The Green Card star, who gained Russian citizenship in 2013, now wants to master the language of his adopted home so he can portray the country's first Tsar authentically.

In a new Russian TV interview, Depardieu says, "The only thing left for me to do is to gather my strength and learn Russian."

The actor is currently playing the 16th century tyrant in an oratorio by Sergey Prokofiev at the 10th International Music Festival in Irkutsk, but he admits he does not understand what he is saying in the production, having not learned the language.