Nina Menshikova: mother, wife, actress

Start

On a warm summer day, August 8, 1928, a daughter named Ninochka was born into the family of Tatyana Grigorievna (born 1903) and Evgeniy Aleksandrovich (born 1898) Menshikov. Very little is known about the actress’s childhood, practically nothing. It is known that her father was a military man. Since childhood, Ninochka herself dreamed of acting in films.

At the age of nineteen (in 1947), Nina Menshikova became a student at the All-Union Institute of Cinematography. She enters the acting department. Despite the fact that she really enjoyed studying, the process was not very successful for her. The head of the course in which the future actress studied was Boris Babochkin (the legendary Chapaev), and he could not discern in his student at least some kind of cuteness or bright, instantly striking beauty. Babochkin was sure that there was no prospect in her future: her appearance was absolutely not suitable for the pages of cinematic art, and the student herself did not show any promise necessary for working in cinema. None of Nina Evgenievna’s academic work suited him, so his grades did not rise higher than “satisfactory.”

Biography

It was not for nothing that the Soviet and Russian actress Nina Menshikova received the title “People’s Artist of the RSFSR.” Due to her discreet appearance, the woman could not play fatal beauties, but her talent allowed her to cope with other roles. Viewers remembered her as Svetlana Mikhailovna in the film “We'll Live Until Monday” and in the film “Girls.”

Actress Nina Menshikova

Nina was born in Moscow in the summer of 1928. Evgeniy Aleksandrovich, her father, carried out military service, and her mother Tatyana Grigorievna was engaged in household chores and raising the child. Although Menshikova’s family had nothing to do with cinema, the girl showed herself in every possible way from childhood. She liked to be the center of attention, and later she firmly decided that her profession would be related to filming.

Nina’s childhood years cannot be called cloudless; the war that began in 1941 deprived her of much. She knew what hunger, cold and fear for her life and the health of her parents were. And with the outbreak of the first hostilities, she was sent for evacuation. Although Menshikova resisted and did not want to leave her home, she was nevertheless taken to the village, where she lived for the next 2 years.

Nina Menshikova in her youth

To provide herself with food, like other children, Nina had to work. So the girl became acquainted with hard rural labor and for a while stopped dreaming about films, but only waited for the moment when she could return to Moscow.

In 1943, Menshikova moved back to the capital and graduated from high school there. When the time came to choose a university, Nina didn’t even think twice and immediately submitted an application to VGIK. The girl chose the acting department and took the course of the Soviet actor and theater and film director Boris Babochkin.

Nina Menshikova

The girl found the training interesting and exciting, but the course director did not like her. He stated that her appearance would not allow her to play bright, memorable characters and did not see any prospects in her at all. Babochkin claimed that Nina did not meet the standards of cinematography, and he deliberately rejected all of her academic work and did not give a grade above the average score.

Probably, another student would have lost heart after such a characterization and prejudiced attitude. But Nina was not upset for long, she had a strong and persistent character and quickly came up with a solution to her problem, which subsequently radically changed her biography.

Actress Nina Menshikova

After 2 years of criticism from Babochkin, Menshikova decided to transfer to another course. Moreover, she was not embarrassed that students a year younger than her studied there. Film director, actor and screenwriter Sergei Gerasimov became Nina’s new leader. Under his leadership, the girl blossomed, showed talent, and after several years of training, she became a professional in her chosen field.

The talent of the aspiring actress was not unnoticed; she was awarded a Stalinist scholarship, and after completing her studies she was given a testimonial that noted her curiosity and observation, the ability to independently solve problems, as well as the performance of characters of different ages. This was confirmed by the student’s diploma works in the productions “The Youth of Peter” and “Anna Karenina”.

Meeting Gerasimov

This situation lasted for two years. Nina Menshikova, whose biography is rich in a huge number of interesting facts, made a fateful decision for her to switch to a lower course. This was the workshop of Sergei Gerasimov. From this moment a completely different life begins for the girl.

It was within these walls that her acting charm was revealed, her somewhat unique talent was revealed and her professionalism grew enormously. Nina Menshikova studied very diligently, she even received a Stalinist scholarship. In the description that was given to her upon graduation from the institute, it was said that she was very inquisitive and well educated, could independently solve acting problems, played many diverse roles, differing from each other in character and age...

By the way, all these qualities could be seen in her diploma works: in “Anna Karenina” Menshikova had the role of Dolly, and in “The Youth of Peter” - Anna Mons.

Mediocrity

When the girl entered without difficulty, everyone was puzzled. After the first year of study, the master of the course was dissatisfied with the girl and even planned to expel her for mediocrity: Nina did not show herself in any way.

She didn’t even hope to attract the talented handsome man’s attention to herself: there was always a group of girls hanging around Rostotsky.

