Biography

Sergei Makovetsky is a popular Russian actor best known for his leading roles in Duska (2007) by director Jos Stelling and in 12 (2007) by director Nikita Mikhalkov.

He was born Sergei Vasilevich Makovetsky on June 13, 1958, in Darnitsa, a suburb of Kyiv, Soviet Union (now Kyiv, Ukraine). He was raised by a single mother, was a good swimmer and water polo player and candidate to Soviet National Team, but his mother strongly objected his sports career. After failing to enter the Kiev Theatrical College, he worked as a stage decorator for one year, then moved to Moscow in his pursuit of an acting career. In Moscow Makovetsky was rejected by several acting schools, then he was drafted in the Soviet Army, but he managed to fool the Army doctors by using his acting skills to show symptoms of serious illnesses. Eventually his persistence and determination paid off, and his natural talent was recognized. From 1977 - 1980 he studied acting at the Shchukin Theatrical School of Vakhtangov Theatre in Moscow, graduating as an actor in 1980 from the class of Alla Kazanskaya.

Since 1980 Makovetsky has been member of the troupe at Vakhtangov Theatre in Moscow. There his stage partners were such actors as Mikhail Ulyanov, Vasiliy Lanovoy, Yuliya Borisova, Lyudmila Maksakova, Alla Kazanskaya, Irina Kupchenko, Lyudmila Tselikovskaya, Mariya Aronova, Marianna Vertinskaya, Elena Dobronravova, Yuriy Yakovlev, Vladimir Etush, Vyacheslav Shalevich, Nikolai Timofeyev, Aleksandr Grave, Vladimir Simonov, Vladimir Koval, Viktor Zozulin, Evgeniy Karelskikh, Aleksandr Koznov, Vladimir Vdovichenkov, Mikhail Vaskov, Andrei Zaretsky, Nonna Grishaeva, Mariya Aronova, Elena Sotnikova, Anna Dubrovskaya, Olga Tumaykina, Maksim Sukhanov, and Viktor Dobronravov, among others.

His most memorable stage performances included such roles as Iago in the Shakespeare's 'Othello' (1980s), as Gorodnichy in 'Revizor' (1990s) (aka.. Ispector general) based on the classic play by Nikolay Gogol, and as Gan-za-Lin in 'Zoikina kvartira' based on the eponymous play by Mikhail A. Bulgakov, among other plays. In 1998 Makovetsky created the title character in Molière's 'Amfitrion' and the play has been a continuous success for 9 seasons in a row. Since the 2003 premiere of 'Chaika', Makovetsky has been delivering critically acclaimed performances as Trigorin opposite Lyudmila Maksakova and Yuriy Yakovlev. He also appeared in several stage productions by director Roman Viktyuk.

Sergei Makovetsky was designated People's Actor of Russia, and received numerous awards for his works on stage and in films. He is one of the highest paid actors in today's Russia. Sergei Makovetsky is living and working in Moscow, Russia.
- IMDb mini biography by: Steve Shelokhonov