Alim Kaisynovich Kouliev (born June 24, 1959) is a Soviet-born American actor, theatre director, and screenwriter of Balkar origin. Kouliev was born in Nalchik — a small city in USSR. His father was a Balkar poet Kaisyn Kuliev and his mother was his Ingush wife Maka. His elder brother Eldar Kuliev was a Russian film director and a screenwriter. His younger brother Azamat Kuliev is a Russian painter, living and working in Istanbul, Turkey. At the age of seven, Kouliev was influenced by Vladimir Visotsky, an acclaimed Russian actor, poet, and singer, and one of his father's younger colleagues in the poetry field. Alim later decided to become an actor.[1]

Alim Kouliev
Master and Margarita. Rehearsal
Born (1959-06-24) June 24, 1959 (age 65)
Occupation(s)Stage actor, film actor, theater director
Years active1976 - present
RelativesKaisyn Kuliev (father)
Maka Kulieva (mother)
Eldar Kuliev (brother)
Azamat Kuliev (brother)

Biography

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He studied acting at the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS) in Moscow. After serving in the Soviet Army, he was studying stage directing in GITIS, and continued his education at the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) in Moscow, where he graduated from the acting class of Yevgeny Matveyev, an acclaimed master of theater and cinema.[2] His classmate was Natalya Vavilova.

Ever since he was a student, Kouliev appeared on the professional stage. His first significant role on stage was Mercutio in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet at Aleksandr Demidov Theater-Studio, where he also played Atavio in The Moods of Marianne by Alfred de Musset and Meleander in Maurice Maeterlinck's Aglavain and Selyzett.[3] He broke into films starring as Joseph Codrero in Copper Angel with Leonid Kuravlyov, Anatoly Kuznetsov, Aleksandr Filippenko, Leonid Yarmolnik. He has twelve years of acting experience working in leading Moscow theaters and has had several roles in the famous Russian feature films. Kouliev created many great characters in classic and contemporary productions, under the best Russian theatrical directors.

In 1991, his life changed dramatically; he moved to the United States.

After a long break in his career as an actor, Kouliev made his comeback. In Los Angeles, he became a key member of the theatrical troupe Dreamhouse Ensemble, where he played Sasha Smirnoff in Room Service and Uncle Tobit in Jimmy Christ.[4] In 2009, the producer-actor-director presented his "master project", his own stage adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel The Master and Margarita.[5] Alim Kouliev performs extensively as an actor in the Hollywood film industry, on stage, and on TV.

Filmography

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Year Film Role Notes
1978 Immured in glass (Zamurovannye v stekle) Film
1984 Copper Angel Jose Codrero Film
1986 Jaguar Cadet Film
1988 All Costs Paid Urka TV Film
1988 The Story of One Billiard-Room Mustached Man Film
2001 The Secret KGB Paranormal Files Egyptian consulate courier TV Documentary
2005 War of the Worlds Ferry Passenger Film
2006 The prestige Theatre Patron Film
2008 David & Fatima Ishmael Aziz (Dubbing, Russian Language) Film
2008 Standard Operating Procedure Interrogator TV Documentary
2008 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Cossack Film
2009 Taxi Dance Dmitry Film
2010 Medal of Honor Chechen Fighter Video game
2012 I Love Your Moves Kolya Video
2012 A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III Russian Cabbie Film
2014 The November Man Film
2015 Bridge of Spies Russian General Film
2015 Oleander Victor TV Series.
2015 The Secret Space Disaster Mission Director TV Mini-Sieries.
2016 The Americans Investigating Magistrate TV Series.
2018 El Freeman Yuri Film
2018 The Spy Who Dumped Me Russian Thug Film
2018 Unlovable Konrad Film
2019 Conan Andy Richter lipsynk Voice
2019 Call of Duty; Modern War Fare Voice Video Game
2020 Fakov in Amerika Jailbird Film
2020 Time to Wake Up Sleeping Beauty Sergei TV Film
2021 For All Mankind Soviet Diplomat TV series
2022 Grand Crew Oleg TV series
2022 Karaganda Dima Film

Stage

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Woland

Acting

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Year Title Role Notes
1977 ..And Tomorrow Is The Fight Sashka Moscow Young Generation Theater, play
1977 Stop Malakhov Hooligan Moscow Young Generation Theater, play
1978 Mozart and Salieri Mozart Russian Academy of Theatre Arts, play
1981 Romeo and Juliet Mercutio Aleksandr Demidov Theater-Studio, play
1982 Aglovenn And Sellezet Melleander Aleksandr Demidov Theater-Studio, play
1982 She Without Love And Death Captain Aleksandr Demidov Theater-Studio, play
1982 Squareness Of Circle Abram Aleksandr Demidov Theater-Studio, play by Valentin Kataev
1983 Three Musketeers Athos Aleksandr Demidov Theater-Studio, play
1983 The Moods of Marianne Ottavio Aleksandr Demidov Theater-Studio, play
1983 Madame Bovary Charles Bovary Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography, play
1983 The Cabal of Hypocrites Bouton Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography, play
1984 The Devil's Disciple Richard Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography, play
1984 The Lower Depths The Baron Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography, play
1984 I Want To Be An Actor Pashka Moscow Theatre “Ermitazh” (Moscovsky Teatr Miniature), play
1985 Brandenburg Gates Sergeant Moscow Theatre “Ermitazh” (Moscovsky Teatr Miniature), play
2003 Room Service Sasha Smirnoff The Dreamhouse Ensemble Theater, Hollywood, play
2004 Jimmy Christ Uncle Tobit The Dreamhouse Ensemble Theater, Hollywood, play
2008 Master and Margarita Woland Master Project Production, Hollywood, play
2018 Till Death Do Us Part Man Russian Masters Theatre Projects Production, Hollywood, play based on "Open Couple" by Dario Fo and Franca Rame.
2020 Wake Up Sleeping Beauty Sergei Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, play

Directing

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Year Title Notes
2008 Master and Margarita Master Project Production, Hollywood, play. Producer
2018 Till Death Do Us Part Russian Masters Theatre Projects Production, Hollywood, based on "Open Couple" by Dario Fo and Franca Rame play. Producer

References

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  1. ^ "Alim Kouliev. Interview" (in Russian). Magazine Мужской характер #20. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved September 14, 2009.
  2. ^ "Yevgeny Matveyev" (in Russian). Rusactors.ru. Retrieved September 14, 2009.
  3. ^ "Alim Kouliev" (in Russian). Kино-театр.ру. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  4. ^ "Alim Kouliev". Dreamhouse Ensemble. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  5. ^ "The Devil World in The City of Angels" (in Russian). Stihi.ru. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
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