Institute of Theatre, Music and Cinema (course of Veniamin Filshtinsky), where his classmates were Mikhail Porechenkov, Andrei Zibrov and Mikhail Trukhin. For the final exam, Konstantin performed as Estragon in the play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, his graduation was in 1995.

Career Early roles (1994–2003) Khabensky's cinematic debut was in the 1994 comedy film To whom will God send where he appeared in a minor role of a pedestrian.

In 1995, after graduating from the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts, Konstantin worked at the Perekriostok Experimental Theater where he served for one year. At the same time he acted in the Lensoviet Theatre in Saint Petersburg. Khabensky also starred in the Russian-Hungarian criminal fantasy melodrama of Tomas Toth, Natasha and had an uncredited role of a musician in the social drama of Aleksei German, Khrustalyov, My Car!

The actor said that he got his first roles by chance. The role in Natasha went to the actor after a meeting with the Hungarian director Tomas Toth. "We talked, recalls Konstantin, he asked: "Will you act?" - I said: "I will!" Then we drank vodka. And so began work in the cinema." He was cast in the picture Women's Property in a similar way. The actor recalls: "I go downstairs to the studio, some man rises up, comes across and looks at me: "Somehow I do not know you!" - I answer: "I do not know you either!" - and we parted. And then people came up to me and said that it was director Dima Meskhiev and that I was approved for the role in his new film Women's Property.

Another important role was of Sasha Guriev in the picture In Motion (2002), the directorial debut of Filipp Yankovsky. The film was about a successful and charming journalist who suddenly realizes that he has found compromising evidence on his politician friend. For the role he received the Best Male Actor award at the Vivat, Russian Cinema festival.

Night Watch and breakthrough After starring as magician Anton Gorodetsky in the blockbuster fantasy films Night Watch (2004) and Day Watch (2005) directed by Timur Bekmambetov, Khabensky became famous worldwide. The films are about the struggle between respective supernatural forces that control daytime and nighttime – Light Others and Dark Others. Both films became box office successes, with the duology grossing $73 million internationally. Bekmambetov described that he needed an actor for the role of Gorodetsky who was handsome, slightly naive, slightly cunning and that "his eyes must show that he has a conscience". The character of the film Anton Gorodetsky became one of his most well-known roles and the success of these films in Russia and abroad has made Khabensky one of the best-known Russian actors in the West.

Khabensky reunited with Meskhiev for the fifth time in Our Own (2004), a World War II drama film where he played political commissar Livshitz. In the same year he also had a supporting role in Goddess: How I fell in Love by Renata Litvinova.

In 2005, he played in Filipp Yankovsky's historical mystery film The State Counsellor, adaptation of the novel of the same name by Boris Akunin. His character in the film was Green (Grigory Grinberg), a revolutionary who attempts to murder the governor of Moscow. For this role, he received his first Golden Eagle Award, as best supporting actor.

In the same year, he acted in two works by Pavel Lungin — comedy film Poor Relatives about a grifter and TV miniseries The Case of "Dead Souls" loosely based on various stories by Nikolai Gogol, including Dead Souls. Leslie Felperin from Variety wrote in her review of Poor Relatives — "Although largely an ensemble piece, thesp Khabensky, a ubiquitous presence in Russian films these days, steals the show with his shambling, sleazeball Letov, demonstrating excellent, previously underexposed comic timing as well as a knack for deadpan and slapstick." Khabensky received the Best Male Actor award from Kinotavr and Russian Guild of Film Critics (Golden Aries).

Khabensky had a supporting role as Leon Trotsky in the miniseries Yesenin, which told the conspiracy version of the death of the Russian poet Sergei Yesenin, played by Sergei Bezrukov. Konstantin would later revisit the character in the 2018 biographical series. Also in 2005, Khabensky appeared in the television series The Fall of the Empire and Female Novel.

In 2006, the actor starred in the film Rush Hour directed by Oleg Fesenko and based on the novel by Jerzy Stawiński. In the same year aired the television series Filipp's Bay, in which Khabensky was filmed in parallel with the shooting of Day Watch.

