Soviet artist Alla Budnitskaya was born in pre-war Moscow on Arbat. On my mother’s side, my relatives were from Kazan; my mother was the youngest, 12th child. Then the grandmother moved with her children to the Moscow region. One of my mother’s sisters married a wealthy man and, having a communal apartment for her use, brought several sisters to the capital. That’s how Alla’s mother ended up in Moscow. She served as a hotel administrator, and her father was an engineer, head of the construction department. The biography, filmography and personal life of this wonderful woman will be presented to your attention in the article.
Childhood of the future actress
While in the 9th grade, Alla Budnitskaya experienced a family tragedy - after her father’s affair, her parents’ marriage broke up. For a long time, her mother forbade her to communicate with her father and his new family, which Alla was acutely worried about, because she treated him with adoration. Together with his mother, they settled in a communal apartment. Going through difficult times, my mother learned to sew and made a living from it. Gradually, her outfits began to be popular among the capital's bohemians. For example, her outfits were worn by Vertinskaya and Alla Pugacheva. The dress in which the Prima Donna performed at the Golden Orpheus festival in Sopot with the song “Harlequin” was sewn by Alla Budnitskaya’s mother.
A lifelong dream
Young Alla Budnitskaya’s dream of becoming an artist (a photo in her youth is presented to your attention in the article) originated in early childhood. In her youth, Alla was an “ugly duckling” that no one paid attention to. By the time she graduated from school, she became prettier and, on top of that, starred in a small episode in the film “Certificate of Maturity.” And this gave Alla complete confidence in the choice of her future profession. The first attempt to enter theater institutes ended in failure. For a young girl this was a real tragedy. Out of desperation, she decided to enter the Institute of Foreign Languages, never ceasing to dream of an acting career.
Fateful meeting
When I was a 3rd year student at Foreign Languages, a fateful meeting occurred that allowed everyone to recognize the actress Alla Budnitskaya. At the bus stop, she was approached by the wife of actor Anatoly Kuznetsov, who studied at VGIK in the directing department. She complained that she had been looking for Alla for a long time, because everyone regretted that they did not take the bright and pretty girl to the course then. Alexandra Lyapidevskaya suggested applying again. Following the advice, Alla immediately passed to the 3rd round and was enrolled in a course with Grigory Kozintsev himself.
Filmography of the actress
And almost immediately after graduating from the institute, Alla was accepted into the troupe of the Film Actor Theater Studio. But the aspiring actress was not happy that she was given the roles of empty beauties. In the movies, these were episodic roles. But the artist did not stop dreaming of fulfilled and tragic characters. Alla Zinovievna also appeared in TV series. For the main role in the historical series “On Knives,” Budnitskaya received the main prize at the Dombay film festival. The famous films in Alla Budnitskaya’s career are as follows: “The Woman Who Sings,” “Nameless Star,” “An Ideal Husband,” “Gobsek,” “Station for Two.” On television, she was lucky enough to touch the classics.
The work of Alla Budnitskaya in theater and cinema
When Alla Budnitskaya began studying at VGIK, she began a completely different life. Wonderful teachers G. Kozintsev and S. Skvortsov taught her acting. The only thing that upset the young actress was that she was invited exclusively to the roles of socialites, princesses, empty-headed beauties and ladies, although Alla dreamed of a tragic farce. Budnitskaya was able to satisfy her acting ambitions only on television, where she performed all the classics from Shakespeare to Dostoevsky.
Alla Zinovievna stars in leading roles and in episodes. She loves character roles. Thus, in the film “Clever Beauty”, the actress does not use makeup at all, playing a “gray mouse”, and in the film by Alexander Muratov she plays a well-groomed old lady, dying in the frame and retaining all her hundred-year-old beauty. Nowadays, the actress appears mainly in TV series, the most successful of which she considers the series “On Knives.” For the main role in this series, she was awarded a prize at the Dombay Film Festival. Thanks to her knowledge of foreign languages, Alla Zinovievna filmed films not only in her homeland. She starred in films by French directors “Woman in the Wind” and “Happiness”. In "Woman in the Wind" Budnitskaya played with James Thiers, the grandson of Charlie Chaplin. The actress has played about fifty roles in films and television films, the most famous of which are: “An Ideal Husband”, “Lord Arthur’s Crime”, “The Woman Who Sings”, “Station for Two”, “Gobsek”.
Alla Zinovievna is not only an actress, she is also the host of popular television programs: “From a Woman’s Life”, “Culinary Tricks”, “Alla Budnitskaya’s Home”. All these programs are about home comfort, about family, about children, about the secrets of cooking Jewish cuisine, about how to remain an interesting and attractive woman for many years.
Alla Budnitskaya’s book “Tasty Memories” was recently published. The book consists of fifteen short stories about cooking, about the actress’s friends and about the life of Alla Zinovievna.
