Burt Reynolds’s 1972 centerfold in Cosmopolitan was, simply put, a major moment in pop culture. It was our magazine’s—any magazine’s—first time featuring a man in that kind of spread, and it cemented Burt’s status as one of America’s sexiest men. In homage, we’re launching the Cosmo Centerfold series, in which we take cheeky pics (and ask cheeky questions) of the hottest celebs of our time. You’ll have to pick up an actual Cosmo to see it in the flesh (sorry, had to). Enjoy!
When I settle in for my interview with Anora actor Mark Eydelshteyn on the Bowery Hotel’s terrace, it’s quiet. So quiet that it feels appropriate to whisper to one another so we don’t disturb the peace. We sink into the wicker loveseats that dot the perimeter, and we recline so far that we’re both practically lying down as we chat. “Maybe we can say it’s like some secret and very intimate dream,” Mark says, as he discreetly takes a hit off a vape.
The rest of our conversation does get a little surreal. When we chat, the 22-year-old actor is at the beginning of a monthslong awards campaign for Sean Baker’s film, in which he plays Ivan, the son of a Russian oligarch who marries Mikey Madison’s Anora to spite his family. It’s his first American film role, but it definitely won’t be his last. After our conversation, it was announced that he’d earned the part of Mr. Smith in the next season of Amazon Prime Video’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith (the part Donald Glover played in season 1). Over orange juice (for him) and water (for me) and with a little help from Google Translate, he tells me about how wild the process has been, how he feels about taking his clothes off for Cosmo, and whether he considers himself a romantic person.
I saw the whole cast walking into the hotel just now from a screening. How are you handling the exposure so far?
I’m good—it’s like a roller coaster. It’s like, Oh, I saw this theater yesterday, or maybe before yesterday. No, I haven’t seen this theater. I have to go to another theater. You’re swimming in this reality, and you don’t know where—you’re just swimming straight.
It’s like the movie Groundhog Day, where they wake up and it’s the same day every day.
Yes, it’s like that. But I have to say the difference is that every day there’s a very high degree of pride and happiness, and every day is full of emotions. I’m realizing that it’s a big job to accommodate all these feelings and emotions inside you and analyze it. In this journey of Anora, it’s very important to really understand it. Right now, you have to be happy, because all of us did it, and it’s already done. Sean and Mikey and Yura (Borisov, who plays Igor) and the whole team deserves it, and we have to be happy and open.
Right. You’re so focused, like you said, on “We have to get to this theater for this Q&A” that it’s hard to remember that this is an incredible experience.
It’s an incredible experience. I can imagine how people can do campaigns like this in a little bit of an informal way, because somebody is asking you the same questions and you’re answering. But in our case, because of Sean and because of the atmosphere of our movie, when we are talking about the movie, it’s from our souls, because we really love it and it’s amazing.
The question that I kept coming back to after I saw the movie that I’ll pose to you now is: Do you think Ivan loves Anora from a real place? What do you think he really feels about her?
I can’t say that this question is correct. I know because I played it and I talked about it with Sean. But my question to you is, do you think it’s good for the audience to know my answer? Our story between Ivan and Anora, I love it because it feels like, firstly, a romantic comedy, then it’s like a road trip, and then drama. It’s like a movie from the past, an iconic Hollywood movie without special effects. But what’s very unique and modern in this story that you can interpret it how you want. It’s like the painting “Black Square” by Kazimir Malevich. Everybody will see something important for them. And if I answer this question, it will already be less interesting.
Okay, I can respect that. I’ll ask something more concrete. There’s a scene in the very beginning of the film where you do a backflip on the bed. How many times did you have to film the backflip?
That was from the first take. When I was at Moscow Art Theatre School, we talked not only about energy and not only about playing a character but also about backflips, forward flips, different flips. I can stand on the hands, for example, and on my head. When I learned how to do a backflip four years ago, I thought, No way, why am I wasting my time on this? I’m a dramatic actor. “Can you describe to me, my dear teacher, in what situation I will do backflip?” He said, “You’re an actor. An actor is a person who is open to everything new.” My teacher said, “There will be times you will have to do it in a movie.” In that moment, I didn’t believe it, but he was right.
Did you email him to tell him you did the backflip?
Honestly, no. I have to do that.
You should! Other than realizing your teachers might have been right about some things, how has your life changed since the film premiered?
