Childhood
Svetlana Smirnova was born in the village of Yudino near Kazan. In her own words, it was such a wilderness that it was difficult to get to the city, especially during the rainy season, when the roads turned into mud. “These are my most painful memories,” the actress admits, “the Russian outback is hopeless: men drink, women grow old early, and the kids look at all this and it’s good if at some point they begin to realize that life can be completely different, and, thank God , if at that moment they come across a good teacher and friend..."
Svetlana was lucky, in the third grade she became interested in dancing, then she was drawn into the drama club at the House of Pioneers, and she fell into the hands of the brilliant man Yuri Leonidovich Kalinin. Under his leadership, Svetlana took her first steps in the acting field. Gradually, their drama club turned into a real theater: in the winter, the guys played plays, earned money, and in the summer, they used that money to make a movie - a real, feature film on 8mm film. In this theater, Svetlana played Juliet at the age of 13 and received her first title for this role - “Honored Artist of the Pioneer Theater “Ryabinka”.
Institute. Study and personal life
After graduating from school, Svetlana Smirnova, on the advice of the theater director, went to Leningrad to enroll in a theater university. The girl arrived in an unfamiliar city alone, with a small suitcase, 20 rubles of money and eyes full of fear. But the city, as they say, immediately accepted her, and Svetlana responded with love. She recalls: “When I first arrived, I heard the church bells ringing and immediately thought that everything would be fine. Then I wished that if before the exam I heard a bell ringing, luck would smile on me. I even specially planned my route so that I would end up near the temple...”
Unexpectedly for herself, Svetlana Smirnova quite easily entered the Leningrad State Institute of Theater, Music and Cinematography for the course of Z.Ya. Korogodsky. School has begun...
In her second year, she met her future husband, also an actor. “According to his role, he was a hero-lover, you understand - he was handsome, and also smart, wonderful, a real man. At least, that’s how he seemed to me then,” recalls Svetlana Stanislavovna. Some time later they got married, and a week after receiving her diploma, Svetlana Smirnova gave birth to a daughter...
Childhood and youth
Svetlana has a double surname not out of ambition, but to stand out from her namesakes and be remembered by the directors. The actress and older sister Olesya have been surrounded by theater since childhood. Grandparents are Belarusian artists. Father Sergei Smirnov directed the drama theater in Bugulma and worked at the Kazan Youth Theater. Mom Irina Martsinkevich taught at a theater school and created the private theater "Autograph".
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Svetlana Smirnova-Martsinkevich As a child,
Sveta was preparing to become a designer, but failed the art school exam. And after the 10th grade, “in passing” I entered the course of director Grigory Dityatkovsky at the St. Petersburg Academy of Theater Arts. Only at the end of the auditions did the commission determine that the applicant had a fake certificate: her mother, who did not want to miss the lucky chance, bought the document in the underground passage.
A year later, Svetlana arrived with a legal certificate. After completing her studies with Semyon Spivak, she joined the troupe of the Youth Theater on Fontanka. The girl made her final choice between the stage and the film set after participating in the short film “The Annunciation” by Alexei Yankovsky.
Debut on the silver screen
At that time, students of LGITMiK (like students of many other theater universities) were strictly prohibited from filming. Violation of the ban threatened expulsion. There were exceptions only in isolated cases (in Svetlana Smirnova’s course, Yuri Kamorny used such an exception).
Svetlana Smirnova was a second-year student when director Ilya Averbakh invited her to come and audition for his film “Other People's Letters.” “You don’t have to act, but you have to try,” he said. Several actresses auditioned for the role of Zinka Begunkova, including Irina Mazurkevich. But for various reasons, their candidacies were dropped, and in the end the role went to Svetlana.
The plot of the film was built around two heroines - the lonely teacher Vera Ivanovna (this role was played by Irina Kupchenko) and the 16-year-old maximalist, high school student Zina Begunkova. A typical clash of generations separated by an insurmountable gulf of mutual misunderstanding.
Filming took place in the summer of 1975, when students were on vacation. Svetlana secretly ran to the set and only hoped that when the film was released on her screens, the already recognized artist would not dare to be expelled from the institute. Fortunately, everything worked out well... The premiere of the film took place on August 24, 1976 and immediately attracted high marks from experts. “The picture is staged in a psychologically subtle and ambiguous way. Irina Kupchenko and Svetlana Smirnova made up a wonderful acting duet. The characters of their heroines are sculpted three-dimensionally, recognizable, and vividly,” wrote Alexander Fedorov. The film “Other People's Letters” received prizes at the I IFF in Naples and at the IX IFF in Thessaloniki. And Svetlana Smirnova herself was awarded the Prize of the editors of the magazine “Soviet Screen” “For the best acting debut.”