Long-term friendship
The artist herself appreciates her work with Eldar Ryazanov in Garage, because the filming served as a long-term friendship with actresses Liya Akhedzhakova and Svetlana Nemolyaeva. As she became closer to Nemolyaeva, Alla Zinovievna learned that they had a lot in common. Both husbands' names are Alexander, both couples signed in the same registry office, on the same day, in the same year. And since then this holiday has become common for both families. But the closest and warmest relationships developed between Alla Budnitskaya and Liya Akhedzhakova. At first they rented shared housing outside the city for the summer. And when such an opportunity arose, we decided to build one cottage for two families.
Budnitskaya lived in Paris for some time and fell in love with French mansions with high ceilings and real fireplaces. She convinced Akhedzhakova to bring her idea to life. It turned out to be a large cottage in the middle of a pine forest with a spacious veranda, where friends love to have breakfast together. According to Alla Zinovievna, the secret of their strong friendship with Liya Medzhidovna is in differences in character and preferences. If for Akhedzhakova the theater is home, then for Budnitskaya her main activity is related to cinema and television. And when one loves to garden, the second one manages the house and kitchen.
Ryazanov - godfather
“AiF” came to visit Alla Zinovievna, and she told us about their life near Moscow. “There are directors for whom I am ready to work without even asking what the role will be. Eldar Ryazanov is just such a Master. After the release of the film “Station for Two,” I came to the market at my place on Kutuzovsky (Budnitskaya played the wife of Basilashvili’s hero, a TV presenter who “lies about the weather.” - Ed.): “Weigh me a piece of meat.” The seller barks: “Get out of here!” I planted my husband! Aren’t you ashamed to appear here?” I couldn't convince him. I had to buy the tenderloin from another butcher. (Laughs.) The film “Garage” was shot cheerfully, amicably and very quickly - in just 40 days. We have been friends with Liya Akhedzhakova, Sveta Nemolyaeva and Olya Ostroumova since then. After filming, we realized that we were unable to part. The first bachelorette party was mine, then Sveta’s, Olya’s, Leah’s… Then the husbands “became friends.” In general, Eldar Alexandrovich is the godfather of our wonderful relationship. By the way, Sveta Nemolyaeva and I discovered interesting coincidences in our biographies. We got married on the same day, in the same year, in the same registry office. And both - for Alexandrov Sergeevich! We celebrated our silver wedding together, and the other day we celebrated our golden wedding!”
Alla Budnitskaya photography
“As soon as we cut down the forest, paved the road and dug a pit, a terrible collapse happened - 1993 struck.
No work, no money... My ability to knit well came in handy. I organized my own production. I started knitting things based on designs from fashion companies. I sent the products to Paris, where they sold very well, and to New York to my friend Inga Okunevskaya, daughter of actress Tatyana Okunevskaya. Inga rented them to the boutique. They gave me as much as 100 dollars for a jacket! At that time, an incredibly large amount!” Advertising:
“When our native Film Actor Theater closed, we all ended up on the street. Luckily, a friend invited me to take over the restaurant. I turned the basement in which “Granny’s” was located into a cozy family home. It was impossible to get there without an appointment. It was there that Alla Pugacheva and Philip Kirkorov celebrated their engagement. Thanks to the restaurant, TV producers paid attention to me. This is how the program “From a Woman’s Life” appeared. I was a presenter and author of stories about home and fashion. I gave my soul to this program for five years. But... New management came to the channel: “Alla Zinovievna, you stay, and we’ll change the whole group.” I answered: “No.” How could I betray those who created me as a TV presenter?! After leaving there was a difficult period of depression. Fortunately, work has resumed - in films and on TV. She starred in the films “Balzac Age”, “Goddess of Prime Time”, “Trap”, “Hot November”. I just played in Olga Subbotina’s series “Photograph” with Katya Guseva and Valera Nikolaev - he is my “son”. In general, I’m happy and don’t regret anything.”
Alla Budnitskaya photography
“We share the house in half with Liya Akhedzhakova. Construction lasted for several years. They built in the summer, stopped in the winter, and tried to make money. I convinced Liechka to make high ceilings - I saw in Paris how beautiful it was. She was shocked: “Can you imagine how many bricks it will take?!” Everything was in short supply back then. Akhedzhakova and I gave concerts on February 23 and March 8 in construction organizations, and we were given bricks and glassine at the state price. A funny story happened with toilets. We are sitting with Leah in a construction office, they are drawing up an invoice for the glassine - and suddenly: “Don’t you need toilets?” - “Needed!!!” When they were installed, it turned out that they were... small, intended for a kindergarten! But we stayed for three years. (Laughs.) As soon as the roof was built and the windows were installed on the first floor, Leah and I put cots here and began to live. There was no furniture, nothing... Only the stove on which we boiled the kettle and fried our eggs..."
