Childhood and youth
The future actress was born on April 10, 1988 in sunny Ukrainian Mariupol; later the family moved to Moscow. She has an older brother Denis and a twin brother Igor. The family was not rich, but very friendly. Ira grew up as an extremely flexible and artistic girl, she was known as a “prankster”, except that she had a complex because of her height. 
When Irina was still in elementary school, her mother died. Caring for three children fell entirely on the father's shoulders. From the age of 14, Irina worked: in the market, in a store and even in a factory, while still managing to attend a theater group.
After graduation secondary school Irina worked as a waitress for a year, then a friend’s mother advised her to go to the theater. She managed to enroll in the acting department of the Shchukin School the first time, in the course of teacher Rodion Ovchinnikov.
Theater career
Even while studying at the institute, Irina showed herself as talented actress, ready to take on the most complex projects. Gorbachev was cast in the most controversial and striking roles, including Joan of Arc in the play of the same name. She was involved in the productions “A Man Came to a Woman,” “About Love and Friendship,” “The Widow’s Steamer,” and “Employees.” 
In 2010, Irina became a certified actress and received an invitation to the trainee group of the Moscow theater “Peter Fomenko Workshop”. Irina joined the theater troupe at the beginning of 2013.
Sometimes Irina Gorbacheva could be seen on other stages: in the theater. Vakhtangov she took part in the play “Mademoiselle Nitouche”, and at the A.R.T.O. Theater - in the play “Macbeth”, playing Lady Macbeth.
In 2016, for her role as Elena in the play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Irina was nominated for the Golden Mask Award in the “Drama - Best” category. female role"and was awarded the "Theater Star" award in the category "Supporting Actress".
Today Gorbachev still appears on stage in productions of “Giants of the Mountain”, “Mother Courage”, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “Dowry”, “Three Sisters”, “ Last dates”, “One absolutely happy village”, “Sailors and whores”, etc.
Film career
Irina made her film debut in 2008, starring in two episodic roles: in the TV series “Law and Order: Criminal Intent 3” and the film “Indigo”. In 2010, the film “Compensation” was released, starring Gosha Kutsenko and Lyubov Tolkalina. 
Gorbacheva in this project got a supporting role - the girl Lena, who, together with her sister Kristina (Polina Kutsenko), after the death of her mother, learns that their long-lost father has become a successful businessman. For this role, the girl received the “Best Actress” award at the First Transbaikal Film Festival.
Two years later, the actress played her main role in the military science fiction mini-series "Fog-2". The film did not receive such high ratings from critics and viewers, but Irina’s performance was appreciated.
All subsequent roles were radically different from each other: the fighting wife of an officer in the series “Shores of My Dreams”, Komsomol activist Nastya in the series “Two Winters and Three Summers”, prostitute-drug addict Angela in the series “A Matter of Honor”, etc.
In 2015, the actress was offered the role of Ulyana Gromova in the TV series “Young Guard”, where, in addition to the actress, Katerina Shpitsa, Yuri Chursin, Yuri Borisov were also involved. Many critics liked the embodiment of the image of a member of the headquarters of an underground anti-fascist organization, but there were also many who found Irina’s acting style provocative and completely unsuitable for this role.
Next year brought Gorbachev two main roles at once - in the drama “I Can Knit” and “Transfiguration”, which in June were presented at Kinotavr and the Moscow International Film Festival, respectively. In the same year, Irina took part in the dubbing of the French film “Love Out of Size,” voicing Coralie, the heroine of actress Stephanie Papanian.
Vlog
On her long-established Instagram page, Irina Gorbacheva occasionally posted funny videos that were appreciated only by her friends and a few subscribers. In the summer of 2015, the girl began filming 15-second humorous videos V different images- an unlucky actress of Balzac's age, an average grumpy grandmother, a foreigner who came to Russia and is surprised by everything new...A selection of videos by Irina Gorbacheva
Irina published one of these videos on her page famous model and TV presenter - in a few days the fame of the cheerful and unusual actress Gorbacheva and her absurd funny sketches spread throughout the network, and Irina acquired thousands of fans.
