The Most Famous Actresses Who Fled From The USSR To The USA Or Europe

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

From Russia with love: how was the life of Soviet and Russian actresses who fled abroad

For the inhabitants of the Soviet Union, which was fenced off from the capitalist world by the iron curtain, the word "West" had an almost magical attraction, like everything forbidden. Another, strikingly different from the native reality, the world aroused interest even among convinced patriots, and some attracted to itself with unprecedented strength. So much so that some dared to break through the borders and special services.

Content

• 1 Famous Soviet actresses who left the USSR

  • 1.1 Olga Baklanova
  • 1.2 Valentina Voilkova
  • 1.3 Larisa Eremina
  • 1.4 Svetlana Smekhnova
  • 1.5 Natalya Negoda
  • 1.6 Elena Solovey
  • 1.7 Natalia Andreichenko
  • 1.8 Yana Lisovskaya
  • 1.9 Marina Shimanskaya
  • 1.10 Elena Koreneva
  • 1.11 Bonus: Liliana Gasinskaya (Gaysinskaya)

Famous Soviet actresses who left the USSR

The servants of Melpomene, endowed with an ardent imagination, non-standard thinking and a penchant for adventurism, and in addition, from time to time went on tour around the world, had much more prerequisites for flight. Today we present to your attention a selection of 10 actresses who once preferred the "decaying West" to their native shores. Did they not regret their decision, and what happened to the brave fugitives today?

Olga Baklanova

The daughter of a theater actress and a small businessman who was shot in 1917 by the Bolsheviks, Olga had every chance of becoming the first real star of the young Republic of Soviets. In fact, the girl became her when in 1925, having roles in silent films and theatrical productions, she received the title of Honored Artist. However, something did not work out for the beauty with the state, which once deprived her of her father and expropriated considerable property of the Baklanov family, and in the same 1925, having gone on tour with the Moscow Art Theater troupe, Olga remained in the United States.

Olga was a silent movie star

And I must admit, I did not lose. In a foreign land, the "Russian Tigress" - as Baklanova was nicknamed here - awaited an enviable career in Hollywood, many theatrical performances, two marriages and the birth of a son.

On the posters, her last name was written without a name - the highest gesture of recognition for the cinema of that time.

Olga died at the age of 78 and found her last refuge in the Russian cemetery in Vevey. Well, her flight abroad gave us the brilliant Olga Orlova, who took Baklanova's place in Soviet cinema.

Olga did not stay abroad, who knows how Orlova's fate would have turned out

Valentina Voilkova

The young Samara woman Valya had nothing to do with the world of art, but from childhood she felt an irresistible craving for the stage. Fortunately, she did not lack talent, fervor and faith in herself: Valentina entered GITIS on the first attempt, and after graduation she successfully played for several years in the theater of the Soviet Army and almost immediately began acting in films. Her roles in the films "Colonel Zorin's Version", "The City Accepted", "Be My Husband", "Ring from Amsterdam", "Pokrovsky Gates", "Charlotte's Necklace", "Prisoner of If Castle" did not always become leading, but were remembered viewers.

The maid of honor in blue was one of the first appearances of Valentina on the screen

In the 80s, Valentina accidentally met a French citizen who was in Russia on business, and soon married him, but she decided to move to the country of fashion and refined perfume only during perestroika, when Russian cinema was cracking at the seams.

Voilkloy had a chance to work with the most venerable actors

At the moment, the actress lives in Paris, is still happily married and works for her husband's company, which is engaged in dubbing foreign films.

Abroad, the actress focused on her husband's family and business

Larisa Eremina

Who of the “old school” viewers does not remember the frivolous Sophie, a participant in the love polygon in Gaidai’s funny comedy “It Can't Be”? Who has not remembered the passionate Spanish woman from another, this time musical comedy "Kiss of Chanita"? Who among the lovers of old detectives missed Varvara from "Tavern on Pyatnitskaya" past his attention? Larisa Eremina sank into the hearts of the audience easily and for a long time, despite the rather modest list of main roles.