“When one of my friends got a car, everyone went out into nature. Misha Kozakov was often behind the wheel. Usually, actor friends settled down in a clearing near Peredelkino. Sometimes the group traveled by train. This was our “dacha”. Buying a house at that time was completely impossible. But friends - screenwriter Anya Rodionova and director Seryozha Kokovkin - took pity and sold Liya Akhedzhakova and me part of the plot in installments. They were persuaded with the help of a common friend, actress Alla Pokrovskaya: “Well, what do you want? A forest is a forest. And so friends will be nearby.” Thus we received these 15 acres. Since the house was built, I have never stayed overnight in Moscow. It is impossible to find yourself on Kutuzovsky Prospekt on the 19th floor after sleeping in a pine forest. Moreover, I have three dogs and a cat. Here I opened the door for them - please come for a walk. Life is completely different here. Wonderful. Even despite the difficulties. For example, this winter we were so covered in snow... Sometimes you open the door, but it’s impossible to get out. It was necessary to “crawl” meter by meter with a shovel in order to somehow dig out and go beyond the site.”
There are directors for whom I am ready to work without even asking what the role will be,” the actress admits
Dossier
Alla BUDNITSKAYA was born in 1937 in Moscow. Graduated from the acting department of VGIK. She starred in the films “Garage”, “The Woman Who Sings”, “Station for Two”, “Gobsek”, “Balzac Age”, etc. Her husband is director Alexander Orlov.
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Personal life of the actress
As her biography testifies, there have never been secrets or scandals in the personal life of Alla Budnitskaya. During her student years, young people tried to court the young beauty, but already in her first year she met Alexander Orlov. They both studied at the same faculty and, as part of a propaganda team, went to conquer virgin lands. Sasha was from a simple Siberian family, and Alla was an intelligent Muscovite, but they had a lot in common. In the 3rd year they got married and have not separated since then. Despite all the hardships and vicissitudes of fate, Alla and Alexander have been together for 60 years.
The actress’s husband is also a creative person, a screenwriter and director, who featured his beloved wife in his films. Alla Zinovievna believes that the secret of the longevity of their marriage is her inability to quarrel and create scandals. And relatives are sure that it is Alla who will resolve any situation and reconcile everyone. Over the years, their home has become a welcoming place to meet with friends. The huge loggia in the apartment saw many celebrities who were treated by the hospitable hostess. This place was nicknamed “At Vasily’s”, after Alla Zinovievna’s home nickname.
Personal life
Alla Budnitskaya met her future husband Alexander Orlov during her student years. Then young people were just learning the basics of the profession and were unknown guys and girls. The couple became close when the student propaganda team was sent to virgin lands after the 1st year. Alexander was a simple Siberian guy, and Alla was a metropolitan girl. But the young people had a lot in common. Since then, Budnitskaya’s personal life has been inextricably linked with Orlov. Alexander and Alla became a rare example of a strong marriage, which does not often happen in the artistic environment.
Alla Budnitskaya and Alexander Orlov
Alexander Orlov does not act in films, but films them. He has been working as a screenwriter and director for many years. Orlov invited his wife to his own projects - “Gobsek”, “Lord Arthur’s Crime”, “The Woman Who Sings”.
At the age of 25, Alla Budnitskaya was in a car accident, after which she suffered clinical death and a number of operations. The injuries turned out to be serious, and the doctors issued a disappointing verdict: the girl would never be able to have children. Alla could not come to terms with the diagnosis for a long time. Alexander supported his wife. Years later, the couple had the opportunity to raise the daughter of Mikaella Drozdovskaya’s deceased friend, Daria. The actresses were friends, and after the death of Michaela, Daria wanted to stay in the Budnitskaya family. Dasha followed in the footsteps of her mother and adoptive mother and also became an actress. Alla Budnitskaya and Alexander Orlov welcomed their grandchildren Sasha and Dasha, whom they adore.
Culinary talent
In addition to the German language, Alla Budnitskaya also mastered French while studying in Foreign Languages, which gave her the opportunity to participate in filming abroad and in foreign films. While filming the film “Dark Eyes,” where Mastroianni played the main role, Mikhalkov asked to arrange a home reception for Italian guests. Budnitskaya set the table with many dishes, headed by pies. Marcello was impressed and grateful for the reception. A month later, having met Alla in Paris on the set, he remembered the famous pies, and Budnitskaya had to prepare her signature dish from French products. Mastroianni liked the actress’s culinary talent.
Time for a change
Alla Budnitskaya owes her talent as an actress to her natural gift, and her achievements in the culinary field began in early childhood, when Alla’s aunts passed on their experience to a young girl. After the Film Actor Theater closed, after 30 years of service, Alla Zinovievna was left without work. A difficult period has come in the life of the family. Budnitskaya took up knitting; her products based on fashionable sketches from magazines were sold by friends in France and America. Handmade work was highly valued and in demand. At the same time, one of the unemployed colleagues decided to start a business and invited Alla Zinovievna to become the head of the restaurant. Budnitskaya got down to business with enthusiasm - she worked on the menu, came up with the design of the room, and went to the market to buy food herself. Then she went to the kitchen and shared her secrets with the cooks, sometimes getting involved in the preparation of dishes herself. She was able to make the restaurant “Babushka’s” a cozy resting place for the capital’s bohemia.