Subsequently, the number of images of Irina increased - fans especially loved the funny animal couple named Misha and Leva. By mid-2017, the number of her Instagram followers approached two million.
Personal life of Irina Gorbacheva
Since 2015, Irina has been married to actor Grigory Kalinin, star of the TV series “The Island”. 
The girl saw him for the first time on TV - the film “Fog” was on. According to the actress, then she thought: “Wow! Handsome as a man and interesting as an artist.” Before this, no one Russian actors she was not interested at all.
In 2010, Irina and Grigory crossed paths film set. Sitting with a fake mustache glued on, the actor seemed unapproachable and even narcissistic to Gorbachev. The next meeting took place in the company of mutual friends, at a karaoke club. By the middle of the evening, the young people decided never to part again, and two days later they moved in together.
In March 2015, the lovers got married in one of the capital's registry offices. Irina’s originality was evident here too - she came to the ceremony in a long black dress.
In October 2018, the media found out about the couple’s divorce, and the documents were drawn up last summer.
Irina Gorbacheva now
Coming from social network fame turned out to be very useful for Irina - they began to vying with each other to invite her to the most various projects. In 2017, Gorbacheva starred in the critically acclaimed “medical” melodrama “Arrhythmia” by Boris Khlebnikov; Alexander Yatsenko became her partner on the set. The film took Grand Prize"Kinotavr", and viewers who had the opportunity to see the film before its release in Russian cinema claimed that "Arrhythmia" restored their faith in Russian cinema. 
During the same period, Irina took part in the filming of several high-profile projects. These are “Ikaria” (dir. Yavor Gyrdev), “Draft” (dir. Sergei Mokritsky) and “Coach” (dir. Danila Kozlovsky), as well as the comedy “I’m Losing Weight” with Alexandra Bortich and Sergei Shnurov (dir. Alexey Nuzhny) and “Kilimanjara” (dir. Ekaterina Telegina).
Irina Gorbacheva – Russian actress theater and cinema, which won the love of the Internet public with humorous and satirical videos. Irina Gorbacheva is also familiar to film fans as a festival actress, whose films are shown at Kinotavr and the Moscow International Film Festival.
Irina Gorbacheva was born in April 1988. The parents realized very early that their daughter was growing up to be a creative person. The girl was extremely flexible, had excellent hearing and was already in early childhood demonstrated considerable artistry.
In the first grades of school, Irina Gorbacheva began attending music and choreography classes. She developed her vocals, learned to play different instruments and danced beautifully. Ira dreamed of becoming an artist and put a lot of effort into preparing herself for this profession.
The girl's efforts were crowned with success. In 2006, Gorbachev became a student of the famous Theater Institute named after Shchukin. My student years were very eventful. Irina, studying acting on the course famous artist and the wonderful theater teacher Rodion Ovchinnikov, managed to play many roles in productions of the Vakhtangov Theater. She was entrusted central images, complex and multifaceted, in the performances “Fear and Poverty”, “Employees” and “”.
Theater
In 2010, immediately after the final exams and graduation performance, Irina Gorbacheva was accepted into the Workshop troupe as a trainee.
Gorbachev was on time everywhere. She absorbed invaluable lessons in theatrical skills from senior colleagues at the Fomenko Theater. Here the audience saw the young actress in the roles of a conductor in the play “Red” and an old gypsy woman in the production of “Dowry”. Already from these two roles, theatergoers were able to understand that they had a very promising artist in front of them.
A few months after appearing at the Fomenko Theater, Irina Gorbacheva was already playing in the studio, on the stage of which she worked as a guest actress. Here Irina was able to demonstrate her talents in the play “Faryatyev’s Fantasies.” Very soon Gorbacheva began to be offered leading roles in theatrical productions various capital theaters.
Movies
A cinematic biography of Irina Gorbacheva started in 2008, when she was in her penultimate year at Shchuka. Like many beginning colleagues, for Irina the world of cinema began with a cameo role in a TV series. After appearing in the serial melodrama “Litsedey,” Gorbacheva was offered two more roles. And again in the series. But this time Ira was entrusted with brighter and more voluminous images, which were well remembered by the audience. The actress appeared in the 3rd season of the detective film Law & Order, playing the heroine of one of the episodes. And in the same 2008, rich in offers, she got a role in the film “Indigo”.
