Creators of the Film "It's Good Mom Doesn't Know" Explain Why They Did Not Cut Temlyak's Role

The creative team of the Ukrainian crime comedy "It's Good Mom Doesn't Know" has publicly commented for the first time on their decision to keep Kostiantyn Temlyak's role in the final version of the film. In August 2025, his former partner accused him of physical and psychological abuse. This was reported by the creators in a statement published on Instagram and covered by the Wave RBC.UA publication. The team emphasized that they are aware of the public accusations and the actor's own comments, and stated that they neither support nor tolerate violence in any of its manifestations.

Chronology: Casting Before Accusations

In the statement, the authors indicate that casting for the role took place back in 2020, and filming wrapped up in 2023. The accusations by the actor's former partner surfaced only in August 2025, when the film was already in post-production. Temlyak played one of the central characters—Max, an older brother, former DJ, and music producer drawn into crime due to debts. According to the creators, his character has one of the largest screen times in the movie and is intertwined with other plot lines. "Removing or replacing this role would have required significant changes to the dramaturgy and a rework of a substantial part of the already filmed material," the authors explained.

Memory of Departed Participants

Among the reasons for leaving the film in its original form, the creators cited the desire to preserve the memory of project participants for whom this film was one of their final works. This refers to actors Pasha Lee, Yuriy Felipenko, and stuntman Kostiantyn Agapov. The film's director and scriptwriter is Sasha Lytvynenko. The movie consists of four interconnected stories about members of the same family who independently fall into dangerous situations. The cast also includes Roman Mulenko, Leia Maievska, Mykhailo Spivakovskyi, Kateryna Skrypko, and Oleksiy Vorotnykov.

Poster and Promotional Campaign

The team specifically commented on Temlyak's presence on the official poster. "We understand that for part of the audience, his presence on the poster looks like drawing attention to the individual. However, the actor's image on the poster does not mean approval of his behavior outside the creative project," the creators noted. They also stressed that promoting the film is not an endorsement of the actor: the movie is the result of work by over 400 people, and "the entire creative team cannot be held responsible for the actions of one person." Temlyak, according to the authors, is not participating in the promo campaign; the main focus during presentations in various cities of Ukraine is on other crew members. "Kostiantyn made a one-time appearance at the pre-premiere screening, and his comments and personal communication do not reflect the planned promo activities of the film," the creators added.

Context of Accusations and Investigation

To recap, in August 2025, Temlyak's former partner, photographer Anastasiia Soloviova, accused the actor of physical and psychological abuse during their relationship, which ended in 2021. Following the public backlash, Temlyak recorded a video in which he admitted guilt and stated his readiness to take responsibility. Around the same time, it became known that the actor had been communicating with a 15-year-old girl, to whom, according to chat screenshots, he sent inappropriate messages and photos; according to the girl, he apologized amid the scandal. In August 2025, the police announced the start of a pre-trial investigation under Article 126-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (domestic violence). In September 2025, the actor's lawyer, Liubov Zubytska, stated that Temlyak had not been served with a notice of suspicion. Amid the scandal, the actor also went through a divorce from his wife, actress Anastasiia Nesterenko.

Position Regarding Viewers

The creators concluded their statement by affirming that they respect the right of viewers to criticize the film or refuse to watch it. "We do not urge anyone to ignore the accusations or abandon their own beliefs to support the film. Our decision to present the completed creative work remains unchanged. Each viewer determines their own attitude toward it independently," the authors summarized.