Biography
She was born on July 5, 1937 in the family of builder Zinovy Lazarevich Budnitsky. She graduated from VGIK and studied with Grigory Mikhailovich Kozintsev.
From 1964 to 2003 - actress at the Film Actor's Studio Theatre. In cinema - since 1960.
The TV presenter, author of programs on TNT, NTV and Ren-TV channels, hosted the program “From the Life of a Woman.” In the 90s, at the request of her classmate at VGIK, Mikhail Sadkovich, she was the general director of the restaurant “At Grandma’s” for 4 years.
Husband: Alexander Orlov, film director. Adopted daughter is actress Daria Drozdovskaya, daughter of actress Mikaela Drozdovskaya.
Filmography
Art films
- 1955 - Guest from Kuban - young collective farmer
- 1955 - Good morning - among those singing on the ship
- 1955 - Life lesson - hair salon visitor
- 1956 - Different destinies - classmate of Stepan Ogurtsov
- 1957 - Telegram - Nastya in her youth
- 1958 - Life passed by - bride
- 1960 - Russian souvenir - Larisa Kurlychkina, translator
- 1961 - Leap Year - Larisa (as A. Mikhailova)
- 1963 - The Living and the Dead - Masha’s friend
- 1963 - The first trolleybus - a girl who escaped from a trolleybus
- 1964 - Once upon a time there lived an old man and an old woman - a companion of the old men (uncredited)
- 1965 - A year like life - Mathilde Heine, wife of Heinrich
- 1965 - What should we call you now? — translator
- 1965 - Three seasons
- 1966 - Girl on the ball - Deniska’s mother
- 1967 - Arena - circus performer
- 1969 - Every evening at eleven - a waitress in a restaurant
- 1969 - The Deer King - Serendippe Maiden
- 1969 - Family Happiness (film almanac) - Sigaev’s wife (short story “The Avenger”)
- 1970 - Sunflowers - fur seller
- 1970 - Amazing boy - buffoon (vocals - Alla Pugacheva)
- 1970 - The Crown of the Russian Empire, or The Elusive Ones Again - the lady at the coronation and on the ship "Gloria"
- 1972 - Train stop - two minutes - Tamara Krasovskaya, singer (vocals - Alla Pugacheva)
- 1972 - Four from Chorsang - Inga
- 1973 - Old Walls - Ninotchka, English tutor
- 1974 - Starling and Lyra - Elsa, the girl in the hotel
- 1975 - I take over
- 1978 - Unnamed star - Mrs. Ispas, wife of the station master
- 1978 - The Woman Who Sings - Masha
- 1979 - Garage - secretary
- 1980 - An Ideal Husband - Mrs. Marchmont
- 1980 - Meadow Flowers - Alla Viktorona, Igor’s mother
- 1981 - A long way in the labyrinth - Stefania Belyavskaya, variety show artist
- 1982 - Station for two - Masha, Plato’s wife, weather forecaster
- 1982 - Simply terrible! — Varvara Ivanovna, mother
- 1985 - When they become adults - Larisa
- 1985 - The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Diana
- 1986 - At the edge of the sword - Anna Mikhailovna Lychko
- 1986 - Occasion - Irina
- 1986 - Wingspan - passenger of the 1st cabin
- 1987 - Gobsek - Countess de Resto
- 1987 - Jerusalem artichokes - Kolya's neighbor
- 1988 - Criminal talent - Ustyuzhanina, emergency doctor
- 1988 - Primorsky Boulevard - mother of Dasha and Lena
- 1989 - Bright personality - tour guide
- 1991 - Night of Sinners - Madame
- 1991 - Lord Arthur's Crime - Lady Gladys Windermere
- 1993 - Reluctant Superman, or Erotic Mutant - Vera’s Friend
- 1993 - The Mystery of Queen Anne, or The Musketeers thirty years later - Duchess of Orleans
- 1998 - On knives - Ekaterina Astafievna
- 2005 - Gorynych and Victoria - Irina Viktorovna Maksimova
- 2006 - Hot November - Grandma Vicki
- 2007 - Potapov, to the board! - math teacher
- 2009 - Clever, beautiful - Alla Ivanovna, mother of Alexei Knyazev
- 2010 - Love-Carrot 3 - Natalya Antonovna
- 2010 - Our home store - George's mother
- 2013 - Priceless love - Andreevna
- 2012 - At risk - Elena Stanislavovna Dvorzhitskaya, actress
- 2016 - Blockade - Nadezhda Vasilievna
TV serials
- 1974 - Conscience - Mizina’s sister
- 1975 - Olga Sergeevna - Vika
- 2003 - The best city on Earth - the widow of an antiquarian
- 2004 - Balzac's age, or All men are... - Yulia's mother
- 2005 - Goddess of Prime Time - Alina's mother
- 2005 - Nine Unknowns - Altman’s child’s nanny
- 2007 - Trap - Alicia Akinfievna, Katya’s mother
- 2008 — Photographer — Alla Ivanovna
- 2011 - Comrades policemen - Elena Aleksandrovna
- 2012 - A cure for death - Galina Grigorievna Kononova, Evgenia’s grandmother
- 2012 - Premonition - Anna Sergeevna Vasilyeva, Pavel’s mother
- 2013 - Balzac’s age, or All men are... 5 years later - Ksenia Eduardovna, Yulia’s mother
- 2013 - Women on the brink - Zoya Borisovna Grachik
Teleplays
- 1980 - The Mystery of Edwin Drood - Miss Twinkleton
