We Speak Actors
Milos Bikovic to star in ground-breaking spy thriller ‘Red Silk’
Actor Milos Bikovic began his career in his home country of Serbia, before finding huge success in Russia. He’s currently starring in the spy thriller ‘Red Silk’, a joint production between Russia and China that marks a new collaboration between the countries’ film industries. The movie is set on the Trans-Siberian Express in the 1920s, where a young Red Army soldier and a former Tsarist agent have to team up to uncover a common enemy. Milos has previously starred in major films and TV shows and worked with Hollywood legend Johnny Depp, who he directed in animated TV series ‘Puffins Impossible’. Last year he starred in the film ‘The Challenge’, which made history in world cinema, as parts of the film were shot in space. We asked him about working on “cinematic spectacle” ‘Red Silk’, and why he thinks audiences of all nationalities will enjoy the film’s exciting twists and turns.
‘Red Silk’ is a collaboration between two major cinematographic industries; tell us a bit more about it.
“Both the Russian and Chinese film industries are large and lucrative, so this project was a massive undertaking. I think the audience will love the excitement of being taken back 100 years to remote Siberia, on the road between Russia and China. And I’m thrilled that the movie is going to be treated in Chinese cinemas as a domestic movie. That’s a big deal.”
What was it like working with Chinese actors?
“It was a great honour to be cast in an international production. I’ve always been attracted to period movie roles, and it was inspiring to partner with Chinese actors. This film is so authentic: it has elements of a spy thriller, an intense dramatic plot, and great action scenes that only experienced directors can create. Preparing for the project took a very long time, because of the character development, and also due to the physically demanding action and fighting scenes. I had to speak both Chinese and French, which was challenging, since I’ve never worked in the Chinese language before. It reminded me of my early days in Russia when I couldn’t speak a word of the language, and now I am fluent as if it was my mother tongue. Acting constantly offers opportunities to gain knowledge and work with new people and cultures.”
Do you think European audiences will enjoy and appreciate ‘Red Silk’?
“I truly hope so, because ‘Red Silk’ is a cinematic spectacle. It’s a universal spy thriller, but its unique theme and the collaboration between two major film industries makes it distinct and authentic. It uses a global movie language that is easily understood by all audiences, so I think it will resonate strongly with European and maybe even American audiences.”
Last year, you played the lead role in ‘The Challenge’, parts of which were shot in space! What was that like?
“‘The Challenge’ made history because of the remarkable fact that parts of the film were shot in space. Although I didn’t have the opportunity to film in space myself, I underwent the same rigorous preparations as the actors who did, including on a falling airplane that created a ‘no gravity’ feeling. I also spent time in a centrifuge, which can take you up to 9G. The director Klim Shipenko is an extraordinary artist and every time I work with him I know we’re crafting cinematic art that will leave a lasting impact.”
‘Red Silk’ will premiere in Russia on 20 February, followed by a European release later in the year
Featured photo: Milos Bikovic, Red Silk Official Press Release Photos
South African actor Evan Hengst’s star is on the rise. His latest role is chaos-fuelled Ben in action-comedy movie ‘Novocaine’, which also stars Jack Quaid from ‘The Boys’. ‘Novocaine’ is about Nate (played by Quaid) who becomes a superhero when he uses his inability to feel pain to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend. Evan, who studied at Act Cape Town before beginning his acting career in the theatre, tells us about training for fight scenes, playing cops and robbers, and getting in the headspace of a maniac…
Tell us more about your role in ‘Novocaine’?
“Ben is a rocket-powered rage train fuelled by a love of chaos. Whatever he chooses to do, he’s going to cause as much mayhem as he can and enjoy every second of it. He’s that guy in the bar nobody wants to mess with because he’ll buy you a tequila, right before biting your ear off. Which was a joy to play, because I’m actually a big softy! I almost lost the role because I was working on three different projects at the time, so scheduling all the training and stunt rehearsals was a challenge. It’s truly miraculous how we managed to make it work out.”
What was your experience working on the film?
“Getting to work alongside such an extraordinary cast and crew was a dream come true. We were all just a bunch of kids playing cops and robbers, but with a lot more gore.”
“The directors Robert Olsen and Dan Berk cultivated such an infectious, fun and collaborative space on set from the get-go.”
“From the cast to the crew, the excitement was palpable and you could feel what we were making was going to be a really wild ride.”
What did you do to prepare for the role?
“It’s definitely the most physical role I’ve done to date and I was blessed to be given a whole team of trainers and coordinators to guide me. I annihilated so many chicken breasts to turn me into a tank, and got my ass handed to me by the stunt coordinators for a few hours each day. Lots of personal training and sparring sessions to get me moving like a fighter, and then I played video games – I played a lot of Grand Theft Auto 5 to prepare myself for robbing banks! I made this really wild playlist of country, German oompa, heavy metal and classical music to create a constant circus in my head. I also watched the movie ‘Heat’ about five times just to get a feel of the shootout scene.”
What was it like being involved in such an intense fight scene?
“‘Slow means flow’ was in my head every day for six weeks.”
“We would run through the scene meticulously piece by piece and in the end put it together like a beautiful dance.”
“It was an incredibly humbling experience to go through. My mind and body were pushed to the limit and was shown what I was truly capable of doing.”
What was your favourite moment on set?
“Being with Jack [Quaid] on his birthday. We filmed our big fight scene that day and were both exhausted between takes, but the crew got him a beautiful cake to celebrate. We both were on strict meal plans at the time and he was being extremely disciplined, but I managed to convince him to have a few slices. The satisfaction on his face was priceless.”
Who would enjoy watching this film?
“Anyone who likes action, romance and comedy with a touch of sadism and a great underdog story. For people who happen to be a bit squeamish about blood, this might cure you once and for all. Or maybe not!”
What does the future hold for you?
“I have a film coming out called ‘A Kind of Madness’, which I’m really excited about – it’s released in South Africa on 11 April. My focus is on building my career internationally and finding the right people to give me the opportunities to be a part of the stories I want to tell. I think South Africa has such untapped talent and I want the chance to show the world what we have to offer.”
‘Novocaine’ is released in US cinemas today (14 March) and is out in the UK on 28 March
Featured photo credit: Chris Pizzello, Invision
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