Brothers Zapashny: "The wife must recognize the laws and customs of the family"

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-12 17:37

Trainers Edgard and Askold Zapashny have a decent collection of awards and titles. Back in 1997, they were recognized as the best circus artists of the year. While touring Japan in 1999, the brothers received a fax from Moscow informing them that they had been awarded the title of Honored Artists of Russia. In 2001, during their regular tour of the Moscow Circus on Vernadsky Prospekt, Askold and Edgard became laureates of the TsIRK National Prize, they were awarded a special prize of the Great Moscow Circus. Tamers of lions and tigers became famous all over the country, having taken part in the shows "King of the Ring" and "Big Races". Courageous, hardworking, charming - they can be called one of the most enviable suitors in Russia.

Short questionnaire

Are you friends with the Internet?

Edgard: Yes, and we even use it.

What is an unaffordable luxury for you?

Edgard: Redeem all the tickets for the movie show and sit there alone.

What animal do you associate yourself with?

Askold: With a tiger.

Edgard: With a lion. Although on the "King of the Ring" everything turned out differently.

Did you have a nickname as a child?

Edgard: No.

Askold: No.

What is your psychological age?

Edgard: Fig knows him, Comrade Major, the dog does not take a trace. (Smiling - ed.)

What turns you on?

Edgard and Askold: Women.

You take part in the "Big Race" along with stars whose level of physical fitness is far from perfect. Is it a shame that because of them the team can lag behind?

Edgard: The best of the best were selected for this season's Big Races. And this year, the advantage was on the side of professional athletes. Compared to them, this is our physical form leaves much to be desired.

Which of your star colleagues on this show can you call real fighters?

Edgard: Many can and should be marked, but let's take five people. So, men: my brother Askold, Albert Demchenko, Ivan Kokorin, Dmitry Nosov, Vlad Avdeev; women: Natasha Ragozina, Nastya Zadorozhnaya, Karina Aznavuryan, Marina Kuptsova and, of course, Olga Slutsker.

Edgard, during the filming of The King of the Ring, you got a lot of injuries that you still have to heal - was it really worth it?

Edgard: Yes, I do not regret a single minute on this project. Now the main thing is not to feel sorry for my brother, who will take part in the second part of the project.

You recently purchased two unusual white lion cubs. Have you already started classes with new "students"? How do they behave?

Edgard: The lion cubs are very good. They are very different from each other in character. Frank, who is a month younger, is very kind and cheerful, and John is a rather serious guy. While the rehearsals are held in the mode of communication and self-indulgence. They are both very young.

What happens to your lions and tigers when they get old and can no longer perform?

Edgard: They live with us. Only once did we transfer the old tiger Achilles to the zoo. He still lives there in excellent conditions.

Who takes care of the animals when you are on the road or on set? It probably happens often

Edgard: It only seems that we are always on the road. We can leave for a maximum of a couple of weeks, and then these are planned vacations. Our assistants, assistant trainers, who have been working in the circus for eight to thirty years, are constantly in contact with small animals.

They say you can fight sometimes

Askold: Yes we can. But we were never allowed to bring the fight to the end. We are immediately separated.

Are you an owl or a lark?

Askold: More likely an owl.

Edgard: We are both owls, although we lead the lifestyle of larks.

How do you relieve stress?

Askold: I sit in the bath for a long time.

Edgard: I meet my friends.

Where did you last vacation?

Askold: I had a rest in Israel.

Edgard: And I was treated in Germany.

Do you have a talisman?

Edgard: We both wear crosses.

What melody is on your mobile phone?

Edgard: "Umaturman", "Night Watch".

Askold: A melody written for our show. While it is kept secret.

What's your favorite saying?

Askold: "It is useless to run away from a sniper - you will die tired."

Edgard: "Who said it would be easy."

Askold, you graduated from GITIS and want to make a movie. Are you going to shoot animals?

Askold: I love comedy and historical films. In both of these genres, animals do not interfere in any way, but only decorate and enhance the picture.

Once Askold mentioned the series "Lost". Do you really have enough time to watch TV shows?

Askold: Mistake, this little brother loves this show, and I loved Prison Break. Well, of course, you can't lock yourself into a profession. We need to develop, relax and, of course, follow the achievements of other people in other arts.

There is a widespread belief that circus performers marry only “their own”. How do you feel about this?

Edgard: This is a real myth. Our dad lived for 15 years with a hereditary circus artist Maritza Zapashnaya, and then he met a student of Tver University and was faithful to her until the end of his days. Our mother's name is Tatiana. Together they lived for thirty whole years.

Do you need to have some special qualities to make friends with you?

Askold: We know how to be friends and sometimes even take the subway. We are ordinary people.

The girl who will become your chosen one should not be …

Edgard: Selfish, not recognizing the laws and customs of the family.

Will you introduce wives to your predators?

Askold: We will gladly introduce you to all our animal friends.

Have you thought about your images, turned to stylists?

Askold: Irina Stepanova has been following our heads for many years. She is a high-level specialist. And most importantly, we also made friends with her.

Are you on any kind of diet?

Edgard: The "king of the ring" demanded that I treat my body professionally. I studied and ate according to all the laws of boxing. Consulted with the best coaches of Kazakhstan and Russia. This is how my brother behaves now.

You have seen both the circus and show business from the inside. Is there as much intrigue and gossip in a circus as on a stage?

Edgard: Both are show business. In any team there are intrigues, and the circus is no exception. Another thing is that circus shows do not make a name for themselves at the expense of scandals, but on the stage this is already the norm.