Svetlana Zhgun: How fatal feelings ruined the life of one of the most beautiful Soviet actresses

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

In the 1960s, the name of Svetlana Zhgun was known to all theater and film lovers. She was charming, beautiful and very harmonious in the frame. The actress played many striking roles, and the most famous of them were her work in the films "The Tale of Fiery Years", "Woman's Kingdom", "Director". All her life she tried to find her simple female happiness, surrendering to feelings without a trace. Unfortunately, it was this desire to correspond in everything to a loved one and played a fatal role in the life of Svetlana Zhgun.

With a dream in life

Childhood years of Svetlana Zhgun, born in the Poltava region in 1933, were not easy. During the war, the mother of the actress found herself in the occupation, almost died with her daughters, and was able to reunite with her husband after the Victory. His father was a military man and after the end of the Great Patriotic War he ended up in Leningrad, where his family came: his wife, their three common daughters and another daughter of the head of the family from his first marriage.

In the military family, the choice of profession was taken seriously, any pampering like a theatrical institute was not welcomed. And Svetlana, who dreamed of becoming an actress, did not dare to defend her right to her own choice of path, she entered the energy technical school. And at the same time she studied in a theater studio, which was led by a professional actress. The teacher strongly recommended that the pupil, who by that time already worked at the plant as a power engineer, try to enter the theater.

However, girls were taken to the Ostrovsky Theater Institute only up to 21 years old. Svetlana, who was already 22, decided to forge her own passport, correcting the year of birth in it. And as a result, she became a student.

Student spring

The years spent by Svetlana Zhgun at the institute were wonderful in every way. The girl was happy to master the profession she had dreamed of for a long time, teachers often praised the talented girl and even set her up as an example to other students. And here she met a man with whom she recklessly fell in love.

The girls really liked the handsome Gennady Nilov, and besides, he was a relative of the famous actor Pavel Kadochnikov, thanks to whom, at the age of ten, he starred in the film "The Exploit of the Scout". At the institute, Gennady Nilov was a popular person, already at that time he was invited to the shooting, and any classmate could flatter his attention. However, Svetlana also began acting in films at the institute.

They were a very beautiful couple, and they also dreamed of the future, fame, leading roles. Gennady made an offer to Svetlana, which she accepted, and went to share the joy with his family. However, the eminent relative, who was considered the head of a large family, did not approve of Gennady's decision to marry, sincerely believing that family life would hurt his starting career. But the student in love at that time disobeyed and went to the registry office with Svetlana.

The young family was provided with a room in a communal apartment, they could not count on any more help. However, the difficulties of the newlyweds did not frighten, they were young and happy, but their feelings could not stand the test.

Svetlana was very happy about the onset of pregnancy, but Gennady, after a conversation with Pavel Kadochnikov about replenishment in the family, came gloomier than a cloud. And he said that Svetlana urgently needed an abortion. The wife's attempts to prove that they can raise the child were unsuccessful. Gennady Nilov literally took his spouse to the doctor by the hand.

After that, relations in the family were no longer restored. Svetlana was never able to forgive her husband, and soon the couple parted.

The Tale of Fiery Years

After graduating from the institute, Svetlana Zhgun was hired at the Leningrad Pushkin Drama Theater and continued to act in films. While working on the film "The Tale of Fiery Years", the actress clearly sympathized with her colleague Nikolai Vingranovsky, and the artist of the painting, Alexander Borisov, desperately fell in love with her. And at some point, Borisov simply did not go to the site, unable to watch the actress flirting with Vingranovsky, with whom, according to the script, she was developing a romantic relationship.

The film's director Yulia Solntseva asked Svetlana Zhgun to talk to the artist. The same one declared his love to the actress and was so eloquent and convincing that since then Svetlana did not even look towards her colleague. After the end of filming, Zhgun and Borisov began to meet. As soon as the actress found out about her pregnancy, all her thoughts were occupied only with this. Once she mixed up her schedule and did not come to the theater performance, after which she was fired from the theater.

Svetlana Zhgun moved to Moscow, married Alexander Borisov and soon gave birth to a daughter, Lada. In the capital, the actress worked for a short time at the Lenkom Theater, and then was selected for the Maly Theater. The couple lived in a communal apartment for several years, then Sergei Bondarchuk helped them get a separate apartment.

The daughter was only seven years old when her parents divorced, and the apartment was exchanged: Svetlana and her daughter moved to a one-room apartment, Alexander Borisov and his mother moved to a room in a communal apartment. But even the daughter does not know the reasons why her parents broke up. Alexander Borisov made several attempts to return, but his ex-wife did not go for rapprochement.

In search of happiness

Svetlana Zhgun sincerely hoped to find her happiness, especially since she had enough fans and admirers. For a long time she had a close relationship with the son of the Jewish writer and poet Peretz Markish David. But he was going to emigrate from the USSR, so he did not officially marry. However, Svetlana herself left him.

On the set of the film "Woman's Kingdom" the actress fell in love with the director Alexei Saltykov. Her feelings were mutual and it seemed that Svetlana Zhgun had finally found her true happiness. If she knew how destructive this relationship would be for her …

Alexey Saltykov often abused alcohol, and Svetlana Zhgun began to keep him company. Gradually she became addicted to alcohol. After Yevgeny Urbansky died on the set of the film "The Director" directed by Alexei Saltykov, Saltykov was removed from the profession, he started drinking seriously. Svetlana drank with him again, becoming completely unbearable during hard drinking. Soon, the director acquired a cooperative apartment, but moved there without the actress. She persuaded him to return, but Saltykov firmly said that they were no longer on their way.

Svetlana Zhgun sometimes pulled herself together and again looked like that strong and beautiful actress, whom the audience knew and loved. She was aware of her problem, was periodically treated, but invariably broke down. She was invited to the cinema less and less, she left the theater a long time ago …

Daughter Lada married a Dane and settled in Copenhagen, where her mother visited her several times. In January 2003, Svetlana complained to her daughter on the phone about a cold, and a few days later she died of bilateral pneumonia. It was not possible to save her, since the disease was very neglected. Lada Tickab buried her mother in St. Petersburg, in the city that the actress loved very much and where she always wanted to return.

Unfortunately, Svetlana Zhgun was not the only actress who was captured by the "green snake". Creative people often cannot imagine life without strong drinks. They relax and relieve stress with the help of alcohol and themselves do not notice how the amount of alcohol increases, and its use turns into addiction. Some manage to stop in time, while others develop a real addiction.