Son Yevgeny Leonov told about his father

Yevgeny Leonov with his sonPhoto: The personal archive of Andrei Leonov, I rarely saw Dad as a child. He was very afraid to give up work, thinking that she would refuse him in return, and then he would not be able to feed his family. Therefore, Evgeny Pavlovich went everywhere, did not miss anything. I remember once he returned home, and I even recognized him. Dad was terribly upset because of this. He loved the family very much, he did everything for us. From the tour brought huge bags of gifts, absolutely, according to my mother, useless. I bought tons of foodstuffs, saying: "It is necessary that the refrigerator be clogged with something tasty." Mom scolded him because it all messed up. And what do you think - now I, like a father, are dragging half a shop into the house. We have two refrigerators in our apartment and both are full! The wife also swears that everything is spoiled, it is a pity to throw out, I can not do anything with myself.The Leonov family:Nastya, Andrey, daughter Anya and son MishaPhoto: Personal archive of Andrey LeonovSon, don't rush - Andryusha has told the story many times about how Evgeny Pavlovich taught him to drive, - Anastasia, Leonov Jr.'s wife, joins in the conversation. - He said: "Son, stop, don't rush, you're going 40 km/h, the poles are already flashing before your eyes." Andryusha now mutters this phrase about the poles under my arm when I'm driving. It's simply impossible. After all, he was so angry at his father back then that he was muttering, and now he doesn't even notice that he's behaving the same way in the passenger seat. - It's true, all my father's instructions as a child seemed boring to me: "boo-boo-boo," - Andrey continues. - I only understood him when I became a dad myself. I remember my eldest son Zhenya flew to Moscow for the holidays (the actor's first wife, Maria Alejandra Cuevas Cid, moved to Sweden with their child when the boy was 6 years old. - Ed. "Antenna"), he went on a date with a girl, and I accompanied them to the metro. The girl even laughed: "Are you going to the movies with us?" "No," I said, "you'll go to the movies alone, but I'll meet Zhenya on the way back." To put it all in its place - When I decided to enter the theater institute, my dad said: "Go ahead, go ahead, you're great. Just prepare seriously." And he helped me himself. I remember how we learned Chukovsky's fairy tale together: "Once upon a time there lived a crocodile, he walked the streets." My father did not even think of dissuading me from the profession. In the same way, after some time, I respected my son's decision to become an actor. Zhenya often calls me now: “Dad, I need to play a spy. Help.” And we can discuss the character, the history of the character, his environment for hours. My father taught me this. All his plays, scripts were scribbled with a pencil - some arrows, sticks - I have the same notes now. Dad said: “If you want to play a villain, find something good in him. If you want to play a good person, find something bad in him. A person cannot be one-sided. Hitler, for example, although a fascist, a murderer, loved dogs very much.” My father approached each material meticulously. You know, they say that the one whose work coincides with his hobby is happy. This is about my father. My daughter Anya is also an artistic nature, however, she chose ballet. She studies with a teacher from the Bolshoi Theater, Svetlana Pavlova. And it’s too early to talk about the youngest, he is only 3 years old.Anya with teacher Svetlana Pavlova Photo:Personal archive of Andrey LeonovBalm for the wound - Andryusha said that his father was vulnerable and touchy, like a child. He would get really upset if something went wrong, - Anastasia recalls. - And my husband is the same ... In "Letters to his son" Evgeny Pavlovich wrote: "Don't be offended, you do this too often, and I know why, because you think that you are the son of Evgeny Leonov, and not the actor Andrey Leonov, it hurts you." I realized that somewhere here my husband has a cut, a scar. And there is no need to pay attention to this touchiness, but on the contrary, a balm, a balm ... Metaphorically speaking. These "Letters" really helped me understand Andrey. And to feel how much my father loved him. And one more thing they have in common is their stomach, - Nastya smiles. – Thank God, Andryusha got his hair type from his mother (Vanda Stoilova worked for many years in the literary department of the Lenkom Theatre. – “Antenna’s note), otherwise Evgeny Pavlovich was already as bald as a knee at 30. But dad didn’t worry at all, on the contrary, he sucked in his cheeks and, looking in the mirror, said: “I’m not fat at all,” but Andryusha is embarrassed by his belly. That’s why my husband tries to walk to the Lenkom Theatre (we live on Kropotkinskaya, and the theatre is on Malaya Dmitrovka), which Evgeny Pavlovich would never do! I’m always nagging my husband not to eat fatty foods, that it’s bad for the blood vessels, that my father had a blood clot, and in general, a belly is not hereditary, but laziness. It’s just that Vanda liked to cook fattier and thicker food. And Andrey got used to eating like that as a child. And I’m a vegetarian. So I have to retrain my husband. And remind him that he has three children, he needs to keep himself in shape. Winnie the Pooh's grandson - As long as I can remember, my father was always carrying some kind of bags in his hands. He loved the markets, - Andrey continues. - He always went to the market himself, talked for a long time with each seller. I sat in the car, waited for him, was angry that he took so long. And now I disappear for hours at these markets. I know everyone by name: for meat - Nadya, for fish - Masha. My wife and I are aware of all their news - who gave birth, who moved, who got their son married. If Nastya goes to the market alone, she doesn't have to do anything at all, they will collect all the best, carry it to the car and even compliment him. Dad was very generous, he never counted money. He got apartments for all his friends, but not for himself. Yes, we are similar in many ways. Although my mother claims that our youngest son Misha looks more like Evgesha (that's what she called my father, and he called her Vanka). By the way, my wife and I didn't immediately realize that we named him practically in honor of my father. Our friend once remarked: "Of course, how else could you name Winnie-the-Pooh's grandson." Now I look at him and it's true, Misha is the spitting image of Evgeny Pavlovich.Andrey and Nastya have been married for 8 years. Photo:Personal archive of Andrey LeonovGrandchildren - about grandfather: Eldest son Evgeny, 29 years old: - I don't remember him well, because we went to live in Sweden. But one episode is etched in my memory. My grandfather and I went to some football match. We went into the stands, and suddenly the whole stadium stood up and rushed to my grandfather for an autograph. I was even confused, I didn't expect that he was so popular.. Anna, 6 years old: - Mom says that my grandfather lives in heaven, but it seems to me that he lives on TV. He is shown so often! Mikhail, 3 years old: - Do you know that Winnie the Pooh is my grandfather? I have already told everyone in the yard.The eldest son Yevgeny together with his brother and sister Photo: The personal archive of Andrei Leonov