‘Anora’ breakout Yura Borisov is not sure what ‘Russian Ryan Gosling’ means. But he'll take it

Yura Borisov does not have a flashy entrance in “Anora.” His character Igor isn’t even introduced until the movie’s nearly halfway through. He’s just the hired muscle, quietly observing and reacting to the quickly devolving situation around him. And yet you can’t take your eyes off of this stranger.

Up until that point it’s been the Mikey Madison show, a chronicle of her character Ani’s whirlwind romance with the spendy, wild son of a Russian oligarch. Igor arrives at the turning point, the end of the honeymoon and the beginning of a swift descent into a chaotic, all-night manhunt. And soon he establishes himself not just as an intriguing outsider, but the soul of the film: The henchman with a heart.

It’s a performance that has caught many off guard: An introduction to a fresh face with an undeniable star quality that has earned him nominations from the Oscars, the Screen Actors Guild and the BAFTAs. But Borisov, 32, is only a newcomer in some parts of the world. Already a star in Russia, Borisov broke through on the international scene in the Cannes title “Compartment No. 6” as the uncouth miner sharing a cramped room with a Finnish student on a long train ride through Russia.

That was the performance that made filmmaker Sean Baker take note and give him a call about participating in what would become “Anora.” Baker has described his secret weapon, who quickly becomes the beating heart and soul of the film, as the “Russian Ryan Gosling." Borisov is flattered, but also little confused by the comparison.

“I love Ryan Gosling and very interested to work with him one day. I’ve seen his films. He plays very, very cool. But I don’t know what he means,” Borisov laughed. “Let’s ask Sean.”

Baker, for his part, knew he had a ringer in Borisov but doesn’t show his hand from the top. He strings the audience along, letting them feel like they’re discovering something too. The 28-minute real-time home invasion scene where we meet Igor was actually Borisov’s first to film. It was rehearsed and discussed in detail before the cameras started rolling. In all, it took about eight days to film and three months to edit.

“We discussed everything trying to find the balance humor and scares and drama and comedy because it’s important for this scene to," Borisov said. “But for me I’m just thinking about a real person named Igor and a real person named Anora.”

He and Baker spoke a lot about Igor’s past, his story, his dreams and his clothes. The white Nike sneakers as contrast to Igor’s all black outfit, he thought, were particularly poignant — a symbol of Igor’s soul. He liked that his director would ask him if he thought Igor might do this or that instead of just telling him to do something.

But Borisov is not the kind of actor who thinks that he has much interesting to say or explain about his performance. If he could, he said, he’d be a writer. For him, it’s the work that does the talking.

“The most important is what do you feel when you see the film,” he said. “It’s not so important what we were discussing.”

The week that Borisov spoke to the AP was the week “Anora” had emerged as the frontrunner in an awards race that had previously been wide open. The supporting actor category however, competitive as it may be with nominees like Edward Norton, Guy Pearce and Jeremy Strong, has been considered Kieran Culkin’s to lose for some time now. But it’s still significant: Borisov is the first Russian actor to get an Oscar nomination since Mikhail Baryshnikov’s nod in 1977 for “The Turning Point.”

“I’m happy that it means something for a lot of people and that’s why it means a lot for me,” he said. “People could feel some hope maybe inside them, maybe proud inside them, you know? “

It’s been a wild ride since Cannes and the end is now in sight. Soon he’d be leaving for London, to attend the BAFTAs — where he would get to celebrate Madison's surprise win (seriously, no one looked more exited than Borisov and Mark Eydelshteyn )— and in two weeks Los Angeles for the Oscars. The accolades and nominations have been exciting, though the impulse to keep the conversations going with all the interesting people he’s met along the way has led to more than few late nights.

“It’s kind of a crazy, crazy time,” he said.

It’s too early for him to talk publicly about how much the raised profile has impacted his career, but, he teased “life is changing.” And if he’s being completely honest, he’s happiest about simply getting to spend more time with the people he made the film with.

