Biography of Vera Vasilyeva. Vera Vasilyeva: biography, personal life Her character is clear and close to you

People's Artist of the USSR Vera Vasilyeva played a major role in the play on her 90th birthday “fatal attraction” on the stage of the Moscow Theater of Satire.

“The role is big and difficult,” the TASS actress quotes. “I play in heels, change shoes, change clothes a dozen times during the play. But such a performance is the best gift for the anniversary. In general, in my old age, somewhere after 70, I I was lucky to play such roles that I dreamed of in my youth".

Vera Vasilyeva was born on September 30, 1925 in Moscow, in a working-class family. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, she went to work at a factory and at the same time studied at an evening school. In 1943 she entered the Moscow City Theater School.

She made her film debut while still a student in 1945 in a cameo role in the comedy “ Twins ", and the next - a role in the film by I. Pyryev "The Legend of the Siberian Land" (1948) - brought her popularity.

In 1948, Vasilyeva became an actress of the Theater of Satire, with which her entire creative life is connected. In total, Vasilyeva played over 50 roles on the stage of this theater. Among them are roles in performances - “ Auditor", "Crazy Day, or The Marriage of Figaro", "Spilled Cup", "Where is this street, where is this house", “12 chairs ", “Ordinary miracle” , “Ornifl ” and many others.

The most famous paintings with her participation are "Chuk and Gek" (1953), "The Adventures of a Dentist" (1965), "Connoisseurs are investigating" (1972), “ Carnival"(1981), "Ordered to be taken alive" (1983), "Marry the Captain" (1985), "Dandelion Wine" (1997), "Everything is mixed up in the house" (2006), “ matchmaker"(2007), "While the fern blooms" (2012), "Hilltic"(2014) and others.

Vera Vasilyeva - People's Artist of the USSR, laureate of the Stalin Prizes and the State Prize of the USSR, theater award “Crystal Turandot” and the Yablochkina Prize, holder of the Order of the Red Banner of Labor and "For Merit to the Fatherland" IV and III degrees, awarded the prize "For Honor and Dignity" of the National Theater Prize "Golden Mask" and other awards.

People's Artist of the USSR Vera Vasilyeva seems to know the secret of longevity.

Even today she plays no less than in her youth, does not drink medicines and enjoys life. The actress turns 90 this year. In an interview, Vera Kuzminichna recalled the brightest moments of her career, introduced her to her goddaughter.

- Vera Kuzminichna, this year you celebrate your anniversary. Is the Theater of Satire already preparing for the event?

Yes. In September, I will be 90 years old, and in connection with this, the play "Fatal Attraction" was staged in the theater with me in the title role. The premiere took place the other day, I was very worried! You know, I've never been as busy in my life as I am now. I am happy that I work hard. I love every role I play. This is such a rare happiness in an actor's life. 90 years is not a reason to think about age.

I live my profession. She gives me emotions. The soul does not fall asleep, but remains young. And everything else is drawn to such a soul. I really don’t want to be looked at with sadness and say: “Oh, what was and what has become.” For the sake of the audience, I want to leave the feeling that old age is not so terrible. If I had been in oblivion, I would probably have given up. But my audience and their love gives me strength.

- How do you prefer to spend your free time from the theater?

I only rest when I have a vacation. You have to go somewhere. In July I will go to the sea to Croatia. I've been there before, and I really enjoyed it. I will go with my goddaughter Dasha. I am glad that I will not be alone, but in good company. True, I don’t like holidays - two months of summer vacation is a torment for me. I like to work.

- Tell us about your goddaughter Daria.

I met Dasha when my husband passed away. Dasha began to support me, take care of me. When Dasha lost her mother, I became her godmother. Dasha tries to make her vacation coincide with mine. I enjoy spending time with her and her little daughter. They are like a daughter and a granddaughter to me. This is a great happiness! Dasha is a wonderful person, she is a very smart, kind, well-educated girl.

- Vera Kuzminichna, can you remember the brightest moments in your career?