Irina Gorbacheva in the film "Compensation" After some break, when the actress was fully occupied in the theater, she was offered a starring role in the film “Compensation.” It was this film directed by Vera Storozheva that helped the young artist make a breakthrough in the world of cinema. Appearing on the screen together with the stars of Russian cinema, and could not go unnoticed by the audience.
It was after filming this project that Irina Gorbacheva’s career skyrocketed. For her work in this film, Irina Gorbacheva received her first cinematic award: in 2011 she became a laureate of the Trans-Baikal Film Festival, where the actress was noted for the best actress in “Compensation”. Now Irina is no longer offered episodes. It appears among famous directors, whose films immediately after their release fall into the spotlight. Thus, in 2012, Gorbacheva starred in the military drama with fantasy elements “Fog-2” by Ivan Shurkhovetsky, after the release of which the artists who starred in the film instantly became recognizable.
The year 2015 can be called especially successful in the cinematic biography of Irina Gorbacheva, when Leonid Plyaskin’s sensational film “The Young Guard” was released on Russian screens. This is a fresh adaptation of the novel, where Gorbacheva played Ulyana Gromova.
Irina Gorbacheva also gained popularity on social networks. As is known, talented person talented in everything. Ira became famous for her brilliant sketches, which she comes up with on the go and publishes on her page in “ Instagram" Today the account serves as a promotional website for the actress.
The actress films short videos with the camera of her own smartphone. The heroes of small masterpieces can be ordinary people you meet, whose behavior or appearance interested Irina. A fashionista lightly dressed in the bitter cold, a grandmother with a curious grandson, a preoccupied mother - these are the images Gorbachev saw on the street and embodied on the screen.
The artist comes up with sketches on her own - on the subway, at home near the refrigerator, in the pharmacy - and immediately brings the invented role to life. The actress's humorous videos are regularly viewed on the Internet. The actress applies makeup, changes her gait and type of speech, experiments with age and height (by the way, Irina’s height is 192 cm). Popular images of the actress - a woman with pink hair, an old lady and an eccentric lady in black. In January 2016, Irina posted the video “Life is Class,” which brought the actress popularity beyond the audience of the Instagram platform.
In 2016, GQ magazine named the actress Woman of the Year.
Personal life
The actress and Instagram star is married to a professional colleague, famous for the series “The Island”. Irina and Grisha are very creative and creative people. Therefore, even the wedding in March 2015 became unusual. For example, the bride wore a black dress, not a white one. Relatives and friends invited to the celebration, who came to the registry office on Kutuzovsky Prospekt to congratulate the newlyweds on the occasion, were not at all surprised: Gorbacheva and Kalinin are not the type who follow generally accepted rules and tastes.
Today personal life Irina Gorbacheva is her beloved husband Grisha, who understands and accepts the movements of the soul of the creative half. As far as the press knows, the couple does not have children yet.
Irina Gorbacheva now
In 2016, the actress received only leading roles, and in three films at once. Irina Gorbacheva played in the short melodrama “Sleepwalkers,” which was shown at the Kinotavr festival. The film is about 1968 and a train that travels through the night and the people with everyday problems who travel on that train. The fates of the heroes contrast with the global events taking place at the same time - the USSR’s preparations for the next conquest of space.
Also at Kinotavr, the premiere of another film with the participation of Irina Gorbacheva took place - the social drama “I Can Knit”.
The actress played the main female role in another festival film. Irina Gorbacheva appeared in the mystical melodrama “Transfiguration”, which premiered at the Moscow international film festival. The film is about a young man who can inhabit the minds of other people. Together with a talented artist, a gifted young man travels a path beyond the limits of human perception.
In 2017, Irina Gorbacheva played the role of Katya, the wife of the talented doctor Oleg, played by the actor, in the drama ““. The film received two awards at the open XXVIII Film Festival in Sochi in 2017 - the main prize for best movie and a prize audience choice. Today, the actress is starring in four films, the premieres of which are scheduled for the end of 2017.