“Maybe it looks like kind of stupid because you could say that ‘man, it’s awards, it’s big opportunities for you, why are you talking about spend time with your friends?’” Borisov said. “Maybe it’s kind of stupid, but for me, it’s still important to spend this time with them together. Because without this stuff, we will go to live our life separately. And it will be one day, of course, and I’m kind of sad about this but it just will come. Now we’re still together and I’m happy about this.”

For more on this year’s Oscar race and show, including how to watch the nominees, visit https://apnews.com/hub/academy-awards

Yura Borisov poses for photographers upon arrival at the 78th British Academy Film Awards, BAFTA's, in London, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. (Photo by Alberto Pezzali/Invision/AP)

Russian actor Yura Borisov, from the film "Anora," poses for a portrait on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, in London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Russian actor Yura Borisov, from the film "Anora," poses for a portrait on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, in London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Russian actor Yura Borisov, from the film "Anora," poses for a portrait on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, in London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Russian actor Yura Borisov, from the film "Anora," poses for a portrait on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, in London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Russian actor Yura Borisov, from the film "Anora," poses for a portrait on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, in London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Russian actor Yura Borisov, from the film "Anora," poses for a portrait on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, in London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Russian actor Yura Borisov, from the film "Anora," poses for a portrait on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, in London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

FILE - Cast members, from left, Lindsey Normington, Karren Karagulian, Yura Borisov, Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn and Vache Tovmasyan pose together at the premiere of the film "Anora," Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, at the Vista Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/ Chris Pizzello, File)

FILE - Cast members, from left, Yura Borisov, Mikey Madison and Mark Eydelshteyn, cast members in "Anora," pose together at the premiere of the film, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, at the Vista Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/ Chris Pizzello, File)

FILE - Yura Borisov attends The Gothams Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Yura Borisov poses at the premiere of the film "Anora," Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, at the Vista Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/ Chris Pizzello, File)

FILE - Yura Borisov, a cast member in "Anora," poses at the premiere of the film, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, at the Vista Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/ Chris Pizzello, File)

Indianapolis (8-8) at Houston (11-5)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS.

BetMGM NFL Odds: Texans by 10 ½.

Against the spread: Colts 7-7-2; Texans 9-7.

Series record: Colts lead 33-14-1.

Last meeting: Texans beat Colts 20-16 on Nov. 30 at Indianapolis.

Last week: Colts lost to the Jaguars 23-17; Texans beat Chargers 20-16.

Colts offense: overall (11), rush (14), pass (12), scoring (7).

Colts defense: overall (24), rush (5), pass (31), scoring (19).

Texans offense: overall (20), rush (24), pass (16), scoring (16).

Texans defense: overall (1), rush (4), pass (4), scoring (1).

Turnover differential: Colts plus-1; Texans plus-14.

QB Riley Leonard. The former Duke and Notre Dame star is expected to make his first NFL start Sunday after coach Shane Steichen announced Wednesday that Philip Rivers would not play. The game gives Indy a glimpse into the progression Leonard has made this season. But his first test comes against one of the league’s most ferocious defenses.

QB C.J. Stroud is 4-1 with 1,443 yards passing, seven touchdowns and just one interception in five starts against the Colts. He had TD throws of 75 and 43 yards on Houston’s first two possessions last week and finished with 244 yards passing.

Leonard vs. Houston’s top-ranked defense. The rookie will have a big challenge facing a defense that features DEs Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., who have combined for 26 sacks, and a secondary starring All-Pro CB Derek Stingley. The Texans rank fourth in the league with 18 interceptions and fifth with 46 sacks.

