1. Jude Law as sniper Vasily Zaitsev in the movie ‘Enemy at the Gates’ (2001) & Karenin in ‘Anna Karenina’ (2012)
On the account of this actor, there were at once two “Russian” roles and the audience has already begun to recognize Slavic features in the face of the British actor.
Jean-Jacques Annaud/Mandalay Pictures, Repérage Films, 2001
The role of sniper Vasily Zaitsev in the Hollywood movie ‘Enemy at the Gates’ (2001) brought raving reviews amongst critics and fans alike. The plot is set during the Battle for Stalingrad and is based on autobiographical notes of the hero. Law masterfully portrayed the psychological nature of a sniper duel between Zaitsev and a Wehrmacht gunner. In Russia, the movie proved not to be very popular, being criticized for clichés and the denigration of the image of the Red Army. However, Russians have no complaints about Jude Law's role.
Joe Wright/Working Title Films, 2012
His second finest “Russian role” was as Alexei Karenin, Anna Karenina's husband in Joe Wright's 2012 adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's great novel. It was Law’s performance that first made the focus shift from Anna's suffering to Karenin, who turned out to be not such a bad man!
2. Keira Knightley as Anna Karenina in the eponymous 2012 movie & Lara Antipova in the ‘Doctor Zhivago’ (2002) miniseries
Keira Knightley has a reputation as an actress ideally fitted for big screen adaptations of classic literature and especially 19th century novels.
Giacomo Campiotti/Granada Television, 2002
Before starring in the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ franchise, she very subtly conveyed the role and character of Lara in the miniseries ‘Dr. Zhivago’ (2002) and pleasantly surprised viewers with her image, complete with a Russian braid. Keira's partner in the drama about the Russian Civil War era was actor Hans Matheson. Many Russians liked him even more than the legendary Omar Sharif in the 1965 movie adaptation of Pasternak's Nobel-winning novel.
Joe Wright/Working Title Films, 2012
After her brilliant role in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (2005), Keira also played the main Russian female character, Anna Karenina, in the eponymous 2012 movie, starring with Jude Law. As it should be, she so masterfully embodied the role conceived by Tolstoy that she horribly annoyed the viewer (which made everyone sympathize with her husband Alexei Karenin even more).
3. Daniel Radcliffe as doctor Vladimir Bomgard in ‘A Young Doctor’s Notebook’ (2012) miniseries
Alex Hardcastle, Robert McKillop/Big Talk Productions, 2012
The ‘A Young Doctor's Notebook’ (2012) miniseries was based on autobiographical short stories by writer Mikhail Bulgakov, which takes the viewer to a slightly cliche Russian hinterland. It turned out to be both a drama and a black comedy, where the comic element is supplemented by gypsy music. It was one of Radcliffe’s first roles after Harry Potter and audiences around the world (and especially Russians) were pleasantly surprised by Radcliffe's comic talent and the breadth of his acting palette.
4. Paul Dano as Pierre Bezukhov in ‘War and Peace’
Tom Harper/BBC, 2016
The British miniseries ‘War and Peace’ (2016) was largely welcomed by Russian viewers, who are very sensitive to screen adaptations of their native Leo Tolstoy. Lily James, who played Natasha Rostova and James Norton as Andrei Bolkonsky were generally applauded. But, the role of the reverent Pierre Bezukhov (the author's alter ego) was especially accurately conveyed by American actor Paul Dano.
5. Ralph Fiennes as Onegin in the eponymous 1999 movie & Mikhail Rakitin in ‘Two Women’ (2014)
The cult British actor is regarded in Russia almost as one of their own. The star of ‘Schindler's List’ (1993), ‘The English Patient’ (1996) and, finally, Voldemort in the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise is remembered by Russian audiences for his roles in big screen adaptations of classic Russian literature.
Martha Fiennes/7 Arts International, 1999
Back in 1999, Fiennes played the main role in the movie ‘Onegin’. Russian viewers were a little upset that, in the adaptation of Pushkin's novel in verse, the producers didn't include the actual poems, as the entire text was transferred in prose. However, audiences were pleased with the subtle metamorphosis of Fiennes from a sullen and cold Onegin into a loving and confused one.
Vera Glagoleva/Film Base Berlin, 2014
The second “Russian” role was as Russian nobleman Mikhail Rakitin in ‘Two Women’ (2014) directed by Russian Vera Glagoleva. In the adaptation of Ivan Turgenev's play ‘A Month in the Country’, Fiennes played alongside a predominantly Russian cast. And he specifically learned Russian for the role, even though it was dubbed over later.
Ralph Fiennes/BBC Films, 2018
By the way, Fiennes' interest in Russian culture has always been big and, in 2018, he directed, produced and starred in the movie ‘The White Crow’ about Rudolf Nureyev, where he played a ballet teacher of the legendary dancer.
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