After fighting with him for another year, the girl decisively transferred to a course with Sergei Gerasimov, who found beauty, charm, and charm in the student, who was considered ugly. Having shown herself to be mediocre in her first year, Nina graduated from VGIK as a triumphant student.

Over the years, the love of her life was also connected with the institute: the prominent handsome Stanislav Rostotsky, a joker and front-line soldier, won her heart at first sight. She didn’t even hope to attract the talented handsome man’s attention to herself: there was always a group of girls hanging around Rostotsky.

He, in turn, swore to himself that the actress was a flighty creature, which means he would not take an actress as his wife. So they walked next to each other: the loving Nina and the stern Stanislav, until one day chance brought them together.

Debut role

Nina Menshikova, an actress of Soviet cinema, played her first role in the diploma short film “Trouble,” staged by her workshop comrades based on a story by Chekhov. They decided to invite an aspiring actress to play the main role of governess Mashenka. According to the script, she had rather stingy actions and remarks. But... It was very interesting material, imbued through and through with drama. Mashenka’s psychological state changes three times over the course of a short story! Each time, Menshikova had to look for some techniques to convey to the viewer the state of the main character. She succeeded brilliantly; she managed to make Mashenka alive and the tragedy real.

The teachers were able to make sure that the girl very professionally knows how to express the state of her heroine, move plastically, she listens to any idea of ​​the director and knows how to make independent creative decisions.

"We'll live until Monday"

This picture is the only one in which Rostotsky filmed his wife. When Menshikova read the script, she asked her husband for the role of a Russian language teacher. It was this unpleasant heroine that Nina Evgenievna wanted to play. During the audition, the actress asked the make-up artists to give her a hairstyle that didn’t suit her at all. She dressed in a gray, inconspicuous suit. When she started playing, Rostotsky first realized how talented his wife was. It was an absolute transformation.

When the film “We'll Live Until Monday” was released, the young actors who played in it became famous. Tikhonov once again proved his unique acting talent. As for the performer of the role of the Russian language teacher, she did not, unlike her colleagues, enjoy mad love from the audience. Her heroine caused grins and hostility. Those who personally knew the actress were amazed. She played the complete opposite of herself. And this can only be done if you have great acting talent, which Nina Menshikova possessed.

Varvara and Svetlana Mikhailovna

The role of the mother of an ordinary village boy who accidentally managed to find an ancient miraculous icon gave Menshikova the opportunity to very clearly demonstrate all her best acting qualities and capabilities. The image of Varvara (mother) in the entire huge creative biography is the most tragic. The character is torn apart by internal contradictions. Her husband abandoned her and left her with a small son in her arms. Varvara is not very well adapted to living on her own; she is very timid, modest, and is used to being obeyed. Nina Menshikova very convincingly conveyed the futility and joylessness of Varvara’s existence. She has constant transitions from fear of life to attempts to exercise evil power over her little son and again to tears.

Another serious and audience-favorite role of Nina Menshikova was the character from the film “We'll Live Until Monday” - literature teacher Svetlana Mikhailovna. At first glance, this is a very negative person. But Menshikova’s skill made it possible to reveal the most contradictory character traits of her heroine and show her with sophistication. Each viewer, having watched this film, could not only sympathize or gloat over some line in the film, but also reflect on the ups and downs of the teacher’s life, on all the circumstances of her personal drama. The actress’s work on creating the image of Svetlana Mikhailovna clearly showed that when playing the role of a character who is not very attractive at first glance, a talented actor will be able to show him from the other side. For playing this role, Nina Menshikova received the State Prize of the Soviet Union.

early years

Menshikova Nina Evgenievna was born into a military family in 1928. Her parents were ordinary people who had nothing to do with art.

When the war began, the children were forcibly evacuated. Nina was hiding under the bed: she didn’t want to leave her hometown. But they took her away anyway. She lived in the outback for two years, where she learned all the intricacies of rural life. In 1943, the future artist returned to Moscow.

Why did Nina Menshikova suddenly decide to become an actress? The biography of the actress confirms the fact that every person is capable of achieving his goal. And also that even when the peak is taken, one should not forget about simple earthly joys, which include home comfort and quiet family evenings. Not having a bright appearance, she entered the theater school. Showing no talent in her first year, she continued to study, and then became one of the most sought-after Soviet actresses. When she met her future husband, she gave up her career.

Personal life

The biography of actress Nina Menshikova cannot be complete without mentioning her family.

The 45-year marriage of director Stanislav Rostotsky and actress Nina Menshikova was a happy exception, which does not at all confirm the opinion of how dissolute and unfaithful people in art are.

