In case you're just tuning in, I've kind of been on a roll in the past week or more with interviews and largely due to the cast of the upcoming crime thriller, Black Rose. With the film less than a week away from its release, I've interviewed co-stars Matthias Hues and Kristanna Loken, and as of today, a new interview with its star and director, Alexander Nevsky in this following our interview last year in January.
He's got more films lined up and he discusses them accordingly as well in the text beneath, in addition to plans for a new book now well on the way to publication for health and fitness aficionados. Interestingly, he also hints at some possible prospects for the character he plays and that of others in the murder mystery millieu within Black Rose; you can read our latest review by clicking here while I humbly invite you to check out the previous interviews linked above with Hues, and especially Loken who delves considerably into her own involvement and investment in the film.
Otherwise, enjoy this latest interview and be sure to subscribe to Nevsky's listed social media links below!
Alexander Nevsky: Hi Lee! It's great talking to you and your audience again (even over emails 😃). These months are completely crazy as I am promoting the U.S. release of Black Rose, gettingbready for Cannes again with Showdown in Manila, finishing all the post-production on Maximum Impact, and prepping the release of my new book "Bodybuilding And Other Secrets Of Success" in Russia, and all of that is going on at the same time! Plus I have to workout almost every day, eat properly, sleep (at least a little) and finish polishing on the script for my new film. As for my N.Y. trip, it was great! My girlfriend Maria and I spent a romantic week over there in January, but when I'm there next time - you and me have to meet finally!
FCSyndicate: How excited are you about your directorial debut coming out this week?
AN: I'm very excited! And allow me thank you and your team at FCS for support! Black Rose is a very important for me because I did it all: produced, directed, acted and even created original story for the script. April 28th is a date for limited theatrical release and May 2 is the date for release on DVD/VOD/iTunes etc. Also, we were able to make deal with RedBox (starting May) and Netflix (starting July). I can't wait for American audience to watch Black Rose!
FCSyndicate: You're known relatively as an action star in Russia whereas Black Rose offers something much more cerebral in nature. What inspired you to adapt to a murder mystery formula for your first directorial outing?
AN: To be honest with you, I know it's dangerous to mix different genres in one movie. But what can I do? I'm a big fan of old fashioned action films but I also a big fan of mystery thrillers and even horror films. So I think we have it all in Black Rose. I knew some part of my audience was expecting me to make a straight hard core action film but it's not what I had in mind for Black Rose. And in the end of the day I produced Showdown in Manila right after Black Rose so action fans still should not be disappointed.
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| Robert Davi and Alexander Nevsky on the set of Black Rose |
AN: My character, Vlad Kazatov, is a Major in Moscow Police. He's fearless and strong but what's really important that he's a really good man and always ready to help and protect. And it doesn't matter if he's in Moscow or LA. When I was doing preparation for this part I spent some time with real Police officers. It was an honor to play one.
FCSyndicate: I imagine working on both ends of the camera can be pretty tasking. What were some of your biggest hurdles during production?
AN: It was pretty tough. I was involved in all the aspects of pre-production, production and post-production as a producer and I was in most of the scenes as an actor. But directing was fun. I like a good challenge and I also like to learn new things. I have to thank again cast and crew for all their help and advices: my amazing co-stars Kristanna Loken, Matthias Hues, Robert Davi, Adrian Paul and Robert Madrid, my director of photographer Rudy Harbon, my editor Stephen Adrianson and music composer Sean Murray. My biggest problem was that I didn't have time to work out enough and that's why Matthias Hues mostly showed his muscles in Black Rose (not me) and he looked a little bigger than me which I hated...
FCSyndicate: Kristanna and Matthias haven't run short of their praise for you, especially from your lovely co-star who described you as a wonderful human being and a good friend. How does that make you feel? (I can see you smiling from here! 😁)
AN: Yes, you're right, I have a happy smile on my face right now! Kristanna is wonderful! She supported me a lot on this film, and is still supporting me because right now as she's doing press for Black Rose! She is my friend and I love spending time with her, her parents and her fiancée Jonathan. My girlfriend Maria and I were invited by Kristanna and her family for Thanksgiving Day dinner and it was great! Matthias Hues is my friend too and let me tell you that I'm really proud of our friendship! Matthias inspired me a lot with his films in 90s and I'm happy that we made 3 films together already.
