From sports to show business: 9 domestic celebrities with serious sports achievements and awards

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

What can be in common between sports and an artist's career? In sports, there are fans, and in cinema and theater, loyal spectators. In one and another area, colossal will and hard work are required on the path to success, and the victories of a successful athlete are in no way inferior to a successfully played role in emotionality. Perhaps that is why in the cinema, theater and on stage, successful athletes feel quite comfortable, on account of whom serious sports achievements.

Vera Glagoleva

She could never have become an actress, if not for a chance meeting in the corridor of "Mosfilm" with a cameraman who worked on the set of the film "To the End of the World …", and not his request to play along with the actor on auditions. Vera Glagoleva was seriously engaged in archery, was a master of sports. In the future, she already saw herself as a successful athlete, especially since by the time of her fateful trip to her friend at Mosfilm she was already a member of the youth team of the capital.

But her acquaintance with Rodion Nakhapetov, who insisted on the approval of Vera Glagoleva for the main role, changed not only her plans for a career as an athlete, but also abruptly turned her whole life upside down. She became one of the most beloved actresses, and later a successful director.

Joseph Kobzon

The famous Soviet singer became interested in boxing while studying at the Dnepropetrovsk Mining College. Moreover, his success in this sport was very rapid. For several years he managed to win the Dnipropetrovsk championship and even win the Ukrainian championship. However, the very first knockout he received forced him to abandon professional sports.

Alexey Vanin

His appearance in the cinema can hardly be called an accident, but Alexei Vanin himself did not at all strive to become an actor. After the Great Patriotic War, he became a professional wrestler. He repeatedly took part in the Championships of the Soviet Union, twice became a silver and twice a bronze medalist, was a member of the national team of the country. Having moved from Siberia to Moscow, Alexey took up coaching. In 1953 he was offered a role in the film "World Champion". Then the commission considered the candidatures of thirty-three applicants, and Alexei Vanin was approved. Thus began his acting career.

However, the actor for a long time considered filming in films as his hobby, continuing to play sports. Despite this combination of professions, there are 80 films in the filmography of Alexei Vanin, the last of which was filmed in 2006, 6 years before his death.

Anna Semenovich

Anna Semenovich in the past is not only a soloist of the "Brilliant" group, but also a famous figure skater, a master of sports of international class. During her sports career, the singer and actress has won many international awards, took part in the World and European Championships. In Russia, the highest achievement was the silver medal of the Russian Championship, won together with Roman Kostomarov.

Perhaps her sports career continued further, if not for the meniscus injury, after which Anna had to leave the big sport. At that moment, the girl deliberately chose show business, worked on television and was able to achieve success as part of the "Brilliant" group, now she periodically acts in films and is engaged in her musical career.

Talgat Nigmatulin

Since childhood, he dreamed of becoming a film director. But as a child, upset at the girl's refusal to dance with him, Talgat decided to improve his body. He took up karate, ballroom dancing and athletics at the same time. Later, his passion for karate reached a new level, he began to train professionally. This allowed the future actor to receive a black belt and win the title of champion of Uzbekistan and become sixth at the Championship of the Soviet Union.

Later, after graduating from VGIK and starting a creative career, it was professional karate classes that allowed Talgat to play one of his star roles - the pirate Saleh in the film "Pirates of the XX century".

Zurab Sotkilava

Since childhood, football has been the greatest passion of the future opera singer. At the insistence of his mother, young Zurab studied at a music school, but connected his future only with sports. I must say that he was a very talented footballer, from the age of 16 he played for the Dynamo team in Sukhumi, at the age of 18 he became the full-back of the Tbilisi Dynamo in the main squad, at the age of 19 he was the captain of the Georgian youth team.

He could have won many titles and awards, if not for the rather serious injuries that forced Zurab Lavrentievich to leave the sport. If not for the trauma, the world might never have known the genius singer Zurab Sotkilava.

Nikolay Ozerov

The famous sports commentator has been playing tennis since childhood, at the age of 12 he became the champion of Moscow in his age group, at 19 he was already a master of sports, at 25 he was an honored master of sports of the Soviet Union. At the same time, in 1941 he became a student of GITIS, and after graduation he was accepted into the troupe of the Moscow Art Theater, in which he played more than two dozen roles.

Alexander Inshakov

He started karate at 23 years old and after several years of training has earned a black belt and the title of instructor. At the first karate championship in Moscow, he became the absolute champion. The ban on karate in the Soviet Union forced the athlete to go underground, and later move on to aikido classes.

Sports skills allowed Alexander Inshakov to start acting in films. Usually these were roles requiring athletic training or demonstration of martial arts skills. Subsequently, he became a stuntman, headed the Guild of Stuntmen of Russia. On account of Alexander Inshakov, 24 acting works in cinema, two director's works, in the film “Brigade. Heir he acted as a screenwriter and producer. He has produced several films since 1995, from 1979 to 1992 he acted in films as a stuntman, and staged stunts himself.

Vladimir Balon

The master of sports and champion of the Soviet Union in fencing made his debut in the film by Eldar Ryazanov in the role of Kutuzov's adjutant, starred in the crowd scene, which required masterly possession of the sword. The first experience was so successful that Vladimir Balon left the sport, moving to the cinema.

The actor is familiar to the viewer by the images of the cardinal's guardsman by the name of de Jussac in the film "D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers" and its sequels, Jacques and the fencing teacher in the film "Midshipmen, Forward!" and "Vivat, midshipmen!" In addition, he has acted as a stunt director in 14 films.

Sport is characterized by the principle of "victory at any cost". However, the willingness to give up expensive equipment to an opponent, refuse an incorrectly scored goal, or save a drowning man in the midst of a regatta is as valuable as gold medals. Fair play of football player Igor Netto, help of a Canadian coach to a Russian skier and other noble deeds of athletes command respect even more than Olympic medals.