Future husband - Oleg Yankovsky
It was there that the young Oleg Yankovsky, who was a year younger than Lyudmila, drew attention to her. Oleg often recalled the moment when he and his girlfriend were awarded a trip to the capital for excellent studies. After getting off the train at the Paveletsky station, Oleg and his girlfriend sat on a bench, ate saechki (buns) and thought about the future. Back then, young people had no idea that fame and wonderful film roles awaited them. From that moment on, the biography of Lyudmila Zorina was full of unexpected events.
Lyudmila Zorina today
Recently, Lyudmila Zorina often gives interviews for publications specializing in theater and cinema about the life and work of her husband Oleg Yankovsky. With rare exceptions, she becomes a full-fledged hero of journalistic materials as an actress. Traditionally, she is spoken of as an exemplary wife who found the strength to put her own cinema career on the altar of family well-being and love. Thus, life once again proves that the main thing for each of us should remain unchanging treasures - love, family and children.
Activities of the actress in Saratov
In 1964, after graduating from college, the actress was immediately invited to play in the Saratov Drama Theater for A. Vasilevsky, where her brilliant work was noted by both spectators and directors. By that time, relations with Oleg Yankovsky were legalized, and Saratov residents said about him: “Yankovsky? This is the husband of actress Zorina.” Over ten long years of acting within the walls of the cozy theater, Lyudmila played more than fifty roles in various performances: “Wolves and Sheep”, “Russian People”, “Masquerade”, “Nightingale Night”, etc.
But Oleg by that time had decided to try his luck in Moscow, and Lyudmila Zorina, like a faithful and loving wife, follows her husband to the capital. She helps her husband in his creative endeavors and takes care of his family. Son Philip took a central place in the life of the couple. As an adult, he gave his parents two grandchildren: Lisa and Vanechka.
Family favorite
The future actor was born in 1944 in Dzhezkazgan, Kazakh SSR. His older brothers, Rostislav and Nikolai, were already growing up in the family at that time. His parents ended up in this city by force of circumstances; father, Jan Yankovsky, was repressed to Kazakhstan in the 1930s. He was persecuted for his past: back in tsarist times, the man served in the Semyonovsky regiment. The father came from Polish nobles and was born in Warsaw. Later they began to call him Ivan, thanks to which his sons were recorded as Ivanovich in their passports. His mother, Marina Ivanovna, a Russian by nationality, was engaged in accounting work, and his father worked on the construction of a copper smelter. When Oleg was 9 years old, his father died, and his mother had to raise three children alone.
His parents were always interested in theatrical productions and loved listening to music; it is not surprising that their sons were also drawn to art. Soon the family moved to Saratov, where the brothers of the future artist became interested in acting. Soon they enrolled in a drama club, learning there the first basics of the creative profession. Having received an acting education, the older brother played on the stage of a local theater, and then left to build a career in Minsk. To help his mother, Rostislav took Oleg with him, who continued his studies at school there.
The young man at that time was a passionate football player, which caused his performance at school to suffer. However, his interests soon changed, and he began to disappear behind the scenes of the theater where his brother worked. Once he had to play in one play, because the actress playing the boy fell ill. He managed to make an impression and soon received a prominent role in the production of “The Boundless Dare.”
But then Oleg did not take this profession seriously; After graduating from school, he went to his mother and brother, intending to get an education there as a dental technician. Since the exams had already begun there, the young man had to go to the Slonov Theater School, but enrollment there had already ended. Having learned his last name, the admissions committee said that he had been accepted. The young man was surprised and shared this event with his brother. Nikolai immediately admitted that it was he who took the exams, but immediately, without regret, he gave up this place to Oleg.