FCSyndicate: You also had Sheldon Lettich working as executive producer on this project and action fans know him amply from his prolific action movie career with Jean-Claude Van Damme. How did you two meet prior to production?
AN: It's an interesting story. As I told you before, I never played "bad Russians" in Hollywood films but I was offered that kind of parts pretty often. One offer was for film called The Order. Sheldon Lettich directed it and JCVD starred in with late great Charlton Heston. So I met with Sheldon and explained my position to him. He understood and said he has no doubts that one day I'll play a Russian hero. About 10 years later we met again, he liked the Black Rose script and came on board as executive producer. Also, I should mention Bryan Gores, another executive producer, who helped me a lot with Black Rose.
AN: Yes, Kristanna and me spoke about Black Rose 2 already. We didn't discuss any script ideas yet but as you remember, in the end of "Black Rose" Kazatov invited Emily to Moscow. And you never really saw Matthias Hues's character completely dead! 😉
FCSyndicate: You have a few more films on the way - the aforementioned Showdown In Manila and Maximum Impact - both with Mark Dacascos. Can you confirm their status for fans in the U.S. and others reading this interview?
AN: Showdown in Manila was released theatrically in Russia/CIS last year and it was sold to many countries already, and it will finally be released in North America this Fall. I think it will follow the day-and-date release formula again - limited theatrical release first and on all the VoD platforms shortly after. Maximum Impact was directed by great Andrzej Bartkowiak and will be completely done before this Summer with plans for a worldwide release in the end of 2017 or in the beginning of 2018. My friend Mark Dacascos did a great job as a director of Showdown in Manila and he was very good as an actor in Maximum Impact. And let me just name some of my co-stars in this two films: Casper Van Dien, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Tia Carrere, Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Cynthia Rothrock, Olivier Gruner, Bai Ling, Tom Arnold, Kelly Hu, Denny Trejo etc etc. I hope action fans will be happy!
FCSyndicate: Now that you've directed your first movie, what are some things you've learned throughout the directing process as you proceed to your next production?
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| From L to R: Adrian Paul, Kristanna Loken, Robert Davi, Alexander Nevsky, Robert Madrid |
AN: I think the important thing is to have more time for pre-production. Also, I'll have a special budget for cool songs when I direct next time and maybe even produce a nice soundtrack. I wanted to use great rock music in Black Roseb(including classic "AC/DC" and "Aerosmith" songs) but it was too expensive and we didn't have a budget for that. One other important thing is to have a great team of truly trustworthy people around you when you're making a movie. I knew that already and I think that's why Black Rose worked as well as it did - because of all the people I had on our team.
FCSyndicate: Aside from your film prospects, you're working on a book. Tell us about it.
AN: My books haven't been published outside of Russia and ex-USSR yet but I wrote 9 of them already (about fitness, healthy lifestyle and martial arts) and all of my books are bestsellers over there. I just finished work on my tenth book, as I already mentioned it calls "Bodybuilding and Other Secrets Of Success". First part of this book is my autobiography and second part is about all aspects of drug-free bodybuilding and fitness. By the way, my first book was called "How To become Schwarzenegger In Russia" and it was published in my country exactly 20 years ago.
FCSyndicate: Awesome! And when does your new book release?
AN: "Bodybuilding and Other Secrets Of Success" will be published in Russia in the end of May by major publishing firm, AST. And I think it has a chance to become the first book ever translated into English from my repetoire and hopefully published in North America at the same time as Showdown in Manila or Maximum Impact release. We'll see.
FCSyndicate: Do you have any last words for readers?
AN: I'd like to thank your readers again for all the interest and support. And I also, to tell that they should fight hard for their dreams. I am proof that you can live your dream and if I achieved it - it means that anyone can achieve it too!
Thank you very much, Lee! I'm really glad you liked Black Rose and I will show you my new films very soon!
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Official website:http://ift.tt/2ptLS3S
Twitter: @NevskyAlexandrInstagram: @realalexnevsky
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