‘Anora’ stars Yura Borisov, Mark Eydelshteyn are ready for Oscars


LOS ANGELES – Yura Borisov and Mark Eydelshteyn aren’t quite ready to say goodbye.The convivial Russian actors have been inseparable these last nine months promoting “Anora,” which won the top prize last spring at Cannes Film Festival in France. Now, Sean Baker’s propulsive modern fairy tale about a Brooklyn sex worker (Mikey Madison) is an Oscar heavyweight with six nominations, including best picture, best actress (Madison) and best supporting actor (Borisov).It’s the first English-language movie for both Borisov, 32, and Eydelshteyn, 23, who lived together while shooting the film in New York, and consider themselves brothers and best friends.With Sunday’s Academy Awards, “it’s really sad that this very long and special road is coming to an end,” Borisov says, strolling Hollywood Boulevard the evening before the show. “None of us were ready to win at Cannes or for everything that happened after that. But the best award for us was just being together.”“It feels like we’re on the beach at sunrise and the Oscars are the sun,” Eydelshteyn adds. “Tomorrow will be the last official day together, but then we hope there will be many non-official days together. We’ll be hanging out and we won’t forget about each other.”The rising stars are a mischievous pair as they shoot photos on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, just steps away from the Dolby Theatre, where the Oscars take place. After getting recognized for “Anora” in a kitschy souvenir shop, they snap photos with employees who wish them luck before the big day. Later, they get scolded by a cop for stealing traffic cones and (briefly) changing a sign from “road closed” to “road open,” with the help of some cardboard and a black marker.A sidewalk Chewbacca and Spider-Man try to get their attention, but the actors are more intent on giving each other piggyback rides as they dart across the street. It’s their first time in the touristy neighborhood, and they’re equal parts awestruck and unimpressed.”It’s iconic, of course,” Eydelshteyn offers. “But there’s too many people.”Eydelshteyn will next make his American TV debut starring in Season 2 of Prime Video’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.” But he says that a “not-so-small piece of my soul” will always be with “Anora.””It’s been a crazy ride and then we’ll start a new chapter,” Eydelshteyn says. “That’s the great thing about tomorrow.”

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