Andrey Mikhailovich Danilko – Ukrainian actor, singer, screenwriter, TV presenter, composer
Place of Birth, Education
He was born on October 2, 1973 in Poltava.
After school, Danilko tried to enter a music school, but did not pass the selection – the examiners decided that he did not have a stage appearance. After that, he applied to the pedagogical institute, but failed the exam in Ukrainian literature.
Disappointed, I went to study at the Vocational University (TU) as a cashier-seller. Later, he planned to enter the Kharkiv Theater University, but did not have time to catch the train.
In 1995, he nevertheless entered the Kyiv Variety and Circus School, but studied there for only a year and a half.
Career
In 1990, he began his career and created his most famous stage image – the conductor Verka Serduchka. The idea for the character appeared in his school years, when Danilko promised his classmate Anya Serdyuk that he would make her name known throughout the country.
Serduchka’s official debut took place on April 1, 1991 at the Poltava humorin. The image caused a sensation, after which Danilko went on his first tour – to the Stavropol Territory in Russia. Over time, other characters joined Serduchka: the artist acted as a policeman, teacher, soldier, ballerina and many others. Thus, a whole “Danilko theater” was gradually formed.
In 1995, he won the Grand Prix at the International Festival of Humor “Sea of Laughter”.
The rise in popularity took place in the spring of 1997, when Serduchka became the host of the TV program “SV-Show” – first on the Ukrainian TV channel “1+1”, and later on the Russian “TV-6”. In this program, Serduchka interviewed pop stars, calling these episodes “conversations about nothing.” The format quickly gained popularity among viewers.
In 2000, Danilko won the Arkady Raikin Cup at the Humor Cup festival for embodying the image of Serduchka.
In 2002, the actor’s team went on tour of the CIS and Baltic countries, presenting the program “I am a revolution”. The very next year, the fourth in a row, but the first truly commercially successful album of Serduchka – “Ha-ra-sho” was released. In the same summer, a large concert tour “I was born for love” started, covering Ukraine and Russia.
In 2003, Danilko was awarded the title of Honored Artist of Ukraine.
On New Year’s Eve 2004, the musical “Chasing Two Hares” was released on television.
Until 2004, Serduchka’s companion on stage was the silent assistant Gelya, played by actress Radmila Shchogoleva. However, since 2002, and since 2004 – on an ongoing basis, her “mother” performed by actress Inna Belokon appeared next to Serduchka.
In January 2004, the Danilko Theater went on a tour of the United States of America (USA).
In 2007, the actor gained recognition thanks to his performance at the Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki, where, in the image of Verka Serduchka, he took second place with the song “Lasha Tumbai”. The composition became popular in Western Europe and received wide rotation on radio and television.
In 2008, by decree of President Viktor Yushchenko, Danilko was awarded the title of People’s Artist of Ukraine.
From October 2008 to January 2009, the “Verka Serduchka Show” was broadcast on the TV channel “Ukraine”. In 2009, the artist wrote music for the tragicomedy “Merrymakers”. The following years were marked by participation in several film and television projects:
- in 2010, he played his stepmother in the film “Morozko”;
- in 2011 – starred in the fairy tale “The New Adventures of Aladdin”;
- in 2012 he played the main role in the film “Little Red Riding Hood”.
Also in 2012, Serduchka became the host of the Saturday Evening TV program on the Russia-1 channel.
In 2014, Danilko, in the image of Serduchka, starred in the film “Spy”.
On May 14, 2016, the actor announced the results of the vote from Ukraine at Eurovision. In the same year, at the National Selection for Eurovision 2016, Danilko first appeared on the air not as Verka Serduchko, but as himself – as a composer and producer, a member of the jury.
In the same year, he joined the jury of the show “X-Factor” on the STB TV channel.
In 2018, Danilko continued to work as a judge in the ninth season of the show “X-Factor”.
On May 18, 2019, he appeared in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest as an invited guest, performing his version of the song “Toy” by Israeli winner Netta.
On September 4, 2020, Serduchka presented the mini-album “Sexy”. A year later, Danilko became one of the star detectives in the show “Mask” on the TV channel “Ukraine”, and also acted as the host of one of the episodes of the anniversary season of the travel show “Eagle and Tails”, together with Vera Brezhneva.
In the fall of 2022, he went on a charity tour of European countries, the purpose of which was to raise funds to help victims of the war in Ukraine. For the first time in a long time, the actor performed without the image of Serduchka.
On May 13, 2023, at the invitation of the organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest, Danilko reappeared in his famous stage role – Verka Serduchka, performing in the final of the competition with the song “Dancing Lasha Tumbai”.