- 1981 - Uncle's Dream - Anna Nikolaevna Antipova
- 1983 - Monsieur Lenoir, who... - Charlotte
Activities on television
At the same time, actress Alla Zinovievna Budnitskaya began appearing with programs on women's topics as a TV presenter. She has produced such programs as “From a Woman’s Life”, “The Home of Alla Budnitskaya”, “Simple and Tasty”. In the first, she shared her knowledge of how to cope with the roles of a skilled housewife and wife. After all, Alla Zinovievna can not only sew, knit, cook deliciously, but also speak several languages and always looks beautiful and elegant while doing it. Alla Budnitskaya’s program “Simple and Tasty,” dedicated to light and at the same time delicious recipes, has gained popularity among viewers in the CIS, France, and Israel. Contrary to the popular belief that the kitchen only takes up time from modern housewives, Alla Zinovievna argues that a woman’s purpose is to maintain a home through family lunches and dinners. In her programs, Alla Budnitskaya talked about family values, raising children, the secrets of maintaining home comfort and preparing delicious dishes.
Alla Budnitskaya - biography, husband and children
Actress Alla Zinovievna Budnitskaya, her biography on Wikipedia, personal life and photos, filmography (films and main roles), family - husband and children are of interest to many viewers.
Alla Budnitskaya - biography
Alla Zinovievna was born in 1937 in Moscow. Since her school years, the girl, distinguished by her extraordinary beauty, dreamed of becoming an actress, and when in the 11th grade she starred in the “extras” of the film “Certificate of Maturity,” she was finally confirmed in her decision to master this profession.
But imagine her disappointment when, having submitted documents to two theater universities in the capital, she failed the entrance exams. Then she entered the Institute of Foreign Languages, but understood that this was not at all what she wanted.
But, nevertheless, fate decreed otherwise and gave the girl another chance. One day, at a bus stop, a striking woman approached Alla and, introducing herself as the wife of actor Anatoly Kuznetsov, said that VGIK still regretted not accepting such a bright girl. She invited Alla to submit her documents again, and when the girl happily agreed, she was allowed to immediately take the third round of exams. This time Alla entered without any problems and was enrolled in Grigory Kozintsev’s course.
Literally from her first year, the young actress began playing on stage and acting in films. The only thing that upset her was that she was constantly offered the roles of flighty and stupid beauties, but she wanted to embody deep and complex images on the screen. But over time, she managed to appear before the audience in this role, because the more often she acted, the more she revealed her multifaceted talent.
After graduating from high school in 1964, Budnitskaya was accepted into the troupe of the Film Actor’s Studio Theatre, on whose stage she continues to perform to this day.
Naturally, her first film roles were episodic, but this gave her the opportunity to gain invaluable acting experience, and over time show that she is also capable of playing significant roles brightly.
Today, the actress has 100 works in projects of various genres. These are films and TV series in which many main roles were played. But there are works that the actress is especially proud of. These are two films by French directors - “Woman in the Wind” and “Happiness”, in which she had the opportunity to play, and the legendary film by Eldar Ryazanov - “Garage”, thanks to which she had two real friends - Svetlana Nemolyaeva and Liya Akhedzhakova.
By the way, Budnitskaya is known not only as a talented actress, but also as a TV presenter. The programs she hosts are designed for a female audience and are loved by many viewers - these are “From the Life of a Woman”, “The Home of Alla Budnitskaya” and “Culinary Tricks”.
Alla Budnitskaya - personal life
Alla met her future husband Alexander Orlov within the walls of VGIK, where they both learned the basics of acting. The young people quickly became close, despite the fact that Alla was a native Muscovite, and her chosen one came from Siberia.
Soon Alla Budnitskaya and Alexander Orlov got married, and are still an example of a strong and happy marriage, which is extremely rare in the acting community.
Alla's husband did not become an actor, but showed himself as a director and screenwriter, and, naturally, his projects often included roles for his beloved wife.
