Actor Edgars Pujāts Quits Alcohol and Smoking, Lives on Rural Estate Near Liepāja

Latvian actor and singer Edgars Pujāts has told the magazine Kas Jauns that he has fully given up alcohol and smoking, and that this is why he feels energetic and in good shape. The conversation took place in Riga at the Latvian premiere of director Oskars Morozs's debut feature film "Kristofers un divu pasauļu atslēga" (Kristofers and the Key of Two Worlds), held at the Apollo Kino cinema in the Akropole Rīga shopping centre. In this adventure fantasy film Pujāts plays a school headteacher, and he was watching it for the first time.

A hard period and a divorce

In an interview with the same magazine last spring, the actor spoke about a difficult stage in his life. Alcohol dependence broke up his family: his wife Marta Pujāte moved to Nīca with their four young children. Pujāts turned to doctors for help. For some time he hoped to save his relationship with Marta, who is 22 years younger, but eventually he signed the divorce papers.

He says relations with his former wife are now good. They raise the children together, and the children live both with him and with their mother. Their children are Roja Kristers, Marks Eliots, Elodija Greisa and Kaja Eidens. Elodija Greisa is the only daughter; she is five and attends a pre-school preparation group. From an earlier relationship the actor has two adult sons, Kristaps and Madars. Kristaps, who previously took part in the television show "OKartes skatuve" and composes songs, is currently interested in theology.

Work and plans

Pujāts runs his property in Bernāti alone and says the work is moving forward; the roof was recently put on his large house. After the premiere he travelled back to Liepāja, because the next day he had a rehearsal for the Christmas concert-story "Tik lēni snieg", produced by composer Jānis Strazds. He performs in it alongside his neighbour, actress Sigita Jevgļevska-Pļaviņa.

The actor plans concerts around Valmiera and in Latgale. Last summer he placed third in the final of the Latvian Television competition "Latvijas sirdsdziesma", and he wants to enter a new song this year. A song titled "Dvēsele divatā", with words and music by his son Kristaps, was recently recorded in a studio. Pujāts describes his current situation as that of a free man and says he does not intend to tie himself down in a new relationship.