Actor career
The first course turned out to be quite difficult for Svetlana. She did not immediately manage to get used to a completely new life for her in a student dormitory, an unsettled life, and the absence of relatives and friends.
And it was easier to stand out among namesakes, because Smirnova is a fairly common surname, and in the future, unwanted confusion could easily arise.
Soon after this, director Alexey Yankovsky invited the young student to play a role in the short film “The Annunciation.” Filming took place in Karelia, from where Svetlana returned as a completely different person. The filming process made a great impression - the girl realized that her calling was cinema, not theater, and everything finally fell into place. She began to willingly agree to any roles, even very minor ones - she loved being on set so much, watching the work of the film crew and feeling involved in the amazing process of the birth of the film.
In 2007, Svetlana graduated from high school and joined the troupe of the Youth Theater on Fontanka under the direction of Semyon Spivak. She was impressed by this talented creative team, from which the girl drew strength and inspiration for her film roles. And the young actress had more and more of them every year.
In 2011, Svetlana starred in Alexander Mindadze’s film “On Saturday,” which describes the events of the Chernobyl tragedy. The film was a great success and was highly acclaimed at the Berlin Film Festival.
Svetlana Smirnova-Martsinkevich and Anton Shagin in the film “On Saturday”
The next step in the actress’s creative career was her participation in the multi-part television film “The Far Side of the Moon” (2012), filmed for Channel One. She got the key role of nurse Katya, and her heroine in a more adult version was played by Irina Martsinkevich, Svetlana’s mother.
In the same year, Anna Gres’s melodrama “The Road to Emptiness” was released, which was met with great interest by the audience. Svetlana played a simple village girl who had to endure many serious life trials.
1977-1980
In 1977, Svetlana Smirnova graduated from the Leningrad State Institute of Theater, Music and Cinematography. As a young specialist, she was assigned to the Youth Theater named after. A.A. Bryantseva. The young actress devoted three years to his stage, playing in the plays “Bambi”, “Comedy of Errors”, “Open Lesson”.
During these same years, Svetlana Smirnova played several bright roles in films, which remained in the memory of viewers for a long time. This is the touching princess Aleli in the musical fairy tale film directed by Igor Voznesensky “The Rings of Almanzor”, the delightful, full of nobility Abigail Churchill in the television historical film directed by Yuli Karasik “A Glass of Water”, the selfish, callous, ungrateful girl Tamarochka Bolotnikova, kicking her mother out of the house in the film “First Married” by Joseph Kheifitz. These are such different, completely opposite images that emphasize the breadth and versatility of Svetlana Smirnova’s acting talent.
The beginning of Svetlana Smirnova's film career, Svetlana Smirnova
LGITMiK students were strictly forbidden to act in films, otherwise they could simply be expelled and their career could be forgotten.
There were, of course, rare exceptions, for example, Yuri Kamorny enjoyed a special position in Smirnova’s course. In her second year, the actress was offered to audition for the film “Other People's Letters”, Ilya Averbakh - the director convinced the girl that she needed this in order to feel her strength, even if she did not act in film. The role of Zinka Begunkova went to Svetlana, although there were enough worthy contenders for her.
Svetlana filmed in secret in the hope that she would not suffer the cruel fate of being expelled, and fate once again smiled on her. In 1976, the film premiered and Svetlana was awarded the prize “For Best Acting Debut.”
In 1977, Smirnova received a specialist diploma, her life is full of plans and hopes, she takes her first steps at the Youth Theater. A.A. Bryantseva, she spent three years there. She played in the plays “Open Lesson”, “Comedy of Errors”, “Bambi”.
80s
In 1981, Svetlana Smirnova left the Youth Theater. For some time she worked at the Film Actor's Studio at Lenfilm and at the Vremya Theater Studio, and in 1983 she was accepted into the troupe of the Lensovet Theater. They called the actress to Moscow, but she refused. Peter has already completely captured her heart...
After her first film works, Svetlana Smirnova gained fame. Numerous fans sent their confessions to the theater. For some reason, letters from prisoners came especially often. Svetlana Stanislavovna says that at first she tried to answer everyone, sympathized with them, reassured them, and promised that everything would turn out well for them too. But when one prisoner told her that he was in love and would come as soon as he was free, she was seriously scared. “Being a ZEC’s friend is, of course, an honor, but not for me, I can somehow live with my husband and daughter, quietly and calmly, without gold placers and arctic fox coats,” says the actress with irony. Since then, she stopped her “charitable” correspondence and ordered the theater to strictly not tell anyone her home address.
In the 80s, many films were released with the participation of Svetlana Smirnova. This is the melodrama “Since We've Been Together” (Nadya Chistyakova), and the melodrama “Love Me as I Love You” (Ksenia), and the science fiction film “Letters from a Dead Man” (Teresa), and the cult detective story “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson" (Miss Westery), and the adventure film "The Prisoner of the Chateau d'If" (Hermine Danglars).
