Kirkorov’s double revealed an unexpected truth: “I acted in films instead of him”

49-year-old Alexey Egozhinsky is considered not only the official double of Philip Kirkorov, but also the artist’s only understudy.

Before the conversation began, Alexey admitted that he was not feeling well: “I’m recovering from plastic surgery.”

This is where we started.

“I had the operation because I urgently needed to chase the star,” says Egozhinsky. “The younger the patient, the faster everything heals.” On my face, I tightened everything that was possible and that was not possible: I had a forehead endoscopy, blepharoplasty, smas-lifting, and changed my cheekbones.

— Did you ask to make a face like Kirkorov’s?

— On stage it is often impossible to hide some facial defects. Look at Baskov. But he does not undergo surgery. Maybe he’s afraid? I don’t want to get to the point where makeup doesn’t work. After all, I am in close contact with the viewer, so I must look perfect. Shows are expected of me that must be justified. Although such sights cost me suffering. While I’m recovering from surgery, my head is pumped up like a ball, it’s terrible.

— Can you imagine what it was like for Kirkorov, who underwent many more operations?

“It was easier for Philip. He managed to genetically keep his cheeks in place, and he has a well-shaped face. Kirkorov was not cut from the outside, there were no stitches. The fat he had put on over 56 years was sucked out of him. Well done, you got rid of it.

– Let’s move on to the “naked party.” Has the scandal affected your performances?

— I had a contract with a famous Moscow theater, they canceled the performance with my participation. They hinted that it was not the time… My relationship with the theater did not deteriorate, the organizers paid the penalty.

And private orders and banquets took place, everything is stable here. Kirkorov has not ceased to be popular. And the fact that he came to the party like that, well, excuse me… We all sometimes walk into the wrong door.

— Were you not harassed on social networks after all this?

— Enough people write: how tired Kirkorov is, what a scoundrel he is, how guilty he is. I would like to answer: do you know how he feels about his homeland, how much taxes he pays? They call him the self-proclaimed king. Yes, he’s not an impostor. He’s a workaholic. Of course, friendship with Pugacheva does not lead to anything good. But if he wants to be friends with her, let him be friends.

— Do you know him personally?

– Of course, I’m his understudy. If they shoot an advertisement with his participation, then they first invite me to the photo shoot: they select the right angle, positions, locations. Philip doesn’t have time for this. I acted in films instead of him. In the film “The Last Hero” there is a scene where Kirkorov is in the frame with Burunov. At some point, all that was needed was his back. They took my back. In general, wherever Kirkorov is, I am there, or my leg, back, arm, ear, whatever. But in some films he managed on his own. For example, in “Ivan Vasilyevich changes everything!” I was not present. But Philip was cut out from there.

— Did you write him words of consolation?

– I didn’t write. I am modest and cultured. He already knows that I support him.

— Do you think he’s very worried?

“He’s not worried because he didn’t do anything criminal.” And he gave the fee for the affected residents of Belgorod, because he is a patriot. I am proud to represent this particular artist on stage.

And this whole situation is additional PR, not a blow for him. Now, if the people were silent and stopped perceiving him, it would be scary.

– Actually, he lost money. Because of this, people are also worried.

“I don’t think he lost a lot of money.”

— While Kirkorov is not on stage, do his doubles raise their fees?

— Fees have been growing lately. The country’s purchasing power has skyrocketed. Prices are rising, but the standard of living is also rising. Artists’ salaries also increased. We are starting to live better. Although the big stars’ fees decreased slightly, they were cosmic. So I’m doing great. I am grateful to God and Russia that I am Russian.

— How much do your performances cost?

— From 30 thousand to 100 thousand rubles. Many artists of my genre cannot boast of such fees. I sing live, I learned to hold the audience. I also have the opportunity to send money to charity, and I do this.

— How are your colleagues who performed as Verka Serduchka or Alla Pugacheva doing?

— All Serduchkas (artist Andrei Danilko is banned from entering Russia for 50 years for anti-Russian statements – ed.) lost their jobs. It’s a pity that such a vivid image turned out to be pro-Nazi. I know the artist Vyacheslav Shnurenko, who was the ideal Serduchka. He is from Ukraine, but pro-Russian. So he lost his job. Now he works as the Russian Emelya.

As for the Pugachevs, it’s a so-so topic. Basically, she is parodied by men in disguise. It’s a difficult story for me; I don’t communicate much with men in dresses. I heard that orders from such artists have dropped, but they haven’t lost their jobs completely. Pugacheva’s fans have not gone away. Although many turned away from her. For me she is a traitor.

— It feels like people are having too much fun at parties now?

– It seems to me too. But I myself don’t come off. I want to devote the rest of my life to ensuring that my children and grandchildren become military men, a support for the country. I think that children should be able to fight, and then become engineers, builders, and cooks. But first of all they must be excellent warriors. So there are areas where we need to work.

“Let’s play it safe”

Sergei Silantyev asks to call himself not a double, but a parodist of Philip Kirkorov. It is admitted that his main profession is the head of a call center for technical support of electronics.

The man claims that after the “naked party” his creative life has not changed much.

“We have completed all the planned corporate events and banquets,” Silantiev began. — There was only one cancellation at the nightclub on December 30th. They told me: let’s play it safe and cancel just in case. I was paid the penalty.

As for the public, people warmly welcome the image of Kirkorov. I don’t see any negativity. Women love, touch, want. At the end of the performance I was asked a couple of times: how was it at the party? I answered: I don’t know, I’m not cold. And that is all.

— Do you know Kirkorov?

— I don’t know him personally. But when I receive requests for large-scale events, I coordinate appearances with Kirkorov’s PR director so that there are no problems. Philip himself once approved of my appearance on one TV channel. He said: let him earn money, as long as they don’t vulgarize me.

As for my personal attitude to the scandal, I think that everyone rests as they want.

— You’ve worked in the image of Serduchka before, haven’t you?

— Yes, until I was advised to try Kirkorov. I sewed a wig, a beard, bought a white brocade suit and presented a new look in 2016. Over time, he removed Serduchka from the line of his images. Now all the Serdyuchkas have gone into the shadows, looking for analogues, someone to replace the image with. Perhaps they are working somewhere secretly in the regions, but in Moscow they have stopped using this image – there is no demand. At events, guests may also become very indignant in this way. They even ask me, like Kirkorov: why did you climb onto the cross? They remember the pink blouse. The other day I spoke at a banquet and they immediately told me about the party. But I wasn’t there, so there’s no need to apologize.

— Are there many Kirkorov doubles in the country?

— There are in the Krasnodar region, Rostov, Stavropol, Tyumen. We Kirkorovs know each other.

— No doubles of the Shaman appeared?

— There are no doubles of the Shaman.

— What repertoire is in demand now?

— Kirkorov has one song in his repertoire from the old days – “I love you, life.” I perform it when adults have anniversaries. The audience there accepts this song very well. In general, after “The Boy’s Word” there was a trend towards songs from the 90s.

— Your performances cost from 49 thousand rubles. Not expensive?

“On the contrary, many people wonder why I charge so little.” Previously, doubles had a market rate of 30-35 thousand. They kept telling me: you are worth much more. I invest a lot in costumes – I have 67 of them. In 2022, I was awarded a prize for my contribution and popularization of the image of Philip Kirkorov. So I have the right to demand an increased fee. I have all my performances booked until the summer.

— What if Kirkorov is suddenly banned?

– Well, it’s not me who will be banned. I hope there will be no incidents.