Actor Ainārs Ančevskis will perform in the play “Principiāla noskaņa” at the Latvian National Theatre on November 10, the date of his round-number birthday.
Ančevskis told the magazine Privātā Dzīve that he has little interest in celebrating the occasion as he ages.
The actor noted that his birthday often overlaps with Mārtiņdiena, which occasionally leads to confusion.
“Everyone congratulates Mārtiņš and Mārčus and suddenly realizes: ‘Wait, it’s Ainārs’s birthday today!'” he said. He recalled his father’s childhood jokes about the day, saying: “Eat, eat, Ainārs! We’ll slaughter you for Mārtiņdiena.”
Ančevskis prefers to handle his own significant birthday purchases. He told Privātā Dzīve that he once bought himself a motorcycle for his name day and a car for his birthday.
Regarding gifts from others, the actor said he values attention over material items. “I don’t need duty-mugs, socks, and things that gather dust,” he said. He finds more value in a friend visiting for a glass of wine, noting that a friend from Vangaži often provides gifts that are financially modest but emotionally significant.
The actor shared that his perspective on life has shifted, emphasizing the importance of self-care. “I used to think burnout was made up, but when I encountered it, I understood: you don’t need to run and save the whole world, you also need to take care of yourself,” he said.
He also urged people not to take their surroundings or national independence for granted. “Latvia’s freedom was not brought to us on a platter,” he stated. He plans to visit the President’s Palace on the evening of November 11 to light a candle, noting that he prefers the quiet, respectful atmosphere of that date even more than the November 18 state holiday.
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