In 1988, Smirnova played the main role in the melodrama directed by Alexei Prachenko “The Lady with a Parrot.” Her heroine was a loving mother and a lonely woman, music teacher Elena Ivanovna Stepantsova. The main male role was played by the incomparable actor Alexander Zharkov.
Biography
Svetlana Smirnova-Martsinkevich is a Russian theater and film actress who starred in such TV series as “The Far Side of the Moon” and “Road to Empty.”
Svetlana Smirnova-Martsinkevich was born and raised in Kazan. For several generations, her family had a direct connection to the stage. Sveta’s parents, Sergei Smirnov and Irina Martsinkevich, also received acting education, but later they took leadership positions. His father is the administrator of the Kazan Theater for Young Spectators, and his mother manages the Autograph Theater.
It was no surprise to anyone that Svetlana decided to continue the dynasty of actors and after school began to enroll in the theater department. It is curious that even after the 9th grade she almost got into the course of director Grigory Dityatkovsky: only after successfully passing all the auditions, the commission determined that applicant Smirnova did not have a matriculation certificate, which is why she was denied admission.
Smirnova-Martsinkevich went to St. Petersburg to study. The fact is that when she was little, she visited the Northern capital and fell in love with this city, so she didn’t even consider Moscow universities. Svetlana studied with Semyon Spivak at the St. Petersburg Academy of Theater Arts, after which she was accepted into the troupe of the Youth Theater on Fontanka.
The girl received a double surname from her parents, and not after the wedding, like a number of the actress’s colleagues. It is worth noting that the actress initially had a paternal surname - Smirnova. But after the first year, Svetlana decided to change it, since she has too many namesakes, and for a creative profession it is necessary for the name to stand out. The point here is not ambition, but the fact that the presence of namesakes can confuse directors and journalists and interfere with further creative biography.
The girl officially combined her parents' surnames and became Smirnova-Martsinkevich. Her older sister Olesya, who also became an actress, followed her example.
90s
After playing for a short time at the Salon Theater "St. Petersburg" (performances: "Uncle Vanya", "Two Brothers", "Love Syndrome"), Svetlana Smirnova in 1992 moved to the Russian State Academic Drama Theater named after A.S. Pushkin (now the Alexandrinsky Theater). Her debut was the role of Sonya in the play “The Flower of Poppy,” which was received rather ambiguously by both spectators and specialists. However, despite this, even then it became clear to everyone that the troupe had found a new star.
Almost immediately, the actress took one of the leading places in the theater. Experts noted the depth of her dramatic talent, powerful temperament, and expressiveness of her acting. Over many years of work in the theater, Svetlana Smirnova has played many diverse roles, including: Siri von Essen in the play “Who is Stronger?”, Anna Andreevna in Gogol’s “The Government Inspector”, the drug addict prompter in “The Snow Queens”, Anna Petrovna in “Petersburg” , the collective image of Baba in “Ivana”, Natalya Dmitrievna in “Woe from Wit”, Marina Mnishek in “Boris Godunov”, Baroness Shtral in Lermontov’s “Masquerade”.
But with cinema, things were worse. At the beginning of the decade, the actress was still acting (although these were supporting roles or episodes), and since the mid-90s she disappeared from the screens. Russian cinema was in decline, and Svetlana Smirnova simply was not offered good roles.
The best roles of Svetlana Smirnova
At the same time, she is an actress acting in films, her roles still live in the memory of fans of her talent. In the film “The Rings of Almanzor” by Igor Voznesensky, she played Princess Aleli; in the film “A Glass of Water” Yulia Karasika - Abigail Churchill; in the film “First Married” by Joseph Kheifitz, she is a cruel, selfish girl who, without any doubt, kicks her mother out of the house.
The actress is talented, her ability to play opposite characters is a confirmation.
In 1981, the actress decided to try her hand at the Vremya Theater-Studio, in 1983 she was accepted by the Lensovet Theater, and was invited to Moscow.
Her first roles brought her popularity, she constantly received numerous messages from fans, especially from those who were in prison. She tried to answer everyone, tried to express support, but the promise of one of her admirers to return to her after her release put an end to her noble impulses .
In 1992, Svetlana continued her creative path at the Russian State Academic Drama Theater named after A.S. Pushkin.
She managed to take one of the leading places, play many brilliant roles: “Woe from Wit” - Natalya Dmitrievna, “Boris Godunov” - Marina Mnishek, “Who is Stronger?” — Siri von Essen and many others.
In the 90s, she practically did not act in films.
After a long lull, she recalled herself in the series “Streets of Broken Lanterns”, “Pale Moth”, her role impressed fans and critics. Nowadays she rarely films.
He devotes most of his life to the theater.