God did not give the couple his children, but they took in raising the daughter of Alla’s close friend Mikaella Drozdovskaya, who died tragically.
Their adopted daughter Daria also became an actress, and gave her adoptive parents a grandson and a granddaughter, whom they simply adore.
By the way, not many people know that Alla Budnitskaya and Liya Akhedzhakova have not only been close friends for decades, but also built a common country house for two families with separate entrances, and live there together. There are so many things that connect women that Alla considers Leah not only her friend and neighbor, but, in fact, a family member. Naturally, there are disagreements and quarrels between them, one of which arose when a film was being filmed about two friends in their house, but Alla Budnitskaya and Liya Akhedzhakova made up quite quickly, because they are close and, in fact, already family.
Budnitskaya - mother and grandmother
At first glance, it may seem that Alla Budnitskaya’s personal life was happy and cloudless. But the tragic consequences that followed the accident that happened to 25-year-old Alla became a severe blow for the young family. After several operations and clinical death, Alla was sentenced to never have children. Only the support of my spouse and baptism in the church helped me survive this misfortune.
According to Alla Zinovievna, this changed and strengthened her character. And God heard the couple’s prayers and sent them an adopted daughter, although also under tragic circumstances. Budnitskaya worked in the same theater together with Mikaela Drozdovskaya. She was a successful actress of her time; viewers remember her from the films “Seven Nurses” and “Volunteers.” Alla became the godmother of Michaela's daughter and they became family friends. Dasha often visited her godmother, they became close people. At the age of 40, Mikaela Dobrovolskaya died in an accident and 7-year-old Daria was left without a mother.
Michaela's husband loved his daughters very much, but after his wife's death he married a second time. The stepmother's relationship with her stepdaughters was difficult. The eldest daughter was taken in by Michaela's parents, and Dasha expressed a desire to live in the Budnitskaya family. She was adamant in her decision and thus became an adopted daughter in the Budnitskaya family. Daria graduated from the Shchukin School, became an actress, and married producer and screenwriter Alexander Oleinikov. She gave Alla Zinovievna two magnificent grandchildren: Daria also followed in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother and became an actress, and Alexander is trying his hand at directing and producing.
Alla Budnitskaya: The main thing in family life is not to make trouble
Alla Budnitskaya told who brought her into the acting profession and how she helped the poor and insecure to survive.
On July 5, Russian actress and writer Alla Budnitskaya celebrated her 78th birthday. She is an ageless woman who amazingly combines external charm and inner beauty. Popularity came to her after filming in Alexander Orlov’s film “The Woman Who Sings,” where she played the friend of Anna Streltsova (Alla Pugacheva). In the late 90s, Budnitskaya became the host of the program “From a Woman’s Life,” where she shared the secrets of home comfort with TV viewers. We learned from the actress how she survived in the 90s, how she became a mother to the daughter of her deceased friend, and why she has been happily married for 55 years.
Alla Budnitskaya knew from childhood that she would be an actress: she always told her grandmother that she would become an artist, and she answered: “Well, where do you want to be an artist so ugly?” But the future star did not give up: “I will play Baba Yaga!”
Alla Budnitskaya in the film “The First Trolleybus” / Freeze frame
– In the 10th grade, I became an extra in the film “Certificate of Maturity” directed by Tatyana Lukashevich, where she filmed me close-up. After that, I was captivated by cinema, and, having already graduated from school, I firmly decided that I would go to theater school, but neither VGIK nor Shchukinskoye accepted me. I thought the dream was not destined to come true. Out of despair, I entered the Institute of Foreign Languages. Now I speak two languages fluently - French and German, and this has helped me in cinema. As it turned out, my journey into the world of cinema was just beginning... One day, as usual, I was standing at a bus stop, waiting for a bus, and the wife of actor Anatoly Kuznetsov came up to me: “Are you Allochka Budnitskaya? VGIK teachers say: she’s such a pretty girl, it’s a pity they didn’t take her...” She persuaded me to try my luck again. And I was immediately accepted for the third round, after which I was successfully enrolled in the course of Grigory Kozintsev and Sergei Skvortsov.
Thanks to her knowledge of foreign languages, the actress acted not only in domestic films. In 1971, Alla Zinovievna was invited to the film “Sunflowers” by Italian director Vittorio De Sica, where her partners were Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni.
– There was a period in the history of cinema when practically nothing was filmed. Of course, this dealt a blow to the actors, and some had to change their profession. And some simply, due to lack of demand, could not find a place for themselves and passed away. Just in the 90s, foreign directors began to come to Mosfilm, and they invited those actors who knew the language. Sergei Yursky and I speak fluent French, so we started filming. The films “Happiness” and “Woman in the Wind” were released. In the latter I played with Charlie Chaplin's grandson James Thiere. There was also the film “Challenger Splinter” - where I played such a square housekeeper with gold teeth. I remember I put on makeup, entered the studio, and the directors saw me and shouted: “Woman, leave!” In general, they didn’t find out.