The plot of the film is built around the life of an emergency doctor. While Oleg is rushing from call to call, his wife, tired of the constant absence of her husband, leaves the hero, and the management at the hospital changes, and the management no longer cares about the lives of the patients, only about fulfilling bureaucratic requirements.
Irina Gorbacheva is working on a role in the 12-episode film adaptation of the novel “”, known from the novels and fantasy action films based on them “” and “Day Watch”. In addition, the actress is starring in the film “,” where the main character will be the count, author famous novel"War and Peace".
The actress will also appear in the fantastic dystopian film Ikaria, which shows the world in 2027, when breakthroughs in genetics and bioengineering have given people hope for immortality. But the volunteers who agreed to the experiment became participants in a deadly TV show.
Another film by Irina Gorbacheva in 2017 will be the film “Like Children.”
Irina Gorbacheva also starred in two films that were released in 2018. The actress appeared in the sports drama. Main character film - a football player of the Russian national football team (), who did not score the decisive goal, after which he left professional sports and became the coach of a provincial team.
The actress also played in the film “I’m Losing Weight,” about a girl who loves to eat and is the lover of a handsome athlete. After the chosen one leaves the main character, she decides to change her life and go on a diet.
Filmography
- 2008 - “Indigo”
- 2008 - “Law and Order”
- 2010 - “Compensation”
- 2011 - “My Crazy Family”
- 2011 - " Soldier's Tales Sasha Cherny"
- 2012 - “Fog-2”
- 2012 - “Poor Relatives”
- 2013 - “Two winters and three summers”
- 2013 - “The Shores of My Dreams”
- 2014 - “Sea Devils. Tornado"
- 2015 - “Young Guard”
- 2016 - “I can knit”
- 2016 - “Transfiguration”
- 2016 - “Sleepwalkers”
- 2017 - “Arrhythmia”
- 2018 - “I’m losing weight”
- 2018 - “Coach”
Irina Gorbacheva is a young Russian actress who has 20 film roles to her credit. Are you interested in personal and creative biography this girl? We will be happy to tell you everything.
Brief biography: childhood
Irina Anatolyevna Gorbacheva was born on April 10, 1988 in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, located in the Donetsk region. Her father and mother have nothing to do with acting.
From an early age, Ira demonstrated natural artistry. She organized home concerts and parodied famous Russian performers.
At the age of 7, parents enrolled their daughter in music school and a choreography studio. Teachers immediately noted her plasticity, as well as the presence of perfect pitch and a sense of rhythm.
Our heroine always dreamed of becoming an artist. And the girl backed up her desire with action: she developed her vocals, danced superbly, and learned to play various instruments. In the end, her labors were not in vain.
Student
In 2006, after receiving her matriculation certificate, Ira went to Moscow. There she submitted documents to VTU named after. Shchukin. The competition was big - 20 people per place. Gorbacheva managed to conquer the members admissions committee. A native of Mariupol was enrolled in a course headed by R. Ovchinnikov.
Also in student years she began performing on the stage of the Vakhtangov Theater. The director trusted her with the central images in the productions “Joan of Arc”, “Collaborators”, “Fear and Poverty”, etc.
In 2010, Gorbacheva was awarded a diploma. She had no problems finding work. The “Pike” graduate was accepted into the troupe of P. Fomenko’s workshop as a trainee. On the stage of this institution, the young actress performed many bright roles. In "The Dowry" she successfully reincarnated as an old gypsy woman. And in the play “Red” she got the role of a conductor.
Currently, Irina Gorbacheva (photos of which are given in this article) collaborates with various metropolitan theaters, including the O. Tabakov Theater-Studio, the Vakhtangov Theater and the A.R.T.O. Theater.
Films and TV series with her participation
Our heroine began her film career with the melodrama “Actors,” which was released in 2008. The role was episodic, but this did not upset the aspiring actress at all. After all, she got her first experience working in the frame.
In the same 2008, Gorbacheva was entrusted with larger and brighter roles in the TV series “Law and Order” (season No. 3) and the adventure thriller “Indigo”.