"Pale moth"
In 1998, director Dmitry Svetozarov, whom Svetlana Smirnova knew from the film “Other People's Letters,” invited her to play the role of Larisa Serdobolskaya in the series “Streets of Broken Lanterns.” The series was called “Pale Moth” and was about a plain-looking woman, an old maid, with an attractive, well-produced voice and working on an “intimate telephone.” Svetlana Stanislavovna said: “I’m an adventurer in my work, I’m always offered dramatic roles, with a broken fate, but I miss comedy - and here’s such a funny scenario: a colorless employee of the phone sex service after work turns into a vamp and gets wet rich men."
The series turned out simply great. Both before and after her, there were many more episodes in “Streets of Broken Lanterns,” but viewers more often than others o. For this work, Svetlana Smirnova was awarded the prestigious TEFI award. Following “Pale Moth,” Svetlana Smirnova starred in another film by Dmitry Svetozarov – the drama “Fourteen Colors of the Rainbow.” The role of the prostitute-drug addict Alice brought the actress another prestigious award - the Kinotavr Festival Award in the category "Best Actress". Svetlana Smirnova's return to the screen has taken place!
FILMOGRAPHY: Actress
- City of Brides (2019), TV series
- Reckoning (2019), TV series
- Pure Psychology (2019)
- Scream of Silence (2019)
- Others (2019), TV series
- Groom 2: To Berlin! (2018)
- What is she silent about (2018), TV series
- Casanova (2018), TV series
- Big Sky (2018), TV series
- Two comrades served (2017), TV series
- Cleaned Out (2017)
- Witch Doctor (2017)
- Poor Girl (2017), TV series
- Swing (2017), TV series
- Territory (2016), TV series
- Reckoning (2016), TV series
- Run! (2016), TV series
- Groom (2016)
- The Far Side of the Moon-2 (2016), TV series
- Jafaron (2015)
- Plague (2015), TV series
- Wonderland (2015)
- Pioneer Heroes (2015)
- Angel Heart (2014), TV series
- Alien District 3 (2014), TV series
- Non-random meeting (2014), TV series
- Cowboys (2013), TV series
- From scratch (2013)
- World War III (2013), TV series
- Sea Devils. Tornado. Fates (2013), TV series
- Thirst (2013)
- Road to Emptiness (2012), TV series
- Streets of Broken Lanterns 12 (2012), TV series
- The Far Side of the Moon (2012), TV series
- Groupie (2012)
- Task Force 2 (2011), TV series
- Heavenly Court (2011), TV series
- On Saturday (2011)
- It's not evening yet (2010), TV series
- Sea Devils 4 (2010), TV series
- Maskvichy (2010), TV series
- Lieutenant Suvorov (2009)
- Version (2009), TV series
- It's Hard to Be a Macho (2008)
- Annunciation (2008)
- Streets of Broken Lanterns 9 (2008), TV series
- Trace (2007), TV series
- Always say “always” 4 (2007), TV series
2000s
Svetlana Smirnova still acts in films, although perhaps not as often as her fans would like. One of the best works of the first decade of the 2000s was the role of Katerina Ivanovna, Marmeladov’s wife in the TV series “Crime and Punishment” based on Dostoevsky’s novel of the same name. Well, the director of the series is the same Dmitry Svetozarov.
In addition, the actress has been working for many years in dubbing foreign films and animation. And here her work does not go unnoticed. For dubbing the film “Fight Club” Svetlana Smirnova was awarded the “Golden Candlestick” award.
Svetlana Smirnova-Katsagadzhieva now
In 2019, the actress starred in the new detective series “Trace of the Fox on the Stones” together with Evgeny Pronin and Alexei Vakulov. The main project of the year for her was the military drama “Corridor of Immortality,” in which Svetlana played Sofia Vishnevskaya, a Komsomol member who, together with her girls the same age, built railway tracks in besieged Leningrad. Later in an interview, the artist said that the invitation to the project was unexpected for her, and director Fyodor Popov made the decision about her participation very quickly, literally after the first auditions.
Now Svetlana is busy mainly in the theater. Fans have been eagerly awaiting news about her 2020 filming and performance schedule.
Personal life
Svetlana Smirnova lived together with her first husband for quite a long time. There was everything in their life: betrayal, alcohol... But at some point the actress felt that she could no longer live like this. Svetlana Stanislavovna recalls: “We lived together for almost twenty years, until my daughter said: “Mom, maybe that’s enough?” - this whole atmosphere didn’t have the best effect on her either. I gathered my remaining strength and left..."
She was alone for some time, and she was rewarded for her patience. Svetlana Stanislavovna met a new love in the person of theater actor Vladimir Mironov. With this man she felt calm and protected as she had never felt before in her life. She also became a grandmother. Isn't this happiness?
Svetlana Smirnova’s daughter did not follow in her mother’s footsteps - she works in a beauty salon.
