Granddaughter Freundlich: Grandmother's illness? Complete nonsense!
The incomparable Mymra from “Office Romance,” Alisa Freindlich, turned 80 at the end of last year.
Mikhail Boyarsky accurately noted about her: “Talented like Mozart and pedantic like Salieri.” Alisa Freundlich is idolized by millions, but she herself never considered herself a star. Today, the actress appears in few films and rarely gives interviews.
We talked with Alisa Brunovna’s granddaughter, theater academy student Anna Tarasova.
– Anna, how did you congratulate your grandmother?
- Creatively. There is no point in giving something expensive, she has everything. They organized a skit party on the Small Stage of the native Bolshoi Drama Theater. Tovstonogov in St. Petersburg, performed with funny numbers, remade songs. Grandma generally does not like to celebrate her birthday on a grand scale. Well, when it’s an anniversary, there’s no way around it... But we usually celebrate it in a narrow family circle. My grandmother refused the Big Stage at the Bolshoi Drama Theater and persuaded everyone to move the festivities to the Small Stage. By the way, everyone who was invited was told in the booklets that they were forbidden to say the words “anniversary,” “80 years,” and “I grew up watching your films.” Firstly, my grandmother doesn’t feel like she’s that age, and secondly, the phrase “I grew up watching your films” just makes me sick, and the phrase “I used to go to your performances as a girl or a boy” too.
Alisa Freindlich with her daughter and granddaughter / From personal archive
– What is your favorite film with the participation of Alisa Brunovna?
– “Cruel Romance” and “Adventures of a Dentist”, I watched the last one when I was little, and it is still one of my favorites.
– Is grandma greeting you with pies?
“She doesn’t really know how to cook.” I am greeted with fried potatoes and pickled mushrooms. Does it amazing. No one has tastier than grandma's fried potatoes. Although my mother cooks deliciously, she doesn’t cook like that.
[:rsame:]
– Do you often visit Alisa Brunovna?
– I try as often as possible, I come running for advice or just to chat. Unfortunately, both my grandmother and I have little free time, but we try to go to the dacha on weekends, go to the theater or cinema, and go shopping.
- How about shopping? After all, with such popularity, they probably won’t give her a pass.
“That’s why he tries to go either with me or with his mother.” We put a hat on her and protect her from fans. People in St. Petersburg are apparently used to her living here, and they don’t pester her so much anymore. I don't know how it is in other cities. Of course, they bring out autographs, but more often they just say hello.
– Does he give autographs to everyone?
– Lately I’ve started to refuse often. In general, it seems to me that giving autographs is a thrill only for the first year or two, then it gets boring. I look at the person, I see how he dreams of an autograph, I ask her not to refuse.
– Is Alisa Brunovna a strict grandmother?
- No, but she doesn’t need to say anything, explain anything, she will look at you so that you understand everything. The only thing she always scolds me for is quarrels with my mother if I am offended by her. Grandmother says: “Anya, she gave birth to you and she can’t be wrong! You have no right to be offended or rude to her.” There is no quarrel as such. It all depends on me. If I say with my pride: “No, I’m still right,” then my grandmother will not talk, she will not answer any questions. As soon as I say, “I’m sorry,” everything is fine. She always taught me that you need to apologize and admit your mistakes. If you did something bad, you need to go up to the person, hug him, kiss him, and everything will be fine.
– The whole country fell in love with her for the role of Mymra. But in life she is still such a beauty...
“We all admire her beauty.” I don’t know a single actress who, at 80 years old, would look as beautiful as her grandmother, although she never went to any fitness centers. Only in the morning does he do the most common 15-minute exercises. And how active she is! He jumps and dances on stage – it’s something incredible. If we, for example, go somewhere for a walk, she never says that she is tired or needs to sit. In the end, it ends with me saying: “Alicik, I’m going to my room, I’ll rest.” She told me: “Go, go, I’ll be right there.” And he continues walking. For me, her vital energy has always been a mystery. I hope her genes were passed on to me.
Alisa Freindlikh and Andrei Myagkov in the film Office Romance / Still from the film “Office Romance”
– Do you call her Alisik?
– Yes, and my brother Nikita too. As a child, I didn’t associate her with my grandmother; she doesn’t look like an old woman. I share everything with her, I consult on everything, she is like a friend to me, that’s why Alisik. And my mother calls her Musik or Musya.
- Since we're talking about my brother. How is he? Any success in conquering Moscow?
– Nikita is an unpredictable guy. At 22 years old, he didn’t study anywhere. Now he lives in Moscow, works on Channel One, in the Evening Urgant program. In general, he is the kind of person who never shares his life plans and doesn’t let anyone in on his personal life. He speaks only when the plan has already been accomplished.
– Alisa Freindlich has an ideal figure. Has she ever deliberately lost weight?
- No, this is also one of the mysteries. I have never been on any diet in my life. She eats in very small portions, but often - a habit since the time of the siege of Leningrad.
[:same:]
– You said that you consult your grandmother in everything, and in choosing men too?
– They don’t change that often. I never introduced my grandmother to my boyfriends. This will happen only when they propose marriage to me, I will tell the groom: “Go to your grandmother to ask for permission.”
- Well, first of all, will you send the groom to his mother or grandmother?
“By then he will probably already know his mother; I bring all the boys to her.” Mom is a kind, open person, she likes everyone, and she will always approve of my choice. But Alisik can express dissatisfaction. But for now, both mother and grandmother say one thing: “Anya, beware of the actors! God forbid!"
– Do you have a boyfriend now?
- No, I am free.
– When you are going through a breakup with your loved one, do you come and cry in your grandmother’s vest?
- No. I don’t want to sit with her and whine; talking about some serious things is another matter. She is not the kind of person you want to lie on his shoulder and cry.
