What the star of the film "Three nuts for Cinderella" dreamed of and who became her Prince: Post in memory of Libusha Shafrankova

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

After the main role in the film "Three Nuts for Cinderella", Libusha Shafrankova was imitated by millions of girls in different countries, and the boys fell in love with her and wrote passionate confessions. A real Prince also appeared in her life, and the actress herself tried to protect herself and her family from too close public attention. In recent years, she had a difficult time, she bravely endured pain and fought with despair. But on June 9, 2021, Libushe Shafrankova's fairy tale ended.

Following the dream

She was born on June 7, 1953 in Brno and inherited her love for theater from her father, who always took part in amateur performances with pleasure. Libuše's mother taught fashion design at the sewing college and gave her daughter good taste and love for beautiful things.

Little Libuche, it seems, dreamed of becoming an actress from early childhood, however, the parents did not share their daughter's enthusiasm for her future profession and inspired her with the idea of studying at a "serious" university. They did not even know what their fragile little girl was capable of in order to achieve her dreams.

Already in the fifth grade, Libuše decided that it was time to start realizing her dream and went from her native Šlapanice (a city not far from Brno) straight to Prague to the Barandov film studio. She did not know the address or telephone, but she was determined to achieve her goal. True, she did not get to the film studio, but she was able to prove to her parents the seriousness of her intentions. They no longer tried to convince their daughter to get another profession.

Libuše, after receiving a matriculation certificate, entered the Brno State Conservatory at the Faculty of Drama. The end of the conservatory was marked for Libuche by admission to the troupe of the Machenove theater, where one of her first roles was Shakespeare's Juliet.

After that, the young actress left for Prague, where she started at the Theater Behind the Gates, and in 1971 her dream of filming a movie came true. In the film "Granny" by Bozhena Nemtsova, she played the role of Barunka. Even then Libuše was noticed by the directors, but real success came to her after the film “Three nuts for Cinderella”.

Real prince

After the release of the fairy tale on the screens, they started talking about the actress's romance with the performer of the role of the Prince. Pavel Travnichek later admitted that he really was in love with a colleague on the site, and she also felt sympathy for him. True, after one more joint work in the film "The Third Prince" they no longer intersected, and, in fact, they did not have a romance.

She met her real prince Libushe Shafrankova within the walls of the Prague Drama Club theater, where she played. The leading actor of the "Drama Club" Josef Abrgam was 13 years older and was able to become for the actress the embodiment of the dream of great and bright love.

Three years after they met, in 1976, Libushe Shafrankova and Josef Abrgam became husband and wife, in the same year they had a son, Joseph, who, having matured, followed in the footsteps of his parents and also became an actor.

For Czech audiences, this couple has become a symbol of true pure love, understanding and perfect harmony. They lived together for 45 years and could not spend a day without each other. In recent years, they have even only accepted filming offers if both of them were invited.

They looked after each other very touchingly when both faced failing health. When Josef started having heart problems, Libuše became his support, he did not leave her even for a minute when his wife was diagnosed with lung cancer.

Colleagues and family friends have always said that they have not met a more harmonious couple. They belonged entirely to each other and always looked in the same direction. Even after 45 years of marriage, Libuche and Josef have not lost their passionate feelings. The spouses tried not to let anyone into their personal lives, avoiding publicity in every possible way, and in their few interviews, both preferred to discuss creativity, not family.

Insidious enemy

In 2009, the actress started having health problems, but she was able to recover and return to the profession again. And in 2014, Libusha Shafrankova was diagnosed with lung cancer. Then she, with the help and support of her husband, seemed to have conquered the disease.

But the insidious enemy returned a few years later. In recent years, Libuše led a very closed life, she almost never left the house and seemed to cut off all ties with the outside world. And some time ago in one of the publications there was a photo of the actress who was entering the oncological center together with her husband and son. Fans sounded the alarm, became interested in the health status of their favorite on social networks.

Libushe Shafrankova thanked everyone for their concern and hurried to allay all worries, saying that she felt well and was at home, not in the hospital. She bravely endured pain and grueling procedures, never gave up and learned to give herself injections. She hoped to win this time too, but the disease was stronger.

On June 7, 2021, the actress turned 68 years old, and two days later, Libusha Shafrankova's heart stopped beating. The eyes of the most beautiful Cinderella closed forever …

The film "Three Nuts for Cinderella" in the Czech Republic was recognized as the best fairy tale of the twentieth century. The actors who played the main roles immediately became idols not only for young spectators, but also for the adult audience. Few know what was their fate after filming in a sensational film.