This was one of the most beautiful couples of Soviet cinema. They met at VGIK. Nina was sure that her love had no chance, because almost all the girls in the course were in love with Stanislav, even Alla Larionova did not stand aside. But after a trip to the village of Kirzhach, where Rostotsky was going with the co-author of the first work, Vladimir Krasilshchikov, and where Menshikova went to cook food for two talented people, everything was decided. The novel, which resulted in the film “Earth and People” in 1956 and the birth of his son Andrei in January 1957, began on the first day. Doctors forbade Menshikova to even think about having a child because of tuberculosis. She didn't listen to them. This is how the world learned about another talented actor, stuntman and director Andrei Rostotsky.

The family was very happy until August 2001, when Rostotsky Sr. passed away after a massive heart attack. It would seem that this loss in Nina Evgenievna’s life could not be worse than this. But there was another difficult loss. On May 5, 2002, their son Andrei tragically dies in Sochi.

Nina Menshikova died on December 27, 2007, having outlived her son by 5 years...

Personal life, wife, children

The actor's personal life is shrouded in secrecy. Oleg’s unusual behavior becomes a reason for gossip and gives grounds to suspect the actor of being gay.

Even as a young artist, he was pampered by female attention. The phone was ringing off the hook with calls from fans, and the girls listened in awe to the speeches of their idol.

But, according to classmates, the guy had little interest in women. The boy was much more interested in the social life of the school. You can find a lot of information about Menshikov’s homosexual orientation, and even the names and photos of his alleged lovers. But you shouldn’t trust everything they write.

Oleg's classmates recall that during his studies he was in love with Victoria Sorokina. The extraordinary girl Vika reciprocated. According to their comrades, their romance lasted for several years. But then the girl suddenly disappeared from the actor’s life.

They wrote that Victoria was unable to make a career in her homeland and changed her place of residence, moving to England. There she soon married an Englishman. A few years later, the former lovers met. Sorokina asked Menshikov for forgiveness and offered to start all over again. But the actor could not forgive the betrayal.

Menshikov's common-law wife - Margarita Shubina

After breaking up with Vika, Menshikov remained alone for a long time. He did not recognize any relationship. But Margarita Shubina was able to heal his emotional wounds. She became the first woman the public knew about. Actress of the Moscow City Council, Shubina was the first to notice the promising actor and decided to act.

A little feminine cunning and intrigue and the girl attracted Menshikov’s attention. Their union was passionate and strong. Oleg even introduced his passion to his parents, and Margarita boasted about her upcoming wedding. But the actor was in no hurry with the proposal.

The break came unexpectedly. Without waiting for the proposal, Margarita Shubina married someone else. Society discussed this event for a long time.

Oleg Menshikov's first wife

In 2005, the 43-year-old actor secretly married aspiring actress Anastasia.

Anastasia met her future husband on February 14. She went to Zhvanetsky’s concert and it turned out that her place was next to Menshikov and Marat Basharov. The first behaved extravagantly: he picked petals from the roses she was holding and ate them. After the concert he asked her for her phone number. He called that evening and then disappeared for several months.

As Menshikov later admitted, he did not want to ruin her life. Nastya is much younger than him and became the first girl the actor really liked.

Then, after all, the romance began, the lovers began to live together. And in the year Anastasia graduated from university, they formalized their relationship by playing a modest wedding. The newlyweds spent their honeymoon in Switzerland.

Menshikov's wife, Anastasia Chernova, gave birth

The couple have been living together for more than 10 years, but they do not have children yet. At first, Oleg was in no hurry to have offspring; he was busy with work. When the actor turned 50, he finally realized that a child would not hurt. But the Menshikovs’ hopes were cut short by the doctors. The actor has health problems.

Information periodically appears in the yellow press that the wife of the well-known actor Oleg gave birth. This is wrong. The issue has not yet been resolved in a positive way, but the spouses do not despair. They were recently spotted at the Planning Center. We hope that children in the Menshikov family are only a matter of time.

Oleg Menshikov divorced his wife

The Menshikovs have been living happily together for more than 10 years. They do not like to share personal information with the public. Perhaps that is why rumors about the couple constantly appear on the Internet. For example, they say that the actor is gay, and married Nastya only to cover up his non-traditional sexual orientation.

Another rumor that periodically frightens fans is that Menshikov divorced his wife. “Former” Nastya does not comment on these rumors, and the artist himself has long dismissed them. He has repeatedly stated that meeting his wife is one of the main events in his life.