– Alisa Brunovna has the image of a strong woman. Have you ever seen her cry?
- She never cries! I am amazed at her resilience and strength, and I learn this from her. I don't know where she gets so much strength from.
– 80 years is still a considerable age, and Alisa Freundlich has been smoking a lot for almost her entire adult life. How is her health now?
“There’s nothing serious, she’s doing well.” And what they come up with in the press about her illnesses is complete nonsense. She pays attention to examinations and goes to doctors.
– Many actresses at her age, for example Vera Alentova, undergo plastic surgery, lifts, and smooth out wrinkles. Has Alisa Brunovna ever resorted to such methods of rejuvenation?
- She looks so gorgeous. My grandmother is against this, she says: “If you inject yourself with Botox, then you won’t be able to act with your face, but for an actor this is extremely important.” She doesn't even go to beauty salons. At home she makes herself various masks and applies creams.
[:rsame:]
– Does it happen that the teacher gave you a “failure”, you went to your grandmother and asked her to call the academy?
- In no case. In our family, not only is it prohibited, it has never even been discussed. We are actually very simple people and never take advantage of our position. On the contrary, at school, and now at university, I try to hide the fact that my grandmother is Alisa Freundlich. I have my own path, my life. The most I ask from her is theater tickets.
– Is it even easy to be the granddaughter of People’s Artist of the USSR Alisa Freindlikh? Surely at the theater academy everyone is compared to grandma, you meet boys and don’t know whether they need you or your status...
“I’ll be honest: this really bothers me.” There is such fear, I often think: what if they meet me because of my grandmother... Sometimes I complain to her about this, she answers me: “My poor baby. I understand you. I’m very sorry that this happened and you have to suffer.” Therefore, when I meet people, I hide the fact that I am the granddaughter of Alisa Freundlich. When I am convinced that a person is already interested in me, I reveal all my cards.
– Maybe she regrets becoming an actress?
“She’s probably tired of popularity.” But I can say one thing for sure: he cannot live without the theater, he will play on stage until the end. Theater comes first for her, it’s her life. When grandma has a vacation, exactly two weeks later she already wants to return to the theater, no matter how we entertain her, no matter where we take her. How upset she gets when performances are canceled for some reason! This is a must see.
– Were there moments when Alisa Brunovna’s popularity helped?
– Maybe it was once, but I didn’t notice it. I never specifically tell anyone about this. There are people who treat her well, but others immediately think that this is a granddaughter - that means she has everything, all doors are open to her, everything is possible.
– Anna, do you want to become a star?
- Probably not. I value my personal life very much and don’t want the whole country to know where and with whom I live, what I eat and when I decide to have a child. This is all very personal to me.
Granddaughter of Alisa Freindlich: “Grandma never cries” / Yuriy Pilipenko / Russian Look
– Are your social circle the golden youth of St. Petersburg, or can you still fall in love with a simple plumber?
– I don’t even know any of the so-called golden youth. I am a completely different person, I cannot be considered one of them at all. I always interacted with ordinary people. For example, my friend’s parents are doctors.
– Alisa Brunovna hasn’t acted much in films in recent years, why?
– Yes, she would be happy to, but they don’t offer anything good. Our cinema is suffering now, there are few roles for her, and if they bring scripts, she doesn’t like it.
[:rsame:]
– How does your grandmother feel about the modern remake of “Office Romance”?
– Regarding how this film was made, it seems to me that everything is clear... My grandmother did not watch this film, she considered the remake of “Office Romance,” to put it mildly, not a very good idea.
– How do you assess the abilities of actress Svetlana Khodchenkova, who appears in the film “Office Romance. Our Time" played Lyudmila Prokofievna Kalugina?
– I like some roles. I haven’t seen this film either, but I think it’s simply wrong to do remakes. And no matter how good an actress Khodchenkova is, it will not be possible to play better what was played more than 30 years ago. This simply shouldn't be done.
– While preparing for an interview with you, I accidentally came across Alisa Freindlich’s page on one of the social networks. Does your grandmother use the Internet? Is this her page?
- Of course not. She is very far from the Internet, she can’t even read the news there. Her phone is only for calls.
– Now director Eldar Ryazanov, who made your grandmother famous throughout the USSR by starring in “Office Romance” and “Cruel Romance,” is in the hospital in serious condition. Did Alisa Freindlich contact him and find out how he was feeling?
“She doesn’t share with me who she called and when, but if someone gets sick, she will definitely call and visit in the hospital. Grandma is a very caring person.
Biography
At the end of 2020, Alisa Freundlich celebrated her 85th birthday - she was born on December 8, 1934 in the family of Ksenia Feodorovna and Bruno Arturovich, who lived in Leningrad. It was from her parents that the girl acquired a craving for performing arts; they even met at drama courses. Talking about her childhood, the legendary actress called him “very, very happy and bright” thanks to the youth of her father and mother.
Theater
After successfully graduating from the theater institute, Alisa was invited to the Leningrad Drama Theater named after Komissarzhevskaya. As Freundlich recalls, here she went through fire, water and copper pipes. At the Komissarzhevskaya Theater she received only those roles that Emma Popova refused. It was not easy for Freundlich; she was worried a lot. But now Alisa Brunovna is immensely grateful for this acting and life school. In this theater the actress played more than ten roles.
Alisa Freindlich in the theater
In 1961, she moved to the Leningrad Academic Theater named after Lensovet, where the actress of small stature (153 cm) and enormous talent was finally noticed and appreciated. In the Leningrad City Council, Freundlich became the main actress. The theater director was able to grasp the specifics of her acting talent. When choosing the repertoire, Vladimirov was guided by Freundlich’s individuality.