Life is very big. The brightest moments for me were those roles that I love very much. You know, in my family no one was connected with the theater. My father was a driver, and my mother ran the household. We didn't live well. I had three sisters and a brother. The first time I got into the theater at the age of 8. My neighbor in a communal apartment took me to the opera house, and was so shocked by the beauty that she didn’t want to dream of anything other than being an artist. I really enjoyed going to the theater and the opera. Music and beauty captivated me. I began to go to the theater library, to the drama club, sang in the choir, studied the biographies of actors. All my childhood was directed to the theater.

You twice became a laureate of the Stalin Prize. What were your feelings, because you became the youngest laureate?

I understood all the responsibility, and therefore I was not so much happy as scared. I thought that I would not be able to be at the level that suddenly fell out to me in life. I was in my third year when I received the award.

- Is it true that Joseph Stalin personally included you in the list?

I don't know if this is true, but that's what people who supposedly knew told me. They said that allegedly Iosif Vissarionovich noticed me in the film.

- Vera Kuzminichna, what is your opinion about modern cinematography.

I love theater more than cinema. Therefore, I forget many of the modern films. Theater is the main thing for me. I hardly watch TV either. I turn on only the channel "Culture", I love deep philosophical programs. From the latest films I watched “The Dawns Here Are Quiet”. I liked a lot, but there were moments that I did not accept.

- Which of the current actors could be singled out?

This is a wonderful Zhenya Mironov, Chulpan Khamatova. They are great artists. Khabensky is wonderful. There are actually a lot of them, I just don’t have time to watch modern films and productions.

- What advice would you give to young people who are just starting to build their careers in the theater?

The main thing is to be patient. For example, I have a very patient nature. Life was not always sweet, I remember how I grieved because there were no roles, but I endured, waited and hoped, I also played in the provinces. The main thing is to work and be ready for any unexpected offer. Luck also plays a big role. One single chance can change your entire destiny. It's a shame when a talented person is not needed by anyone.

- In your career, have you often encountered luck?

Any offer that was made to me, it was a case. At least at the beginning of the journey, only then it was a work of reputation.

Dossier

Vasilyeva Vera Kuzminichna

Education: Moscow City Theater School.

Family: husband - actor Vladimir Ushakov (06/01/1920 - 07/17/2011). No kids.

Career: Vera Vasilyeva's filmography includes more than 30 paintings. In the Theater of Satire, she played over 60 roles. Twice winner of the Stalin Prize (1948, 1951).

Today, September 30, the magnificent actress Vera Vasilyeva celebrates her 90th birthday. For the anniversary, we recall the brightest moments from the interview that Vera Kuzminichna gave to the editor-in-chief of OK! Vadim Vernik a couple of years ago

Photo: Irina Kaydalina

Vera Vasilyeva I was born in a simple family: my father is a driver, my mother is a housewife. The whole family lived in a communal apartment in a small room. Little Vera had to wash, and clean, and darn clothes, and even cook dinner. So the days dragged on after days, the girl grew up, but nothing changed in life, the same communal apartment, the same neighbors. But when she came home to this tiny room, she dreamed of a theater, a stage, spotlights, all her wealth, the pennies accumulated from dinners, the girl spent on tickets that let her into that unusual, romantic, colorful, completely different from her the monotonous life of the world.

And then one day, either adolescence affected, or really despair was so strong, but Vera, deciding that nothing would change in her life, picked up a razor and ran it several times over her hand. There was not much blood, she almost did not touch the veins, but she was frightened in earnest. She immediately ran for the bandage and hid traces of her weakness under it. She told her parents that she was hurt. And then Vera Vasilyeva swore to her best friend: “I will still be an artist!” And she kept her word.

Vera Vasilyeva in the performance based on the play by Lev Slavin "Intervention". Moscow Academic Theater of Satire, 1967 Photo: RIA Novosti / Miroslav Murazov

She became an actress, got into the theater, was in great demand in the cinema. The young beautiful actress was popular with her colleagues - actors and bossy directors. She couldn't resist one of them. Her romance with directed by Boris Revenskikh lasted for 7 years. The young girl listened to every word of the master. He, too, was in love at first, and then gradually moved away, went headlong into rehearsals, in which other actresses took part. Vera decided to cut to the quick, did not beg, ask, return. She took it herself and left. Forever and ever.