Working at Lenkom brought success
Since 1974, Lyudmila has played roles at the Lenkom Theater, where her experience and natural talent immediately distinguish her from other actors. The turning point in her life was her performance in the play “Avtograd 21”. Since that time, the actress’s talent has become in demand not only on the stage of the theater stage, but also in many feature films. She is recognized by her roles in theatrical productions: “Romulus the Great”, “Two Women”, “Revolutionary Study”, “Theatrical Prayer” and many others. Dedication to her favorite work and exceptional talent make her popular in our country and abroad, and in 1999 Lyudmila Zorina, whose filmography was not so rich, was awarded the title of Honored Artist, which did not prevent her from remaining an excellent mother and grandmother.
Personal life of Lyudmila Zorina and the Moscow period of creativity
What made Lyudmila leave her beloved Saratov in search of a better life was not a desire for fame, but a loved one - her husband Oleg Yankovsky, whom she met in her third year of college, when the young people were awarded a joint trip to Moscow for academic success. It was then, while studying in his final years, that the future celebrity Yankovsky took a new look at the red-haired and one of the most talented students at the school. After some time, the young people got married. At that time in Saratov, no one spoke about Yankovsky except about the husband of that same Zorina, since he always had to be content with minor roles in the theater against the backdrop of his wife’s brilliant leading roles.
In 1974, Zorina and Yankovsky, who had a vital need to satisfy his creative ambitions, moved to Moscow, where the couple got a job in the troupe of the famous Lenkom. Now the time has come for her husband’s popularity, and this could not but please Lyudmila, because for her, her beloved Oleg Yankovsky was always in first place, with whom she did not part for a minute for forty years until his death in 2009. Over the years of work at Lenkom (from 1974 to 1998), the actress played roles in such plays as “Autograd XXI” (the play for it was co-written by M. Zakharov and Yu. Vizbor), “Til” (the play was specially written G. Gorin based on the famous novel by C. de Coster), “A Guy from Our City” (author K. Simonov), “Revolutionary Study” (author M. Shatrov), “Romulus the Great”, “Funeral Prayer”, “Two Women” "(based on the Turgenev comedy "A Month in the Country") directed by Mark Zakharov, Yuri Makhaev, Pyotr Stein and Vladimir Mirzoev.
Life is like a movie
Together with her husband, Oleg Ivanovich Yankovsky, the actress starred in the movie “Flying in Dreams and in Reality,” beloved by the audience. Filming took place in 1983 at the studio named after. Dovzhenko. Along with the actors, Oleg Tabakov, Lyudmila Gurchenko, Nikita Mikhalkov, Lyudmila Ivanova starred in the film.
The main character, engineer Sergei, is going through a crisis at the age of forty. For him, life is painted in gray tones, and no events can make bright and contagious emotions stir in his soul. Everything seems dull and insipid to him: relationships with his wife, boring work, communication with colleagues. A man does things that shock others. In fact, this is an attempt to find yourself and the meaning of your destiny, begin to enjoy something and regain your former prowess and faith in happiness.
But it was Roman Balayan who overcame these difficult moments in life, to whom the idea of creating the film belonged. For five years, Balayan, shrouded in the rays of fame after the screening of the famous film Biryuk, received one refusal after another in response to his proposals. Then, in despair, Roman decided to bring to life the story of a creative, sensitive, extraordinary person, engineer Makarov. He suggested writing the script to Viktor Merezhko. And he offered to play the main role to Oleg Yankovsky, having watched his exceptional performance in the film “We, the Undersigned...” The wife of the eccentric engineer was played by Lyudmila Zorina, Yankovsky’s wife.
In 1987, the actress masterfully played one of the leading roles in the film “The Kreutzer Sonata.”
Illness and death
The actor’s last work was the role of a metropolitan in the film “Tsar.” Filming began in 2008, and he was still feeling well then. A special cross was made for his character, which was consecrated in the church after filming. This picture impressed all the guests of the Cannes Film Festival; they were shocked and cried unashamedly. Oleg Ivanovich managed to hear congratulations from his colleagues on the phone, and soon he was gone.