In 2007, Khabensky played Kostya Lukashin opposite Elizaveta Boyarskaya in Timur Bekmambetov's the romantic-comedy The Irony of Fate 2, sequel to 1976 Soviet classic The Irony of Fate. Its plot centered around the grown-up children of Evgeniy Lukashin and Nadezhda Sheveleva who have managed to get into the same situation as their parents many years ago. The film made $55 million against a $5 million budget, with $49 million coming from the Russian box-office alone. For the film he earned the Best Comedy Actor prize at the MTV Russia Movie Awards.

In the same year, he played Anton Prachenko in suspense film The Ghost by Karen Oganesyan. The picture was about a crime novelist in a creative crisis who becomes an unwitting witness to a murder and whose fate becomes linked with the hired killer who committed it, played by Vladimir Mashkov.

2009–2014

Khabensky appeared in the 2009 mystical drama The Miracle by Aleksandr Proshkin. The film was inspired by the urban legend of Zoya, who after dancing with an icon of Saint Nicholas became paralyzed.

In 2010, he played Vyacheslav Kolotilov in the comedy Lucky Trouble which co-starred Milla Jovovich and was directed by Levan Gabriadze. The film was about a school teacher traveling to Moscow to get married but who on his way there is mistaken for a football coach which puts him in danger of missing his own wedding.

In the supernatural courtroom drama series Heavenly Court made in 2011, he played the character of Andrei who dies and becomes a prosecutor in the afterlife. He also appeared in the children's film Fairytale.Is and the historical picture Raspoutine during the same year.

The following year, he played the role of Alexei Turbin in the miniseries The White Guard, based on the novel of the same name by Mikhail Bulgakov.

Konstantin played an alcoholic geography teacher Victor Sluzhkin in the 2013 adventure drama The Geographer Drank His Globe Away directed by Alexander Veledinsky. It was based on the eponymous novel by Alexei Ivanov. His acting received considerable praise in Russia and abroad. Ronnie Scheib from Variety wrote that "thanks to Konstantin Khabensky’s charismatic, sardonic performance as Victor, even personal deterioration proves fascinating and consistently entertaining". Khabensky won the Best Actor prize at Kinotavr, Russian Guild of Film Critics Awards, Nika Awards and the Golden Eagle Awards.

In the same year, he portrayed singer Pyotr Leschenko in the biographical musical television series Pyotr Leschenko. Everything That Was.... Konstantin Khabensky took singing classes to prepare for the shooting, and performed all the songs himself in the series.

He starred opposite Svetlana Khodchenkova in the 2014 movie The Adventurers about underwater diving treasure hunters. Konstantin Khabensky did scuba diving for many years, but during one scene his gas cylinder was not filled with air by crew members which caused the actor to almost drown.

Also in 2014, Khabensky appeared as an officer of the Tsarist army in Yolki 1914. The picture was part of the comedy anthology film series Yolki, where he has served as narrator in all installments.

2015–present

In 2015, Khabensky was cast as police investigator Rodion Meglin who doubles as a vigilante in the crime drama series The Method directed by Yuri Bykov and produced by Sreda. For the role he received the TEFI award as best actor of a television series.

In 2016, he played an employee of a collecting firm in the thriller Collector directed by Alexey Krasovsky where he was the only actor on screen. Russian edition of The Hollywood Reporter described the film as "a brilliant solo performance with one of the best Russian actors of our time". For the film he received the Best Actor award at Kinotavr and at the Prague Independent Film Festival.

In the same year, he did a turn as the protagonist's eccentric father in the teen comedy The Good Boy by Oksana Karas. He also appeared in the Austrian film Fly Away Home, based on the biographical novel of the same name by Christine Nöstlinger. For the German-speaking role of Cohn, he had to learn his lines phonetically.

In 2017, Khabensky played the role of fighter pilot Pavel Belyayev opposite Yevgeny Mironov in the historical drama film The Age of Pioneers about the first spacewalk, directed by Dmitriy Kiselev.

