Irina Alferova - 70: Why one of the most beautiful actresses for 17 years was not allowed out of the crowd

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

On March 13, People's Artist of the Russian Federation Irina Alferova, who was called "the most beautiful face of Russian cinema", turns 70. Her career can hardly be called unsuccessful - there are about 50 roles in her filmography, but the main ones among them are insultingly few. In the theater, she also remained on the bench for many years. She did not make scandals, did not enter into an argument with the directors, but at the same time, many of them did not like her. Why Mark Zakharov 17 years did not let her out of the crowd, and for what Irina Alferova was offended by Georgy Yungvald-Khilkevich after filming in "D'Artanyan and the Three Musketeers" - further in the review.

The only role in 5 years

Even while studying at school in her native Novosibirsk, Irina Alferova spent all her free time in the theater studio. Her mentor noticed her abilities and advised her after school to go not to the local drama school, but immediately to GITIS. She successfully passed the entrance tests, but at first it was very difficult for her to study - she felt constrained on stage and could not depict in sketches what she had never felt in real life. At the same time, the teachers saw the potential in her and considered one of the most talented on the course.

Alferova began acting in films while studying at GITIS, and immediately after graduation she received her first starring role - Dasha Bulavina in the 13-episode film "Walking Through the Torment". The director Vasily Ordynsky, at the first meeting, captivated her eyes, but he set one condition for the young actress: while the shooting lasts, she needs to forget about theatrical performances. And for 5 years, the actress gave all her strength to just one role in the movie.

She was invited to several theaters, she was offered the roles of Gaidai and Chukhrai, but Ordynsky insisted: "" It seemed to many that the director was not only protecting her and preparing her triumphant appearance on the screens, but was just jealous. He sincerely admired her "otherworldly" beauty and was in love with her, but the actress did not reciprocate. Perhaps her resounding success in the film "Walking Through the Torment" she owed to the fact that the audience saw her on the screens with the director's loving eyes, who managed to reveal all her best acting facets and the unique charm of "unprotected femininity." Film critics still call this role one of the best in Irina Alferova's film career.

17 years in the crowd of "Lenkom"

After completing the filming of "Walking through the agony" Irina Alferova came to "Lenkom". At first, she did not remember herself from happiness - the actress was in love with this theater since the first time she saw the play with Alexander Abdulov in the title role. First - to the theater, and then to the actor himself. They soon became husband and wife. And although Abdulov was one of Zakharov's favorites and received the best roles, he did not want to put in a word for his wife, year after year, patiently waiting in the crowd. He said: "". The reasons why Mark Zakharov for 17 years did not give Alferova prominent roles remained a mystery to many. The men in "Lenkom" were more fortunate - Yankovsky, Karachentsov, Abdulov and others performed dozens of bright roles, the characteristic actresses Peltzer and Churikova were also not deprived of the director's attention, but the actress could not even dream of the roles of the heroines.

Tatyana Dogileva believed that the main reason for this was the father's concern for his daughter, Alexander Zakharova, who got all the main roles. However, for the sake of justice it is worth remembering that even his daughter Zakharov kept in the crowd for 12 years - he considered it a useful acting school. At the same time, the director did not let Alferova leave the theater, persuading him to wait a little longer - the Abdulov-Alferov pair became a kind of Lenkom brand, which added popularity to the theater.

"Just a little bit more" the actress waited 17 years. She confessed: "". Zakharov not only did not give her noticeable roles, but also very reluctantly let her go to the shooting, although at that time the young actress received many offers from filmmakers.

In 1993, her patience ran out. Zakharov kept his word and "out of love for Abdulov" finally gave Alferova one of the main roles in the play, only it was the role of a woman-dog with barking instead of words. The actress recalled: "". By that time, their relationship with Abdulov had cracked, and nothing was holding her back in this theater. At the same time, the actress did not harbor any grudge against Mark Zakharov and subsequently always spoke of him with great respect and gratitude.

Constance devoid of "French lightness"

Most viewers remembered Alferova in the image of Constance in the film by Georgy Yungvald-Khilkevich "D'Artanyan and the Three Musketeers." The fact that there was initially no sympathy between the actress and the director, and over time it grew into open hostility, they both stated more than once in interviews. Both he and she had their own reasons. The director saw Evgenia Simonova in this role, and the artistic council imposed on him the candidacy of Alferova, who, according to Jungvald-Khilkevich, was "devoid of French lightness" and had a "deeply Slavic" appearance similar).

The director categorically disliked her voice, smile, or movement, and on the set he simply ignored the actress and did not even rehearse her scenes with her. Instead of partners, she had to conduct dialogues in the frame with empty chairs, colleagues also spoke little with her, considering her too arrogant. And she simply did not want to take part in the constant feasts, which, in her opinion, interfered with work. The only person who protected and helped her was Mikhail Boyarsky.

Yungvald-Khilkevich believed that the actress had a too low voice for her gentle heroine, and therefore asked Anastasia Vertinskaya to voice this role. Of course, Alferova found such a decision very unfair. Later, the director admitted that he was too cruel to her and felt guilty for the fact that Constance got only Alferova's appearance.

"Non-playing" actress

The experience of working with Vasily Ordynsky was very valuable, not only because it was her first real school of acting in big cinema, but also because the director taught her the main thing: you need to be able to wait for "your" roles, you should not flash too often on the screens all over the place. Even then, Irina Alferova concluded for herself that she was a “non-performing” actress: “”.

Although the actress missed many chances in her youth, she managed to unleash her creativity in her mature years. Since 1993, she began performing on the stage of the repertoire theater "School of Modern Play", where she finally realized herself in full: she played the main characters in the performances "The Seagull", "The Bear", "A Man Came to a Woman" and "Night with a Stranger" …

In the new century, Alferova continues to act in films, although she still remains very selective in her choice of roles - she always refused the images of notorious villains. Her achievements in the profession were appreciated: in 1992 she received the title of Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, and in 2007 - People's Artist.

Today she feels absolutely happy that she managed to play such roles for which she will never be ashamed: How in the movie "The Snow Maiden was called?" Irina Alferova's dream came true.