Colts: With nothing to gain in this game — including draft position — Steichen faces a litany of questions about who plays and who doesn’t this week. It sounds as if QB Anthony Richardson is unlikely to be activated from injured reserve despite practicing last week and this week as he recovers from an orbital bone injury near his eye. ... CB Sauce Gardner re-injured his strained calf and appears unlikely to play. ... The offensive line could be in flux, too. LT Bernhard Raimann played last week with an elbow injury but could be held out this week. Starting C Tanor Bortolini (concussion protocol) and backup guard Dalton Tucker (shoulder) both sat out last week and could again. ... It’s unclear if rookie DE J.T. Tuimoloau (oblique) or receiver-returner Anthony Gould (foot) will return this week after missing last week’s game.

Texans: LT Aireontae Ersery is expected to return after missing last week’s game with a thumb injury. … G Ed Ingram could play after injuring his knee last week. … CB Kamari Lassiter could miss Sunday’s game after missing practice this week with ankle and knee injuries.

Houston has won the past four meetings. … Indianapolis last beat the Texans on Sept. 17, 2023. … The Colts won seven of eight, including a playoff game, from Dec. 2018-Dec. 2021. … These teams tied 20-20 on Sept. 11, 2022. … Indianapolis won the first nine games in this series. … The Texans didn’t get a win in the series until a 27-24 victory in 2006.

Indy has lost six straight and seven of eight to become the sixth team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to start 8-2 and miss the playoffs — the first since the 1995 Oakland Raiders. ... Houston’s win last week over the Los Angeles Chargers sealed the Colts’ fate. ... Indy has lost three consecutive road games, going back to a mid-October victory at the Chargers. ... The Colts were the league’s highest-scoring team during the first half of the season, but have topped the 20-point mark just once in the past six games. ... Steichen heads into this game with a 25-25 record in three seasons. ... Leonard has appeared in four games this season, mostly in mop-up duty, and is 18 of 33 for 145 yards and two interceptions while rushing three times for 6 yards and one TD. ... RB Jonathan Taylor needs one TD run to break his franchise single-season records for TD runs (18) and total TDs (20), both set in 2021. ... Taylor also heads into the season finale ranked second in the league in yards rushing with 1,559. James Cook of Buffalo has 1,606 yards. ... Indy’s defense has a league-best seven red zone takeaways this season. ... The Colts also have had at least one takeaway in a league-high 15 games in 2025. ... K Blake Grupe has made all eight of his field-goal attempts and all seven of his extra points since joining the Colts in Week 14. … The Texans are the fifth team since 1990 to start 0-3 and qualify for the playoffs and the first team to do it twice after their 2018 team also accomplished the feat. … They are in the playoffs for a franchise-record third straight season and need a win Sunday and a loss by the Jaguars to the Titans to win the AFC South for a third consecutive season. … Houston leads the NFL in yards (272.4) and points (16.6) allowed per game. … RB Woody Marks had 71 yards rushing last week and had 64 yards rushing in the previous meeting with the Colts. … WR Nico Collins had 57 yards receiving last week for his ninth straight game with at least 55 yards receiving. He has at least five catches and 90 yards receiving in four of his five games against the division this season. … WR Jayden Higgins had 88 yards receiving and his fifth TD reception against the Chargers. … WR Jaylin Noel had 54 yards receiving and a touchdown catch last week. … Hunter had four tackles and a sack last week. He ranks third in the NFL with 14 sacks. … Anderson had three tackles, included two for losses and a half sack against the Chargers. He is fifth in the NFL with 19 tackles for loss this season. … DE Derek Barnett had two sacks last week. … DT Denico Autry had a sack and forced a fumble last week. … LB Azeez Al-Shaair had six tackles and an interception last week. He has had at least six tackles in four of his past five games. … LB Henry To’oTo’o led the team with 12 tackles and had one tackle for loss last week. … Lassiter had six tackles and a pass defensed against the Chargers. … Stingley had three tackles and a pass defensed last week.

Stroud could be a good pickup after throwing nine touchdown passes with just one interception in six home games this season.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen walks on the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. celebrates after sacking Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)