In the film "Ivan Vasilievich Changes Profession" the actress got the role of a girl at a feast

However, this beauty from our cinema in the late 80s and early 90s - the "black" period for Russian cinema - was lured away by a cozy, protected from the realities of perestroika time, next to her beloved husband, American violinist Gregory Wayne. True, Eremina did not want to become a housewife with a wealthy husband. Today, she has several roles in foreign TV series and films, participation in theatrical performances, the position of an announcer on Russian-language TV. In addition, Larisa founded her own school of acting and received a master's degree in Slavic languages and literature.

Bitchy little Sophie was played brilliantly

The actress is still married, now bears the name Wayne, has two children and, apparently, is quite happy with life.

The actress believes that her life is good

Svetlana Smekhnova

The sophisticated, ethereal beauty Svetlana flashed into the world of cinema easily and naturally, as if she had always lived in it. Her amazing appearance quickly provided the girl with the opportunity to occasionally appear in many films, waiting for her chance. And fate - or rather, talent and desire to work hard for its development - did not hesitate to provide it to Svetlana. Soon, she was given access to the main roles in the pictures "The Coast of Princess Lyuska", "Taiga Story", "Daughters-Mothers".

All the doors to the cinema were opened to the young talented lady

Svetlana moved up the career ladder slowly, but surely, until, at the age of 29, she came under fire from the ubiquitous Cupid and said yes to a marriage proposal from director Dragan Blagoevich, a native of Yugoslavia. In her husband's homeland, where the former Smekhnova drove off with her beloved, she continued to play in the theater, but completely disappeared from the screens of cinemas - it was too difficult for the Russian actress to declare herself in a new place and too many kilometers separated her from her native cinema.

The heartfelt role was definitely a success for the actress

Alas, family happiness did not fall to the lot of the Russian beauty. At first, a wedge between the spouses was driven by Blagojevich's inability to remain faithful, then addiction to alcohol, and when endless scandals were added to everything else, Svetlana decided to return to Russia. Having flashed in a couple of TV series ("The Captain's Children", "The Witch Doctor"), she finally put an end to acting and now practically does not appear in public.

The actress is very reluctant to attend public events

Natalia Negoda

In 1988, in the dashing times of perestroika, it did not appear on the screens of cinemas - it burst! - the social drama "Little Vera", shocking with its frankness. For the inexperienced Russian viewer, it was a real movie bomb, which the most popular Hollywood action movie will not be able to compare with in its effect. Well, a young graduate of the Moscow Art Theater School and actress of the Moscow Youth Theater Natalya Negoda overnight became a mega-popular and mega-scandalous personality, and in combination - a sex symbol of the Land of Soviets.

Sokolov and Negoda woke up famous overnight

Then there was a tour with a sensational picture around the world, prestigious awards at the Venice, Montreal and Chicago film festivals, the title of best actress in 1988, participation in the Oscar ceremony and even filming for Playboy. However, there was no further take-off: he was hampered by the starring role, with which Natalia was now firmly associated, and the withering cinema of Russia.

The name of Scoundrel has thundered all over the world

In the mid-90s, Negoda tried to take place as an actress in America, where in 17 years she received only 4 more or less noteworthy roles (one of them in the TV series Law & Order). By the end of the 2000s, Natalya parted ways with her husband, a Russian emigrant, and with the American dream, after which she returned to her homeland. Today she occasionally acts in films, but for the most part she tries to lead a secluded life, traveling between Russia and America.

The actress is not eager to appear in public, but she is not going to completely disappear into the shadows

Elena Solovey

Formally, leaving for the west, Elena Solovey had every right to talk about returning to her homeland, since she was born in the German city of Neustrelitz, where her military father served at that time. However, in reality, the actress, of course, never considered herself a man of the West and sincerely tried to make a career in Russia.