Creativity[ | ]

Thesis works in the theater[ | ]

• "Anna Karenina" - Dolly
• “The Youth of Peter” - Anna Mons

Movie roles[ | ]

• 1954 - Trouble - governess Mashenka
  (thesis)
• 1956 - First joys - Ksenia Rogozina
• 1958 - Memory of the Heart
• 1958 - Man from Planet Earth - Lyuba Tsiolkovskaya
• 1959 - Gloomy Morning - Garlic
• 1959 - Ballad of a Soldier - telegraph operator
• 1960 - Miraculous - Varvara
• 1960 - Seryozha
• 1960 - First date - Tonya
• 1961 - Battle on the way - Nina
• 1961 - First Day of Peace - Frau Fischer
• 1961 - Girls - “mother” Vera
• 1962 - Young-green
• 1963 - Big and small - Vera Ignatievna Korobova
• 1963 - The Man Who Doubts
• 1964 - Where are you now, Maxim? - mother
• 1965 - Chistye Prudy
• 1965 - Mother's Heart - Anna Ulyanova
• 1966 - Gray disease
• 1966 - Loyalty to the mother - Anna Ulyanova
• 1968 - We'll live until Monday - Svetlana Mikhailovna, literature teacher
• 1970 - Farm in the steppe - Tatyana Ivanovna
• 1972 - A man in his place - Anna Petrovna Zvyagina, advanced milkmaid
• 1972 - Return of the violin - Maria Petrovna
• 1973 - No return
• 1974 - Your rights? — Svetlana Glebovna, police children’s room inspector
• 1975 - Waiting for a miracle - tour guide
• 1975 - One hundred days after childhood - Ksenia Lvovna
• 1975 - Storm on land
• 1976 - Mushroom Man - Elvira
  (dubbing)
• 1977 - “Poseidon” to the rescue - Nadezhda Vasilievna
• 1978 - School Waltz - Dina's mother
• 1979 - Steep Field - Seraphim
• 1979 - My Anfisa - Nikolai’s mother
• 1979 - Ivantsov, Petrov, Sidorov - Ksenia
• 1981 - Sixth - Olga Vasilievna
• 1981 - In the sky “Night Witches” - Marya Ivanovna, commissioner
• 1982 - Open Heart - Head Nurse
• 1983 - Seraphim Polubes and other inhabitants of the earth - Martha
• 1985 - Mister high school student
• 1985 - And trees grow on stones - voiceover
• 1986 - End of Operation “Resident” - Vera Sergeevna
• 1987 - Visit to the Minotaur - Ikonnikov’s wife
• 1987 - Nikolai Podvoisky
• 1987 - Loan for marriage
• 1989 - ...And all the love
• 1990 - Hat
• 1991 - Under the mask of Berkut
• 1991 - The Haunting of the Green Room - Madame Leblanc
• 2003 - Evlampia Romanova. The investigation is being conducted by an amateur - Kapitolina Makarovna
• 2006 - The irrevocable man - Elizaveta Petrovna

Acquaintance

As students, they sometimes met within the walls of VGIK. Menshikova was in love with him at first sight, but she understood that the student of the directing department, a former front-line soldier, a tall, fair-haired handsome man, was not deprived of female attention. There was no hope that Rostotsky would ever pay attention to her. Yet one day, by a lucky coincidence, he invited her to the countryside. And this trip, which was supposed to be a work trip, turned into a romantic one.

Rostotsky once met Nina at a tram stop. The girl was going to her grandmother in the Moscow region. They started talking. He wanted to see her off, but he really didn’t want to go that far. Later, the aspiring director remembered her when he was creating the script for the first film.

The film was about rural residents. Stanislav Rostotsky decided that the script for such a film should be written exclusively in the outback. Together with his co-author, he planned a trip to the village. The men decided that they should invite someone to cook dinners. After all, if they are distracted, they will not be able to write.

Last years

In the 2000s, Nina Menshikova played in two films: “Eulampia Romanova”, “The Irrevocable Man”. She played minor roles in these films. “The Irrevocable Man” was released when the actress was no longer alive.

Nina Menshikova outlived her only son by five years. The cause of death was stroke. She was ill for a long time and died at home. The first stroke occurred two years before his death. After it, the actress lost her speech and was partially paralyzed. At the same time, she found strength for daily classes with a speech therapist and learned to write with her left hand. She partially managed to regain her health. Until the last days of her life, the actress maintained her sanity. Nina Menshikova died in Vyborg and was buried in Moscow, at the Vagankovskoye cemetery.

Personal life of Oleg Menshikov

The personal life of Oleg Menshikov is an interesting topic for every fan of the actor. Note that practically nothing is known about her. The actor rarely gave any comments on this matter. Perhaps due to excessive closeness, many questioned the traditional orientation of Oleg Menshikov. Also, the fact that the actor was not married until he was 43 years old prompted rumors that the talented actor was gay and was often seen in the company of a handsome young man.

All these fables were dispelled at the beginning of the two thousandth, when Oleg Menshikov married actress Anastasia Chernova.