In the late 90s, changes were actively taking place at the Film Actor's Theater, where Alla served for about 30 years. It so happened that the actors were met by riot police at the theater, they were given work books and asked to leave the building. Despite this, the actress did not give up.
The actress’s husband captivated her with his sincerity / Boris Kremer
– There was no work at that time, and it was necessary to survive somehow: my husband didn’t have filming, my mother didn’t work... In general, my classmate suggested that I create the restaurant “Granny’s” and become its general director, where I worked for four years. half a year. Friends from television and actors worked for me as dishwashers and cleaners. In addition to administrative duties, she also dealt with household duties. She left at six in the morning, went to the Dorogomilovsky market, bought food, cooked it herself, and even trained the staff in the art of cooking. And only at twelve did she close the restaurant. I remember how we had juice bags in our kitchen and everyone put food there that visitors didn’t finish, we took it away and fed the pets. When there was any leftover, we also divided it among ourselves. I must say that it was impossible to get into our restaurant. By the way, it was there that Alla Pugacheva and Philip Kirkorov celebrated their engagement.
It was thanks to the restaurant that Alla Budnitskaya became famous not only as an actress, but also as the host of the popular programs “From a Woman’s Life”, “Culinary Tricks”, “Alla Budnitskaya’s Home”, where she shared with TV viewers the secrets of home comfort, raising children and attractiveness.
– When we first started filming “From a Woman’s Life,” I didn’t feel very confident. Six months later, I realized that no one could do this better than me. Then women from all over Russia wrote to me: “Thanks to you, Allochka, my husband did not leave me, he now rushes home after work.”
Budnitskaya with Alla Pugacheva in the film “The Woman Who Sings” / kinopoisk.ru
The TV presenter played a fateful role in the life of one of her viewers.
– One day I receive a letter. The boy Vanya writes from the Novosibirsk region, the village of Dmitrievka. He sent me a recipe for chocolate covered fruit. You need to take the fruit, cut it, then melt the chocolate, dip the fruit in it and serve. True, he had never tried chocolate. I bought him some sweets and sent him a parcel. In the program she gave him a prize for the best recipe. He was delighted and then wrote: “Aunt Alla, please send me a book about plants and animals.” The boy began to get interested in biology, why not help?! Then a letter came from him again: they say that he will not be able to continue his studies at the Faculty of Biology due to the fact that he did not have enough funds. He studied in a correspondence program for gifted students. I called his mother: “Lyudochka, I’m paying for my tuition.” Vanya graduated from the Faculty of Biology of Novosibirsk University and is now studying in graduate school. By the way, he spent six months on an internship in England.
The TV presenter received letters not only from women, but also from girls.
– Girls often wrote who claimed that they were ugly. I decided to do a story called “Ugly Girls,” where I showed my childhood photographs and said: “Guess who this is?” Redhead, two teeth sticking out. And it was me! Thus, I explained to my young TV viewers that beauty is within and an ugly duckling can turn into a beautiful swan. In general, it seems to me that the beauty of a woman is a relative concept. You've probably noticed how a woman enters a room and suddenly attracts attention. She doesn’t seem to be a beauty, but everyone turns their eyes to her. She just knows how to behave, she does everything meaningfully. Inner content gives a woman external beauty.
It so happened that Alla Budnitskaya cannot help but come to the rescue if people turn to her.
- I can’t do it any other way. I pick up cats and dogs. I had three dogs, all mongrels. One day one of the dogs disappeared, we were very sad. A few months later, she suddenly shows up, followed by 13 puppies. Leah and I went to Odintsovo to the market to give out puppies for autographs. So they didn’t take a single puppy from us, but there were a lot of fans. Then we took these puppies to the car depot, to the construction office.
For 55 years now, Alla Zinovievna has been married to director Alexander Orlov (“Train Stop – Two Minutes,” “The Woman Who Sings,” “On Knives”). The main secret of family happiness is understanding each other. The actress herself believes that it is better to avoid sharp corners, not enter into conflicts and not create scandals.
– Sasha and I studied in the same course at VGIK. At first we were just friends, then after the first year we went to the virgin lands, where we organized a propaganda team. We dreamed together, sitting on a padded jacket, during a film screening in a rural club. In general, we spent a lot of time together and fell in love with each other.
Budnitskaya: God brought Lilya and I together! / Boris Kremer
In our age, more and more women choose the former between a career and housekeeping, as statistics inexorably show. According to VTsIOM, in large cities 54% of women do not want to leave work even during maternity leave.
– Personal life never interferes with your career, but even vice versa. I believe that you cannot categorically choose between a career or a family; you need to be able to combine both. I think that those girls who are fixated on their career will later come to their senses and realize their mistake. They do not understand that life is fulfilled precisely when there is a family, children, husband and home comfort.