Elena Solovey gave the audience a lot of excellent acting work

Of course, she succeeded. All-Union State Institute of Cinematography, stage of the Leningrad Theater named after Lensovet, the shooting pavilions of Lenfilm hospitably opened their doors for the young actress and for many years became her home. She is still remembered by the Russian audience thanks to her works in the films "You Never Dreamed of", "Slave of Love", "The Adventures of Prince Florizel", "Unfinished Piece for Mechanical Piano", "Seven Brides of Corporal Sbruev" and many others.

Unlike her heroines, Elena is not at all an exalted person cut off from life.

The reason for the departure to the west for Elena Solovyova was the uncertainty about the future that reigned in Russia in the 90s. Deciding to provide children with a normal existence, the actress packed up and went to the United States, to her husband's relatives. The decision was deliberate, and Elena's character, unlike most of her on-screen heroines, was strong-willed, so getting used to the new conditions of life was surprisingly easy. And although the acting career of a Russian star on new soil has gradually withered, Elena says that she does not regret anything, teaches in her own creative studio for children of emigrants and enjoys life. The husband of the actress supports her in everything, the children have grown up and arranged their lives, but they regularly meet with their parents, bringing their grandchildren with them. To date, Elena has three of them.

Elena admits that she began to pay little attention to her appearance, but her happiness from this does not become less complete

Natalia Andreichenko

The beloved Mary Poppins of Soviet children, the brisk northern beauty of Sibiriada, the unforgettable Lyuba from The Military Field Novel, Honored Artist of the RSFSR and three times laureate of the title of Actress of the Year, Natalya Andreichenko 100% took place in the professional sphere at home. Here she played in theater and cinema, became the host of entertainment programs and reality shows, tried herself as a vocalist and director (author's program "Russians in World Cinema").

A Field-of-War film won an Academy Award

Here, in Russia, Natalia first married the director Maxim Dunaevsky and gave birth to a son, but family life did not work out. And in 1985 the actress made a second attempt to find female happiness by marrying the Austrian filmmaker Maximilian Schell, who turned not only the personal, but also the professional life of the actress. For 15 years, Natalia hoped to gain a foothold in the starry sky abroad, but she did not achieve her previous success.

Andreichenko undoubted "Lady Perfection"

Despite an unsuccessful career abroad and a collapsed marriage, Andreichenko does not lose heart. She continues to quietly star in small roles, travels the world, communicates with children (in her second marriage, Natalia had a daughter, Nastasya), practices a raw food diet and yoga, and considers her life to be well established.

Natalia travels the world "following her work", filming in different countries

Yana Lisovskaya

Remember the famous "Lyudk, and Lyudk!", In the painting "Love and Doves"? Then you, no doubt, remember Luda herself - a quiet, big-eyed girl who acts little and speaks little according to the plot, but by her presence in the frame perfectly complements the atmosphere of the film. It's only a shame that most fans of the picture practically do not know about Yana's other roles, which, by the way, she has a lot.

Quiet Luda had her own special charm

"Gateway to Heaven", "Hello from the Front", "Look Back" … The young actress showed great hopes and was already beginning to justify them, when the love suddenly flared up in the girl's heart did not make her forget about her first wife, actor Igor Volkov and career prospects, so that go to a new husband in Germany.

The career of a director today interests Yana much more than acting

Since the 1990s, Yana has successfully made her way in German cinema and mastered the profession of a theater director, staging fairy tale performances for children. Lisovskaya does not dream of returning to Russia. In her second marriage with actor Wolf List, her daughter Vasilisa was born.

Beloved husband, child, creative work - what more could you ask for?

Marina Shimanskaya

Although in her youth Marina seriously thought about devoting her life to painting, and even entered the famous GITIS with an album for drawing under her arm, the craving for the stage won. And as it turned out, not in vain. After her debut in the film "When I Become a Giant", the girl appeared on the cover of the magazine "Soviet Screen" and boldly began to further conquer the cinematic Olympus.

