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Video: What disaster faced the star of "Crew" and "Sorcerers": The fight for the life of Alexandra Yakovleva
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
In the 1980s. Alexandra Yakovleva was called one of the most spectacular and attractive actresses of Soviet cinema, after her roles in the films "Sorcerers", "The Crew", "The Man from the Boulevard des Capuchins", she gained deafening popularity. But in the 1990s. she unexpectedly left the acting profession and built a successful management career. Since then, Yakovleva has returned to the screens only once, playing the role of an official in the new "Crew" in 2016. And soon the doctors announced that she had only a few months left to live. Nevertheless, this surprisingly strong and resilient woman continues to fight to this day.
Born under a lucky star
Alexandra's real surname is Ivanes. Her parents divorced when she was young and the girl was raised by her grandparents. Their surname - Yakovlevs - she later took as a pseudonym. Alexandra dreamed about the stage since childhood - she studied dancing, learned to play the violin and attended an amateur art circle. When, after school, she decided to enter a theater university, this did not come as a surprise to her family, and her grandmother supported her in this decision.
In 1974 Yakovleva moved from her native Kaliningrad to Leningrad and applied to LGITMiK. She did not manage to impress the selection committee, but she simply could not return home with nothing, because her grandmother believed so much in her talent. Alexandra stood in the street and cried when Georgy Tovstonogov came out of the door. The girl rushed to him and began to confusely explain that this was her cherished dream, that her grandmother would not bear her failure. Such emotionality and spontaneity touched the director, and the girl was accepted. Then she was told that she was born under a lucky star, and for a long time she herself thought so.
At the age of 22, Alexandra Yakovleva suddenly turned from an unknown third-year student of the theater institute into a star of all-Union cinema: her debut role in Alexander Mitta's film "The Crew" became a triumphant one. At the same time, a student received it thanks to a fluke - the director initially saw Elena Proklova in the role of a flight attendant, but she refused to shoot. At this time, Mosfilm was auditioning for a cameo role in the film Autumn Marathon, and Alexandra Yakovleva came there. She was not approved for the role of the daughter of the heroes Gundareva and Basilashvili - the director said that he did not see the girl in any way with them. But the young beauty was noticed by Alexander Mitta and invited to audition for his film.
Following the first successful film work, the following films were released, which secured for Alexandra Yakovleva the status of one of the most beautiful, popular and popular young Soviet actresses: "Young Russia", "Magicians", "The Man from the Boulevard of Capuchins". For 14 years of her film career, she played more than 30 roles - and at the peak of popularity, she suddenly decided to leave the acting profession.
Tsunami and the Iron Lady
Many directors complained about the unpredictable and complex nature of the actress, but no one doubted her talent, and she got one role after another. However, with the collapse of the Union, a crisis began in cinema, and Yakovleva said that cinema for her simply ceased to exist then. Later she said: "". In 1994 g.the grandmother of the actress, who replaced her mother, passed away. Alexandra Yakovleva came to Kaliningrad to see her off on her last journey. Help in this actress was offered by the mayor of the city. He asked what she was doing. Yakovleva shared with him that she no longer sees the future in cinema for herself, and he suggested that she radically change her profile of activities. So the actress became the chairman of the Committee for Culture and Tourism under the mayor's office of Kaliningrad and vice-mayor of the city. She held this post for 5 years.
For several years, the actress has made a successful managerial career: she was the head of the quality and personnel management service at Pulkovo airport, the deputy head of the Oktyabrskaya railway for quality management and marketing, the deputy general director of the Russian Railways, and the head of the Suburban railway company in Kaliningrad. The firm character, self-confidence and uncompromisingness, which the directors complained about, in her new activity became the key to a brilliant career. Friends and colleagues called her "the iron lady", "hurricane" and "tsunami". It was these qualities that helped her to cope with the misfortune that Alexandra Yakovleva soon faced.
A man lives when he is adored
In 2016, after a 23-year pause in her acting career, Alexandra Yakovleva again delighted the audience by playing one of the main female roles in the Oscar performance of the St. Petersburg Maly Comedy Theater. Anna Samokhina. In the same year, she starred in the new "Crew", playing the role of an aviation official. After that, the fans expected new roles from her in the theater and cinema, but the actress suddenly disappeared from the screens again and stopped appearing in public, although this time a pause in filming was not part of her plans and became forced.
The actress told about what she had to go through in 2017 only 2 years later. It turns out that then she had problems with coordination of movements, she went to the doctors - and suddenly learned about a malignant breast tumor at the last stage. The doctors said that she had no more than 3 months to live. At first, her hands dropped, fear, despair and depression fell on her. Immediately after that, she stopped walking and was bedridden.
But giving up is not in her nature. The actress underwent several courses of chemotherapy, and after the 7th procedure she was able to get out of bed. She decided to fight to the end. Daughter Liza rented her a house on the seashore in the Kaliningrad region. Yakovleva said: "". She received financial assistance from the Artist charity foundation, which is headed by Yevgeny Mironov.
In 2019, Alexandra Yakovleva announced her desire to return to the theater stage and addressed her fans: “”. When she appeared on stage in the play “Two Women and a Lieutenant,” the audience greeted her standing. For 4 years the actress has been living without the right to despair and courageously fighting the disease. Yakovleva leads an active lifestyle, tours, participates in charity events and again began to appear in public. She recently received the title of Honorary Citizen of Kaliningrad, and fans were amazed at how gorgeous the woman looks in the photo at 63, despite the painful and long recovery after 20 courses of chemotherapy.
The example of the perseverance and courage of this charming woman cannot but delight and inspire thousands of other people who have faced the same misfortune. It remains only to wish her strength for further struggle and to thank her for her courage, frankness and the fact that even in such a difficult period, the actress continues to delight her fans!
Many interesting moments remain behind the scenes of Alexandra Yakovleva's debut film: How the first Soviet disaster film "Crew" appeared.
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