After a short break, when Irina worked only in the theater, she was offered a starring role (Elena) in the dramatic film “Compensation”.
It was this film, shot by director V. Storozheva, that became a kind of springboard for further development Gorbacheva's film career. Her colleagues on the set were such famous artists as Lyubov Tolkalina, Vladimir Epifantsev and Gosha Kutsenko.
After the success in the film “Compensation,” Irina was no longer offered episodes. The directors trusted her with complex and voluminous roles, albeit not the main ones. In 2011, her creative treasury was replenished with two films - the comedy “My Crazy Family” (Galina) and “Soldier’s Tales of Sasha Cherny” (Rada). The images she created were liked and remembered by the audience.
And in 2012, Irina Gorbacheva was approved for the main role in the military adventure film “Fog-2”. Her on-screen character's name is Olga.
Let's list the actress's other film works for 2013-2015:
- drama series “Two Winters and Three Summers” (2013) - Gavrilina Anastasia;
- family saga “A Matter of Honor” (2013) - drug-addicted prostitute Angela;
- military drama “Young Guard” (2015) - Ulyana Gromova;
- social drama “I can knit” (2015) - Vasya.
New film works
In 2016, Irina Gorbacheva received leading roles in two films - the short film “Sleepwalkers” and the melodrama “Transfiguration”. Both films turned out to be successful.
What will the actress please her fans in 2017? Very soon the premieres of three films with her participation will take place. It's about about the dystopia “Ikaria”, the series “Draft” (based on work of the same name S. Lukyanenko) and the drama “Arrhythmia”.
Personal life
Many fans want to know if Irina Gorbacheva is single. The actress has already found true love. Our heroine’s chosen one was Grigory Kalinin, her colleague. He is known to viewers from the TV series “Travelers” and “Island”.
In March 2015, the couple entered into legal marriage. Their wedding turned out to be unusual. The fact is that Ira did not choose a snow-white bride's outfit, but put on a black dress with golden accents. The ceremony took place in the Kutuzovsky registry office in Moscow. Friends and relatives who came to congratulate the newlyweds were not at all surprised by our heroine’s outfit. After all, the girl is not one of those who blindly adheres to generally accepted rules.
In the next 2-3 years, Irina and her beloved husband Grisha are going to have common child. But in general, they both dream of a large and friendly family.
1. Irina Gorbacheva has an amazing sense of humor. Her subscribers (1.8 million people) on the social network Instagram were able to verify this. The girl delights the audience with her sketches and funny videos shot on her smartphone camera.
2. In 2011, she was invited to the Transbaikal Film Festival. There she was presented with an award for winning the category “Best Actress” (for the image of Olga in the film “Compensation”).
3. Ira has long been interested in the psychology of human behavior and its analysis. Special literature serves as a source of new knowledge for her.
4. Our heroine has a twin brother, whose name is Igor.
Finally
Irina Gorbacheva has a great sense of humor and irrepressible creative energy. Her colleagues and directors respect and appreciate her, and numerous spectators have developed great sympathy for her.
Today Irina Gorbacheva is one of the most promising young actresses Russian theater and cinema, but her path to fame cannot be called easy. Ira was born in one of the largest industrial cities in southern Ukraine, but after some time the family moved to Moscow. The Gorbachevs could not boast of an enviable income, but they lived amicably and cheerfully.
In addition to Irina, there were two more boys in the family - the eldest Denis and Igor, with whom the girl was born on the same day.
Childhood interrupted
Irina grew up as a lively, flexible and artistic girl, she loved to sing and dance, and no one was bored in her company. Joyful life ended after sudden death mother. Custody of the children fell entirely on the shoulders of the father. The grandmother looked after her grandchildren, but age affected her capabilities.
Irina tried to make her contribution to support the family home. Childhood is over for her. From the age of fourteen, she worked part-time at the market, in a store, and, for several years, even at a factory. Torn between home, school, and part-time jobs, the girl found time to study in a theater group.