Konstantin starred in another Sreda production in 2018 – he portrayed revolutionary Leon Trotsky in the biographical miniseries Trotsky, directed by Alexander Kott and Konstantin Statsky. For the role he received the Best Male Actor award from the Association of Film and Television Producers in Russia.

Also in 2018, he starred in a dual role in Selfie, based on the novel Soulless of the 21st century. Selfie by Sergey Minaev. The film tells the story of a popular writer and TV presenter Vladimir Bogdanov who is suddenly replaced with an absolute double.

Konstantin Khabensky's directorial debut Sobibor, where he also plays the lead role of Alexander Pechersky was released in 2018. The film is a World War II drama about the only successful uprising in a Nazi death camp. It also stars Christopher Lambert. The film was selected in 2018 as the Russian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards.

Hollywood roles He took part in several Western film such as Wanted (2008), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), World War Z (2013) and Black Sea (2014).

In World War Z, Konstantin's role as Russian soldier was cut due to re-shooting of the 30 Minutes of the ending.

Khabensky has admitted that the language barrier stopped him from taking on serious roles in Hollywood. and on 3 June 2016, she gave birth to their daughter.

He avoids discussing his personal life and has said that he does not see the need to demonstrate it to the press.

Philanthropy In 2008, he established the Konstantin Khabensky Charitable Foundation which provides assistance to children with oncological and other serious brain afflictions.

Since 2010, Khabensky has been opening non-profit studios of creative development throughout Russia. Once a year, Konstantin conducts a festival with all participants of the studios under the name "Operenie".

In 2017, the Russian Public Opinion Research Center named Khabensky together with Sergei Bezrukov, as the most popular actor in Russia.

According to the detailed analytical review of Russian cinema by Yandex in 2017 based on the data of the website KinoPoisk, Konstantin Khabensky was declared to be the most popular actor in Russia in the first 15 years of the 21st century.

Awards and nominations

In 2018 he was awarded the Fiddler on the Roof Award in the Film category.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1994 To whom will God send pedestrian with glasses 1997 Natasha Ferenc, a student 1997 Khrustalyov, My Car! the conductor 1999 The Admirer Stas 1999 Women's Property Andrei Kalinin 2000 House for the Rich Yuri Sapozhnikov 2001 Mechanical Suite Edouard 2001 The Tale of Fedot-Archer the peasant-accordionist 2002 In Motion Sasha 2003 Peculiarities of National Politics Gosha 2004 Goddess: How I fell in Love Polosuev 2004 Our Own Political Instructor Livshits 2004 Night Watch Anton Gorodetsky 2005 The State Counsellor Green 2005 Poor Relatives Edik 2006 Rush Hour Konstantin Arkhipov 2006 Day Watch Anton Gorodetsky 2007 The Russian Triangle Denis Maltsev 2008 The Irony of Fate 2 Kostya Lukashin 2008 Wanted The Exterminator 2008 The Ghost Anton Prachenko 2008 Admiral Admiral Alexander Kolchak 2009 The Miracle Nikolay Artemyev 2011 Fairytale.Is Encyclopedia 2011 Raspoutine Aron Simanovic 2011 Lucky Trouble Vyacheslav "Slava" Kolotilov 2011 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Polyakov 2013 The Geographer Drank His Globe Away Viktor Sluzhkin, the geography teacher 2013 World War Z Russian fighter Cut from the final version 2014 Black SeaBlackie 2014 Unfriended Officer Uncredited 2014 Yolki 1914 officer of the tsarist army 2014 The Adventurers Max 2016 Collector Arthur 2016 The Good Boy Kolya's father 2016 Fly Away Home Cohn 2017 The Age of Pioneers Pavel Belyayev 2018 Selfie Vladimir Bogdanov 2018 Sobibor Alexander Pechersky Also director and writer 2019 Fairy Evgeniy Voygin 2020 Fire Andrey Pavlovich Sokolov 2021 Major Grom: Plague Doctor Dr Veniamin Rubinstein, psychiatrist 2021 Normalny tolko ya Viktor Ryurikovich 2021 Champion of the World Viktor Korchnoi 2022 Grom: Boyhood Dr Veniamin Rubinstein, psychiatrist 2023 The Righteous Avigdor 2024 The Bremen Town Musicians the Detective 2024 Guest from the Future Professor Seleznev 2024 Major Grom: The Game Dr Veniamin Rubinstein, psychiatrist 2025 Yura Was Here Yura 2026 Buratino Professor Owl