It so happened that the actress does not have children of her own (she was in a car accident). Despite this, she was still able to replace the mother for the 8-year-old daughter of her deceased friend, actress Mikaela Drozdovskaya (“Volunteers”, “Seven Nannies”), who died during a fire on the set in Ordzhonikidze. It was cold in the house where the actress lived, and she decided to turn on the heater at night, which caused the accident. The day before, Mikaela suddenly asked Alla Zinovievna to take care of Dasha if something happened to her... Literally from the very birth of Dasha, Budnitskaya was always there: the girl was born and grew up before her eyes. The actress became godmother, and Michaela asked her daughter to call Alla Zinovievna “mom.”
– Dasha’s father is the famous cardiologist Vadim Smolensky, a wonderful person. And I didn't have any anxiety. Over time, he got a woman who turned out to be very necessary. The girl felt uncomfortable there, and she wanted to come to me. With Vadim's consent, I took her. Dasha graduated from the Shchukin School and became an actress. She is now 44 years old. She is married to Alexander Aleinikov, they have a wonderful family, two children: 17-year-old daughter Dasha and 22-year-old Alexander, who successfully works as a second assistant - assistant in Fyodor Bondarchuk’s projects.
Alla Zinovievna always tried to be an exemplary mother and a strong person. He says that no matter what happens in life, you have to get through it - everything can come in handy.
Budnitskaya in the program “From a Woman’s Life” / Freeze frame
– Once I was on holiday in Bali with my husband. We walked along the beach with our hotel neighbors: a mother and daughter from Odessa, who, as they say, was of marriageable age. And now we pass by a five-star hotel. The mother says to her daughter: “Put on your sandals.” My daughter asks: “Why?” To which the mother replies:
“What if a man happens?” This story has a deep meaning, since “what if” happens very often in life and you must always be prepared.
Budnitskaya has been living in a country house for more than 20 years, which she built together with actress and friend Liya Akhedzhakova.
– Lilya and I became friends on the set of Ryazanov’s film “Garage”. We have long dreamed of living with her in a village house. We rented a hut with two rooms for the summer. In one - I am with Sasha, in the other - Lilya and her husband Boris Kochashvili. Almost simultaneously, Lilya and I had relatives die: her mother, my father. I decided to take Lilya to Paris in order to somehow move away from this tragedy, and showed me which mansions my friends live in. She convinced her to build a normal big house, not a tiny hut. Construction lasted 4 years. We made high ceilings, just like in Paris. As soon as the roof was built and windows were installed on the first floor, Lilya and I installed cots here and began to live. There was nothing, only the stove on which the kettle was boiled... Now our house has “bloomed”. We have a common space - “gulbari”. We also try not to impose on each other. Of course, if we don’t see each other for a long time, we sit down to dinner together.
The actress celebrated her next birthday with friends.
– In the evening I was at the Mayakovsky Theater for a performance where Sveta Nemolyaeva played, and then I went to her dacha. They have a wonderful hospitable family. Of course, a birthday is a slightly sad holiday. The main thing is that the energy and desire to desire something do not disappear.
The versatility and longevity of the actress
Alla Zinovievna Budnitskaya’s culinary talent helped her write the book “Tasty Memories,” which was recently published. It consists of 15 short stories about cooking and the life of an actress. After some break from work, Budnitskaya again appears in films. She could be seen in “Blockade” and “Pure Moscow Murders.” In 2017, this magnificent actress celebrated her 80th birthday. Alla Zinovievna Budnitskaya spends all her free time with family and friends in a country house. This beautiful woman is full of vitality, inspiration and energy!
Alla Budnitskaya now
After a three-year break from work, in 2020 the actress appeared in the short film “Blockade.” The plot of the social drama excited Alla Zinovievna so much that she could not refuse the role. Budnitskaya’s heroine is an elderly St. Petersburg woman, Nadezhda Vasilievna, who survived the horrors of the siege as a child, and is going to celebrate the birthday of her long-time friend Lev Ivanovich (Gennady Yukhtin). Having entered the store, Nadezhda Vasilyevna accidentally forgot to pay for part of the purchase, as a result of which she spent the long-awaited holiday behind bars.
In 2020, Alla Zinovievna appeared in the episode of the detective story “Pure Moscow Murders,” in which Lyudmila Chursina played the main role. The series was shown on the TVC channel.
In 2020, Alla Zinovievna celebrated her 80th birthday. In addition to congratulations from family, friends and colleagues, the actress was honored by fans who organized Budnitskaya’s online fan club, as well as journalists from the capital’s publications and the country’s leading television channels. Photos of the artist again appeared on the pages of magazines.
Now the actress is enjoying country life. In the Moscow region, Alla Budnitskaya and Alexander Orlov have built a two-story mansion, from where the actress does not intend to return to Moscow.