The role in "Squadron …" Marina got not the easiest

Her most notable roles in the movie were the heartbreak of Denis Davydova Katrin in the historical film "Squadron of flying hussars", the captain of the tugboat Lyuba in the comedy "Take care of women", Glafira Petrovna in the tragicomedy "Another's wife and husband under the bed."

Many Soviet men fell in love with Captain Lyuba

In 1992, Marina married the Spaniard Algis Arlauskas, went abroad with him, gave birth to a daughter, Olga, and a son, Alexander. For some time, the actress played in Spanish films, and then focused her efforts on the acting school opened with her husband. At the moment, the couple are divorced, but they have maintained friendly relations and continue to conduct a joint business.

Sometimes Marina Shimanskaya appears in Russian TV programs as a guest

Elena Koreneva

Despite the director's father, Elena Koreneva had to prove her worth as an actress. For example, she was admitted to the Shchukin school with the "conditional" amendment, finally confirming the status of a student only after reviewing independent work after three months of study. But then the career of the actress moved forward more than confidently. She was approved for the main role in the film "Romance of Lovers" by Andrei Konchalovsky, invited to her theater by Galina Volchek, and then invited to the Moscow Drama Theater Anatoly Efros.

The film was awarded the "Crystal Globe" in Karlovy Vary

Elena worked a lot and fruitfully: in her resume you can find roles in Sibiriada, Yaroslavna - Queen of France, Tom Munchausen, The Hussar Matchmaking, The Crew, Pokrovkiye Vorota, Trap for a Lonely Man, "TASS is authorized to declare …" And yet in 1982 Elena emigrates to the United States to her husband, who after a while presents his wife with an unpleasant surprise, declaring his unconventional orientation.

The roles of Elena are well known to the modern viewer.

Left alone in a foreign country, Elena was not taken aback. At first, she worked as a waitress in the Russian Samovar restaurant, then joined a circle of emigrants from the USSR - in particular, here the actress met Joseph Brodsky and Mikhail Baryshnikov - and after a while she occasionally begins to play in American films and write autobiographical books. After the collapse of the USSR, Elena got the opportunity to move freely between Russia and America, which she willingly uses. She plays in movies, television series and on stage; sits on the jury at film festivals; participates in charitable and advocacy sponsors.

The creative life of the actress is still in full swing.

Bonus: Liliana Gasinskaya (Gaysinskaya)

The last girl on our list was not an actress when she escaped to the West, but we decided to add her to the list of Soviet celebrities - the story of her life turned out to be painfully exciting. And in the end, Liliana got to the cinema.

Liliana was never able to explain what threatened her in the USSR, but she received refugee status

And it all started like that. In 1976, a young 18-year-old waitress of a cruise ship docked on the shores of Australia put on a red swimsuit, climbed out of the window and swam for 40 minutes to the coast of Sydney Bay, where she asked for political asylum, telling journalists who had flocked to a tidbit about her hatred of the communist regime. The Australian authorities, having hesitated, granted Liliana asylum, after which the story of a brave "girl in a red swimsuit" spread all over the world, instantly making the young Tatar a star. In the west, Liliana willingly posed for glossy magazines, including nude, was a professional dancer, starred in Australian television series.

The story of "Girls in a Red Swimsuit" caused a huge resonance in the West

Since the distant 1976, the former refugee managed to change two husbands. Today, one lives in London, trying to no longer fall into the lenses of journalists.

Liliana's photos have not appeared on the network for a long time

It is difficult to say in advance how the fate of a person traveling abroad will develop, be it the times of the Soviet Union or our days. Some of the beauties who had All-Union glory in their homeland had hard times abroad, and someone found their feminine happiness, even if it does not include filming in Hollywood blockbusters. One way or another, 10 women in our selection turned out to be brave enough to challenge fate. For this alone, they deserve respect, so we will not immediately stigmatize the former compatriots as traitors to their homeland. Each of us has our own destiny.