Maksim Drozd Actor Date of Birth: 11.03.1968 Country: Russia

Biography of Maxim Drozd

Maxim Drozd is an actor known for his roles as strong and tough men. His appearance and physical fitness contribute to his portrayal of these characters. What many of his fans don't know is that Maxim is an avid reader and a deeply religious person. He seeks the blessing of his spiritual mentor before taking on each new role, and he even spent several months living in a monastery as a novice during a break from filming.

Born on March 11, 1968, Maxim Drozd is originally from Odessa, Ukraine. He is the son of Georgy Drozd, a Soviet actor known for his roles in films such as "The Squadron is Going West," "Mikhailo Lomonosov," "Charlotte's Necklace," and "The House with Lilies," and Ludmila Kurortnik, a theater actress. Maxim and his sister Klavdia often had to change their place of residence due to their parents' work. He attended school in Riga before the family settled in Kiev. Growing up, their household valued books, and Maxim developed a love for reading. However, he also learned to defend himself in the rough neighborhood of Shulyavka where their house was located.

In the mid-1980s, Maxim became a regular visitor of newly opened video salons. Unlike typical teenagers, he preferred delayed releases of masterpieces of world cinema, such as "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," instead of action movies or erotica. His new hobby required money, so at the age of 16, Maxim took a job as a security guard at a local glass reception center. This job, combined with his street fighting skills and boxing training, prepared him physically for his future career.

Unfortunately, Maxim's first attempt to enter theater school after finishing high school failed, possibly due to his job as a security guard. He was drafted into the army and served in the airborne forces. Upon returning from the military, he had excellent physical fitness, a candidate for master of sports in boxing, and a burning desire to continue his family's acting tradition. His second attempt to enter the Moscow Art Theatre School (MXTA) was successful, and he was accepted into the workshop of Avangard Leontiev. Many famous actors, such as Dmitry Sherbina and Anastasia Zavorotnyuk, were his classmates.

During his second year at MXTA, Maxim auditioned for one of the central roles in the film "Afghan" and married his long-time love, gymnast Lida Fomina. Lida was also his classmate at school in Riga. She later became a choreographer and gave birth to their daughter Dasha, who became a psychologist. In 1993, Maxim successfully completed his studies and joined the Yermolova Theater troupe. However, the 1990s were not a favorable time for theater productions, and Maxim began hosting TV shows and appearing in films to make a living.

After minor roles in films such as "The Cherry Orchard" (1993), "The Countess Sheremetova" (1994), "The Golden Day" (1995), and "What a Wonderful Game" (1995), Maxim disappeared from the stage and screen. This difficult period also took a toll on his marriage, which ended after ten years. It was during this time that he turned to religion, influenced in part by his mother's decision to become a nun.

In 2001, Maxim Drozd made a comeback on the screen. He appeared in the crime series "Citizen Chief" in his typical role as a criminal. A complete contrast to this role was his portrayal of Captain Glukhov in the retro-detective film "MUR is MUR" (2004). This marked the beginning of a series of successful roles, including the role of Stepan Bulyga in "Shtrafbat" (2004), the theater director in "Aides of Love" (2004), Captain Gulyaev in the thriller "Nine Unknown" (2005), and Golovn in the mystical series "Full Moon" (2005). Maxim was often cast as either a criminal or someone fighting against them. These roles may have been memorable but were often small, yet impactful.

In 2006, Maxim was invited to play the lead role in the thriller "Cursed Paradise." Although the role of Cain was initially written as a negative character, Maxim added depth to his portrayal by expressing deep feelings for his partner, played by Evelina Bledans. He even requested changes to the script. "Cursed Paradise" was a hit with the audience, and a sequel was made in 2008. Maxim also played lead roles in several other films, such as the successful crime drama "Parent's Day," the action film "Forward Only," and the drama "You Appear in My Dreams."

Besides these central roles, Maxim Drozd appeared in supporting roles in popular projects such as "Liquidation" (2007), "Death of Spies: Crimea" (2008), and "Admiral" (2009). He gradually started to receive more leading roles. Some of his notable works include "Russian Double," "Secret Guard" (both in 2009), "Brother for Brother" (2010), "Fugitives" (2011), "External Observation," "Watchmaker" (both in 2012), "Stanza," and "Quiet Hunt" (both in 2013). While not all of his films were unanimously approved by audiences (especially the historical drama "Passions for Chapaev" and the remake of the cult film "The Dawns Here are Quiet"), Maxim's acting skills were never in doubt.

Maxim Drozd currently has 92 works in his filmography, which is far from complete. In 2016, he played the lead roles in the crime drama "Husband with Delivery" and the mini-series "Mother-in-law Commander." He also portrayed a GPU investigator named Berg in the retro-detective film "Murka." His upcoming projects include the TV thriller "Consultant," where he will play the main role of investigator Bragin. As for his personal life, Maxim is currently single. After divorcing Anastasia Brovkina in 2009, he entered his third marriage with actress Victoria Poltorak, who gave birth to their daughter Sophie. However, this marriage ended in 2014. It is worth noting that Maxim maintains good relationships with his former spouses and actively participates in the lives of all four of his children.