USA: RUSSIAN FORMER OLYMPIC SKATER ILIA KULIK MAKES HIS FEATURE FILM DEBUT IN "CENTER STAGE"

Record ID: 389492

  • Title: USA: RUSSIAN FORMER OLYMPIC SKATER ILIA KULIK MAKES HIS FEATURE FILM DEBUT IN "CENTER STAGE"
  • Date: 8th June 2000
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (RECENT) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) KULIK SAYING "It was totally different (from skating). It's my first movie. I didn't know anything. I just came to the set and they're saying -- I had a question or something -- and they're saying okay, go ask the second A.D. and I was trying to realize what the A.D. is. I thought maybe it's s
  • Embargoed: 23rd June 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, USA AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: General,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA46SKHV8HIUFQMD3LFQJCVL84F
  • Story Text: Most people remember Ilia Kulik as the 20-year-old Russian figure skater who dominated male figure skating in 1998, capturing the gold medal at the Nagano Olympics. Now, American filmgoers will have the opportunity to see another side of Kulik, the Hollywood side.
    Ilia Kulik: world class figure skater, Olympic gold medalist, and ... movie star? That's right, capitalising on his boyish good looks, Russian accent and basic training in ballet, Kulik is making his feature film debut in "Center Stage" a film about a group of young dancers trying to make it big at the highly competitive New York ballet academy. Kulik plays a supporting role as a student at the academy.
    One of the world's top male figure skaters, Kulik left the ranks of amateur skating following gold medal finishes in the Russian National, World and Olympic championships in 1998, the same year he was named one of "People" magazine's 50 most beautiful people. He's now one of the featured performers on the Target Stars on Ice tour, travelling the United States with former champions Scott Hamilton, Kristi Yamaguchi, Tara Lipinski and Kurt Browning. It's a demanding schedule for a 22-year-old, but apparently nothing compared to the rigors of Hollywood.
    "The schedule was totally different than we have in figure skating. In figure skating, I know what every minute I'm doing exactly. So, I come half an hour before to warm up and I know every mintue what I'm going to do next and you're getting ready," said Kulik, "So, I saw the schedule for the movie and I see 6 a.m., 6:30, okay by 7 o'clock I'll be doing something probably. So, I come at 6 a.m. and then I'm not doing anything until 5 p.m. (laughs)"
    Called the Leonardo DiCaprio of figure skating by his peers, Kulik has legions of young female fans and dozens of internet web sites devoted to him. And he appears to like being an actor.
    "I enjoyed it. That's for sure. I enjoyed it. It's a kind of exciting feeling while you're on action and you're playing with other actors and you're trying to get connected. And, when you get connected with another actor, it just feels great. And, when actually somebody caught it on tape, it's even better," said Kulik, "It's a great feeling and I think I will continue doing this because I have four months doing basically nothing during the summertime and it's just great to explore something new."
    Kulik's fans can catch him on the big screen in mid-May.
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