He never complained or talked about his illnesses, enduring everything courageously. The actor’s health worsened in the summer of 2008 during a rehearsal; he was immediately admitted to the hospital. After undergoing treatment, Yankovsky went to work, and even played in the play “Marriage,” but after a few months he had to turn to doctors again. The examination showed that he had pancreatic cancer. German doctors treated him, but this did not give positive results, and in May 2009 the screen star died.
My beloved husband passed away
The death of the person dearest and closest to her took Lyudmila by surprise. Oleg Yankovsky suffered from a terrible and painful disease - cancer, and his family gave all their mental and physical strength to the patient in order to somehow support him. But death is merciless, and unexpectedly takes the lives of the best people. Oleg Ivanovich’s ashes rest in the Novodevichy cemetery, where residents from all over Russia constantly come and cover the actor’s grave with flowers. Actress Lyudmila Zorina could barely stand on her feet, not believing what had happened. It is difficult to remain strong and hold your head high when your soul is black and empty with despair, but the widow did not give up.
The most precious thing is memory
What can remain of a person who has left the people who love him? Memory. And the actress carefully turns over the pages of the past in her mind, where she and her husband still laugh at the pranks of little Philip, walk along the alleys, greet sunrises and see off sunsets together.
The death of Oleg Yankovsky, like other famous and bright people, became a target for discussion in the country. Critics, envious people and enemies tried to tarnish the bright memory of the actor, trying to bask in the rays of glory on other people’s grief on various talk shows, in the “yellow” press, and on the pages of magazines.
Lyudmila was very sensitive to Mark Rudinshtein’s lies to her husband, because during Oleg’s life they were good friends and often spent their free time together. She was shocked when Mark decided to present her husband to the whole country as an old lecher and unscrupulous person. Lyudmila Zorina stated that if such information is widely publicized, she is not responsible for her actions. And this desperate step somewhat calmed down the evil “well-wishers.”
Now the actress spends most of her time with her grandchildren, who have in some ways inherited both the appearance and character traits of their late husband, and are crazy about their caring grandmother. Lyudmila understands that everything in this life is temporary, and we must cherish those moments when the whole family is together and her relatives are smiling. If they are happy, then she is happy too. But anger and envy will remain with those people who are their authors.
Facts from life and memories of friends
- While studying at drama school, he discovered a big problem with diction. He had to work hard on himself in order to play his role well in the graduation production, and then received praise from the teachers.
- Having gained popularity, Oleg Ivanovich began to often visit European cities, where he liked to sit in some cafe and watch those around him. The actor especially enjoyed walking around Paris. He always loved to dress stylishly, so he brought fashionable things from such trips, shelling out a lot of money for them
- Among Yankovsky's close friends were Alexander Abdulov and Alexander Zbruev; He often traveled with them to Russian cities, arranging creative meetings for fans. Sometimes it turned out that they did not receive money for their performances, and sometimes they were deceived and were not provided with transportation, depriving them of the opportunity to quickly go home. Once, after working in a northern town, the actors were waiting for the promised plane, but it didn’t come. Then they had to go to the railway station and clear the snow there so that the train could arrive. The friends arrived in the capital very late, which is why they were replaced in the performance. Oleg Ivanovich was the most upset of all.
- He dreamed of playing Hamlet, and Zbruev had to give him this role. However, this performance did not generate enough interest among the audience; moreover, theater critic Natalya Krymova was very dissatisfied with how the actor created this image. Yankovsky remembered this disastrous role for a long time, often exclaiming: “I’ll show Krymova what kind of artist I am!”
- The older brothers carried their love for the younger Oleg throughout their lives. He also valued these relationships, and always took the time to celebrate someone’s birthday with his family or go to visit them.
- Oleg Ivanovich was devoted to his profession, but sometimes he thought that he had to choose a different path. Like many creative people, he went through painful and painful periods, afraid of losing the love of fans and no longer playing worthy roles.