If our life was a roller coaster, after the premiere, the roller coaster started to go down, down, down, down, down, very fast. And you know this feeling when you’re on the roller coaster? You can’t breathe—you’re just so excited. Because you know that then it will be a little bit slower, and you will go up again. And the thing that helps me not pass out on the roller coaster is our amazing crew. Sean is close to me, Mikey is close to me, and Yura. And we are together on this roller coaster, right?
And the movie has given you opportunities, too, like taking your clothes off in Cosmo. What is it like to be asked to do something like that?
In that moment, I’m thinking about the movie, because I’m pretty sure that Cosmopolitan magazine is very big, and not everybody from your audience is into independent movie making, maybe. And that’s okay, I wasn’t into Sean Baker’s movies before either. When they suggested I do it, I thought, Okay, I have to do it the best I can to tell people about our movie. I’m very grateful to Cosmopolitan magazine that it’s my most extremely nude in the soul way, not like nude. I was nude, for example, in the movie already, and it’s not a challenge for me. But it wasn’t me, it was my character, and in this photo shoot, it was me. It’s some level of intimate—it’s new for me.
This wouldn't be Cosmo if I didn't ask you about your love life, so what’s your version of a perfect date? Do you like to do an activity? Do you like to hang out at home? What do you like to do?
The best date is some risky adventure. Because you can really feel if it’s your person or not your person in a risky situation, when it’s dangerous, when you’re doing something unusual. Because you can understand a lot about the person. When you are in risky situation, you no longer have your mask on.
Tell me about a time you were in a risky situation on a date.
I have to think about what example is okay to share. I want to tell a little story about cops, but I’m not allowed to talk about cops. I can just describe it in a few words: It was an amazing girl, close to me. It’s the end of night, the sun is rising, and there are cops, and we’re running.
Okay, for legal reasons, I won’t ask you anything else. Would you consider yourself a romantic person?
Yeah, sure, I’m a romantic person. I feel like every person who is obsessed with art is a romantic person. Being a romantic is about beauty, and art is also about beauty.
I think you’re right. It’s like seeing the beauty in regular life, in another person.
And maybe it’s some base feature in your identity. If, when you’re a kid, you’re starting to see something beautiful in a common thing, it means that, unfortunately, you have to connect your life with art. You can’t teach yourself how to be romantic. I think girls can feel when it’s fake.
So you think it’s something you’re born with?
I think you’re born with it or it happens when you’re a kid, subconsciously. It’s not your choice.
What is the most romantic thing you’ve done for someone else?
For a very important person, I created and improvised a fairy tale because they wanted to sleep, and it was very difficult for this person to fall asleep. And I told a fairy tale.
That’s very sweet. Did they appreciate it?
She fell asleep. That’s the best appreciation, in this case.
How are you feeling about dating in this moment?
Unfortunately, it feels like it’s not the time for a relationship. Because I want my partner to be confident that I’ll be close and I’ll be a supporter and I’ll be a shoulder to cry on. But because of the circumstances of my life, even for people who I love, I can’t be that shoulder to cry on. I can’t physically be there.
If the circumstances were different, what would you look for in a partner?
I’m too young to think about qualities—it’s just the choice of my heart.
What is the best advice someone’s ever given you about love?
Try to find a balance between following your heart and not losing yourself. I thought that it was the same—when you follow your heart, you can’t lose yourself. But now I’m realizing that it’s a little bit more complicated.
What do you think is the difference?
I thought that my heart was the most important part of me. But there is not only the heart, but maybe the soul, maybe the mind, that are also important. It’s not like in romantic books, Yes, just turn off your mind. You just have to feel. It’s a trap. It’s a fucking trap. It’s quite easy to follow your heart, but love is not an easy thing. People are very complicated, and relationships between people are even more complicated.
If you think that love is important for you, you have to be ready for the adventure, the big journey with a lot of drama and lots of sacrifices. Nobody can guarantee that you will be happy.
Sometimes you’re not going be happy, but also, the chance that you will be happy? It’s everything.
You have to fight for this chance.
Is there anything else you want the readers of Cosmo to know about you?
Yes, one thing. I’m thinking the Cosmo audience will help me because they saw me topless in the photos here and in the movie. I’m thinking maybe I have to shave the hairs on my chest, but it’s an open question to the Cosmopolitan audience.
You need people to weigh in?
Yes, I’m just interested in their opinion on the chest hairs.
I will make sure people know that you’re looking for opinions. Your DMS are open and you’re ready to receive commentary.
Yes, perfect.
Stylist: Cassie Anderson. Groomer: Laura Costa at Exclusive Artists Management.
