‘Indiana’ villain got start in Vegas
If Igor Jijikine's improbable American adventure becomes a book, the perfect title might be: "From Russia With Luck."
Eighteen years after arriving in Las Vegas as a trapeze artist with the Moscow Circus, Jijikine, 44, has landed the role of a lifetime as a villain out to whip Indiana Jones.
Not long ago, Jijikine was relying on income from his appearance in 40-some commercials and a popular PC game. The younger generation will recognize him as the face of the "Command and Conquer Red Alert" series in which he plays a Russian soldier.
Now he's an an overnight star as Red Army Colonel Dovchenko, the ruthless leader of a commando team in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," which figures to be another blockbuster for director Steven Spielberg.
Just back from the Cannes Film Festival, Jijikine has experienced firsthand the iconic appeal of one of America's most beloved action heros.
No one called out Jijikine's name when he walked into the Cannes theater with Harrison Ford and the cast for the premiere this week. He could have been mistaken for a bodyguard.
"People didn't pay any attention to me," said Jijikine, who played Samson for five years in "Jubilee!" at Bally's and worked on stilts, among other duties, with Cirque du Soleil's "Mystere" at Treasure Island.
That all changed after the premiere, he said in a telephone interview.
"Thousands of people wanted my autograph or a photograph with me," he said.
He survived a number of auditions more than a year ago before he got the call. "When Spielberg called me to his office, I figured out I had the biggest chance of my life."
Jijikine, who grew up in Moscow, credited Nate Bynum, associate professor of theater at UNLV, for prepping him for the role.
Bynum said he helped Jijikine with "nuances of the character, camera angles and how to use his eyes. The main thing was to get him to trust himself."
IDOL' CHATTER
Alicia Jacobs, entertainment reporter for KVBC-TV, Channel 3, picked up some nuggets at the "American Idol" after-party at Skybar atop the Mondrian Hotel in Los Angeles.
She spotted Carly Smithson, the talented Irish contestant who first caught the eyes of the "Idol" judges during the audition at the Renaissance Hotel on Paradise Road, "in a big conversation" with Larry Rudolph, longtime manager of Britney Spears.
Smithson told Jacobs that she got married four years ago at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas and plans to renew her vows there with her husband, Todd, when the "Idol" tour stops at Thomas & Mack on July 5.
Jerry Springer, the host of NBC's "America's Got Talent," told Jacobs that Terry Fator's megacontract at The Mirage has taken the NBC show to "the next level. People really want to win this now," after seeing Fator land a reported $100 million deal.
"When I saw that, I went home and started playing with my sock puppets," Springer told her.
"Idol" winner David Cook told Jacobs that "playing Las Vegas has always been one of my dreams."
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Palms owner George Maloof says his recent meetings with Spears are about their friendship. "We haven't spoken about business," Maloof told Richard Abowitz, who writes The Movable Buffet blog for the Los Angeles Times. Maloof was responding to widespread media speculation that Spears intends either a Vegas show at the Palms or is talking with Maloof about mounting a $10 million world tour. The full story is here: http://vegasblog.latimes.com
THE PUNCH LINE
"Congratulations to David Cook from "American Idol." He got an amazing 50 million votes. He got so many votes, Hillary offered him the VP spot." -- Jay Leno
Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.
