Russian actor Mikhail Efremov is prioritizing theatre work over cinema after receiving multiple performance offers, according to newspaper kp.ru.
Reports suggesting the Honored Artist of Russia had agreed to star in director Alexander Barshak's new movie Father Another Father are premature. The publication reported that no agreements exist for Efremov to film the project, citing its own source.
Barshak had named Efremov and actor Danila Kozlovsky as his ideal cast to play father and son while presenting the picture during a pitching session at Fond Kino. However, the publication stated that while Efremov has plenty of film offers to consider, he is currently focused on stage roles.
Theatre commitments and release
Efremov officially joined the acting company of director Nikita Mikhalkov's Workshop 12 theatre on September 4. Workshop 12 is a Moscow drama theatre and academy founded and led by Mikhalkov, an Academy Award winning film director and prominent Russian theatrical figure.
The appointment follows earlier reports that Efremov will take to the stage for the first time alongside his son, actor Nikita Efremov, who is also a well known Russian performer.
Prison sentence and parole
Efremov returned to public life after being released on parole in March 2025. He had been serving a sentence of seven and a half years in a penal colony located in Belgorod Oblast, a region in western Russia.
The conviction stemmed from a road accident on June 8, 2020, involving Efremov. Courier Sergei Zakharov died following a collision between two vehicles in the incident.
Fond Kino is Russia's state foundation for social and economic support of domestic cinematography, which regularly organizes pitching events for film producers seeking state backing. Efremov, a member of a famous Russian theatrical dynasty, had been one of the country's most prominent screen and stage actors prior to his imprisonment.