Vera Vasilyeva during the musical TV show "Benefits", 1978. Photo: RIA Novosti / Rybakov

Feelings for the only husband in my whole life were completely different, more calm, measured, real. She did not sigh, did not suffer, did not cry because of him. Perhaps it was this regularity of feelings, reality, the feeling of a real support in life that attracted Vera Vasilyeva to actor Vladimir Ushakov. The future husband, adoringly looking into the eyes of the bride, vowed: "You will no longer work at home, there are other people for this." For cleaning the room in the hostel and for the cooked dinner, he paid the former cook Anna Ivanovna, who was a little blind and often left leftover food, cleaning and scraps in the common kitchen. So, secretly from her husband, Vera still had to do something around the house, despite the presence of Anna Ivanovna.

Vera Vasilyeva and Vladimir Ushakov, 1953. Still from the film "Wedding with dowry"

The young people got married only after 7 years. And even then it is strongly said - "married." They just went and signed at the registry office, without a veil, without Mendelssohn's march, and even without rings.

But the wedding still took place, although it was already “golden”. Vera Vasilyeva in a chic dress and her husband Vladimir Ushakov in an elegant suit celebrated the celebration with their closest friends and colleagues at the Actor's House. This time, after all, the bride and groom brought rings to the wedding. For all these years, Vera Vasilyeva never remembered her first love and was always faithful to her husband. Although once she nevertheless gave him a reason for jealousy, but not of her own free will. Somehow the troupe of the Theater of Satire went on tour. The stars of the stage gathered in one compartment, among them Vera Vasilyeva and Andrey Mironov. Mironov decided to joke, began to stealthily diligently look after Vera Vasilyeva, and sometimes squinted at her husband with his eyes. And not in vain. Suddenly, Vladimir took the imaginary rival by the breasts and expelled him from the compartment. It is not known what kind of conversation took place in the vestibule of the train, but after it Andrei Mironov and Vladimir Ushakov became bosom friends.

Vera Vasilyeva (Countess Almaviva) in a scene from the play directed by V. Pluchek based on the play by Pierre Beaumarchais “A Crazy Day, or The Marriage of Figaro”, 1978. Photo: RIA Novosti / Rybakov Vera Vasilyeva and Vladimir Ushakov lived together for 55 years. Vera Kuzminichna always noted that with this man, who became her fate for more than half a century, she never had a conflict during all this time. He simply did not give her a single reason for conflicts. The reason for the final and irrevocable separation could only be his illness. Now Vera Kuzminichna was caring for her husband. For 15 years she took him to hospitals, worked, earned money for medicines, for doctors, supported him, tried to encourage him as much as she could. During these days, weeks, months, years, she was not an actress, she was a wife, a stone wall, and she was also the eyes of her husband: after all, at the end of his life, Vladimir was completely blind.

The third heart attack was the last for Vladimir Ushakov. The wife managed to call an ambulance, the doctors even took him to intensive care, but they failed to save her husband Vera Vasilyeva. After the funeral, Vera Vasilyeva disappeared. In the literal sense of the word. She closed herself from friends, acquaintances, colleagues. The only person she allowed near her was girl Dasha, "goddaughter", as Vera Vasilyeva herself calls her.

Photo: www.russianlook.com / Anatoly Lomohov

They met when Ushakov was alive. The famous actress got to the hospital to her husband by public transport, Vera Kuzminichna could not spend money on a ride. In the hands of heavy bags, the road is long. The only person who decided to help was the same Dasha. She walked Vera Vasilyeva to the hospital itself, they started talking, as a result, gradually, a random fellow traveler became for the actress both an assistant, a friend, and an adopted daughter. Vera Kuzminichna herself now calls Dasha's daughter her granddaughter, and Dasha her daughter. Actress Vera Vasilyeva has a family again.