PHOTOGRAPHY BY LUBA SHEMETOVA
CM: Hi Alex, Composure is super excited on the 4th season of UnReal, can you tell us a little bit of your character in this season and what is the most exciting scene to film for Alexi Patrov in this season?
AS: My character, Alexi, was the most unpredictable and provocative character of season three. He is an explosive and even dangerous guy, charming and full of vices and an artist with an incredible inner drama in the final stage of self-destruction, which creates a lot of trouble. Alexi comes back as a changed person who wants to focus on his art, but with the producers manipulating the show, Alexi is pulled back in. This was exciting to play because I had my first scene with Constance Zimmer, who plays Quinn, our producer. This scene brought me back to my time as the bachelor in Russia. I constantly had producers telling me what they wanted me to do that would help the show, but I always stayed true to who I was. That was quite amazing, as it was exactly the same thing happening in the scene I had with Constance.
CM: What is the most memorable moment that you can share to Composure filming for the 4th season of UnReal?
AS: For me personally, the most important and memorable moment was the last scene in the hospital after my character was badly injured. For a ballet dancer, losing his leg like this is the equivalent of death. I had to play a person who lost everything at once, which is such a powerful part to play. Five years ago, I was this man myself. After an accident, I survived a massive stroke, which left me paralyzed and unable to speak. It took me a long time to be able to get back to an active life, acting and singing, but I made it. I understand more than anyone else what my character had to feel lying in his hospital bed.
CM: You are currently working in the United States, but it seems that you are still active working in Russia as well. What are some difficulties that you are facing being in two different countries, especially on managing your social media contents and followers?
AS: I work all over Europe and am constantly traveling, which makes communicating with my fans difficult. But social media is an important part of my life, and I think I have found a way to do that. I now write my posts in two languages and am posting with the time differences in mind. I like to make funny videos but the biggest problem I faced was how to make everyone understand and make them universal for my fans around the world. I started to make them in two different languages or was adding subtitles, but that was strange as I would have to post them twice. But then I thought about Charlie Chaplin, and that was it! Now I am making the videos with just music, no words or dialogue at all, and that works perfectly! It is far more difficult to be funny without speaking, but I enjoy the challenge, and it helps me get better as a director. I knew the videos were doing well when my friend told me that he was sent one of my videos…by his father! That’s what I call the success!
CM: How do you describe your music?
AS: It’s a combination of modern sound and the 50s. I grew up in a small city far away from America, and I was the only one there in love with Rock-n-Roll and Elvis Presley. This love has influenced my creativity and my music became a kind of symbiosis of modern pop culture and old school 50s sound.
CM: You work closely with RedOne. How does it feel to work with big producer like him?
AS: RedOne is an amazing artist and a very nice person. I was blessed to be able to work with such an incredible producer and great professional. I was writing and producing music all my life, but working with Red I have learned so much. I realized that my feelings and vision have no limits
CM: Can you share to Composure what upcoming projects that you are working on?
AS: Next week I am flying to Rome, Italy, where I will be playing…an American in an Italian film! Right after that I come back to LA and for the next few months where I will concentrate on music and shooting the new series of music videos this time for my American album. It will be about a couple in a love-hate relationship like in She’s Crazy But She’s Mine, and it will be as hilarious, I promise!
CM: Who is your role model and why?
AS: I don’t have one, I prefer to be a role model myself! And the best is that I can be both the good and bad examples.
CM: There’s a lot of bullying happening right now all over the world, can you share to our readers, how do you usually manage/control any bad comments on your social media?
AS: I fortunately do not suffer so much from this kind of bullying, but my best advice for the people who do is to not take it personally. They should feel sorry for the bullies who are unhappy and taking it out on others. Instead of creating something positive, they create trouble for other people. Just imagine how lonely and unhappy these people are, that the only thing they can produce – is bullying others. And on top of that, they are too scared to create something themselves for fear of being bullied.
CM: What advice would you give your younger self?
AS: Never stop believing in your dream, even if you think it’s not reachable. This will help it come true.