Television

Voice roles Russian dubbing 1995–1998 – Timon & Pumbaa as Timon 1999 – Bringing Out the Dead as Noel 2000 – Final Destination as Carter Horton 2002 – The Cuckoo as Veikko 2005, 2008, 2012 – Madagascar 1, 2, 3 as Alex 2009 – 9 as 9, scientist 2015 – Hardcore Henry as Slick Dmitry 2015 – The Little Prince as Fox 2016 – Voyage of Time as narrator 2017 – Loving Vincent as Dr. Gachet 2002 – ChalkZone as Narrator

Russian language films 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 – Christmas Trees 1, 2, 3, 1914, 5, 6 – narrator 2015 – A Warrior's Tail as Anggee 2017 – Fantastic Journey to OZ as Urfin Jus 2017 – Kikoriki as father

Discography Soundtracks Year Song with Movie 2007 "Esli u vas netu tyoti"The Irony of Fate 2 2011 "Prostitsa" Uma2rmanLucky Trouble 2013Pyotr Leschenko. Everything That Was...

Songs Year Song 2012 "Dom khrustalniy" (Vladimir Vysotsky) 2012 "Moskva – Odesa" (Vladimir Vysotsky)

Theater work

Theater on the Kryukov Channel The Road based on the script of Federico Fellini (student work) - rope walker Matto Jokes of Chekhov (student work); director Veniamin Filshtinsky - "Lomov" Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov (student work); director Veniamin Filshtinsky - Chebutykin 1994 - Vysotsky's Time (student work); director Veniamin Filshtinsky - several roles 1996 - Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett; director Yuri Butusov - Estragon

Satyricon Theater At the Satyricon Theater named after Arkady Raikin 1996 - The Threepenny Opera by Bertold Brecht; director Vladimir Mashkov 1996 - Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand

Theater of Farce 1998 - Hamlet by William Shakespeare; director Victor Kramer - Horatio

Lensovet Theater At the Lensovet Theater in St Petersburg: 1997 - Woyzeck by Georg Büchner; director Yuri Butusov - Karl the fool 1997 - Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett; director Yuri Butusov - Estragon 1997 - King, Queen, Knave by Vladimir Nabokov; director Vladislav Pazi - mannequin / waiter / sanitary officer 1998 - Caligula by Albert Camus; director Yuri Butusov - Caligula 1998 - Brother Rabbit in the Wild West based on the play by Eduard Gaidai; director Vladislav Pazi - Brother Opossum 2000 - The Bedbug by Vladimir Mayakovsky, director Yuri Butusov 2000 - You Never Can Tell by George Bernard Shaw; director Vladislav Pazi - Valentine

Entreprise 2001 - The Death of Tarelkin by Aleksandr Sukhovo-Kobylin; director Yuri Butusov - Varravin

Moscow Art Theater At the Moscow Art Theater named after Anton Chekhov: 2002 - Duck Hunting by Alexander Vampilov; director Alexander Marin) - Zilov 2004 - The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov; director Sergei Zhenovach) - Alexei Turbin 2005 - Hamlet by William Shakespeare; director Yuri Butusov - Claudius 2009 - The Threepenny Opera by Bertold Brecht; director Kirill Serebrennikov - Mack the Knife 2014 - Der Kontrabaß by Patrick Süskind; director Gleb Cherepanov - one-man play

Musical Literary Projects 2011 - Joint project of Konstantin Khabensky with Yuri Bashmet 2016 - Do not Abandon your Planet, play based on The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, together with Yuri Bashmet; director Victor Kramer