After graduating from school, Irina did not continue her studies, but went to work as a waitress. A year later, she still wanted to get a higher education. Listening to mother's advice close friend, the girl took the documents to the Shchukin Theater School. To my surprise, I got in on the first try. She studied on the course of Rodion Ovchinnikov.
During her studies, Irina Gorbacheva did not refuse any theater projects, took on the most difficult roles. As a student, she played in such plays as “About Love and Friendship”, “Collaborators”, “A Man Came to a Woman”, “The Widow’s Steamer”.
Having received an acting diploma in 2010, Irina did not immediately look for permanent job in the theater, but agreed to join the group of trainees at the Pyotr Fomenko Workshop.
Three years later, Gorbacheva became a permanent member of the acting troupe of this theater and performed in productions of “Mother Courage”, “Three Sisters”, “Giants of the Mountain”, “Dowry”, “Sailors and Whores”. At the same time, she appeared on stage at the A.R.T.O. Theater and at the Vakhtangov Theater.
Beloved husband of Irina Gorbacheva
In 2015, Irina Gorbacheva said goodbye to her status as an enviable bride and married actor Grigory Kalinin. She first saw him on TV while watching the movie The Fog. The girl’s head was spinning with the thought: “what handsome man and an interesting actor..."
They met on the set of one of the film projects, but the made-up Grisha, who had a mustache glued on, seemed narcissistic and inaccessible to Irina. And only when the young people met at a karaoke club did their relationship improve. Love broke out instantly, and within a week the actors began to live together. There was a short break in their relationship, after which feelings flared up even more.
Irina came to the marriage registration, which took place in March 2015, in an extravagant black dress. In the registry office, where their marriage was officially registered, against the backdrop of other brides dressed in traditional dresses white, Gorbachev looked like a “black sheep.”
The couple does not have children yet, but in an interview Irina says that she wants to have at least four heirs. Kalinin, smiling, agrees.
On her page on the social network Instagram, the actress posts funny humorous videos, constantly changing her appearance. She draws all the plots for her sketches from life and does not invent anything. Thanks to these videos, the number of her subscribers increased by hundreds of thousands.
In her free time from filming films, the actress does not refuse to provide all possible assistance to her musician friends. She helped create videos for Ivan Dorn and the “Beasts” group.
Interesting notes:
Irina and Grigory prefer to go abroad on vacation. Born in a seaside city, Gorbacheva remains partial to the seas and oceans, choosing to travel to places where it is warmer. Together the couple visited the Seychelles, and a year later they visited Mauritius. We took part in a safari, went scuba diving, and rode ATVs.
Filming, filming, filming
Irina Gorbacheva appeared on the set for the first time in 2008, playing small episodes in the film “Indigo” and in the TV series “Law and Order.” In 2010, her track record included a supporting role – the girl Lena – in the film “Compensation”. Her skill was noticed and even awarded prestigious award at one of the film festivals.
Gorbachev also starred in the military science fiction project “Fog-2”, which, although it did not find popularity among film fans, and was not “kindly” by critics, both the former and the latter appreciated the performance of the young actress. Irina Gorbacheva’s credits include the role of the prostitute Angela, who is hooked on a needle, in the series “A Matter of Honor,” the wife of a military officer in “Shores of My Dreams,” and the Komsomol activist Nastya in “Two Winters and Three Years.”
The image of Ulyana Gromova, created by the actress in the film “The Young Guard,” was not liked by all critics.
Film experts noted that Irina chose the wrong manner of playing this role.
In 2016, the young actress added two leading roles to her resume, playing in the films “Transfiguration” and “I Can Knit.”
The role of Katya in the film “Arrhythmia,” which was released in 2017, brought Gorbacheva the title of “Best Actress.” Her colleague also impressed the jury of several domestic film festivals with his performance.
This time, critics unanimously wrote that the film restores faith in the power of Russian cinema. From a series of all these praises, Gorbachev singles out the warm words of Konstantin Raikin, who thanked her for her participation in the acting profession.
In 2018, a comedy film was released in which Irina Gorbacheva played one of the roles. The actress can also be seen in the projects “Ikaria”, “Like Children”, “Draft”, which are still in the production stage.
| Filmography of Irina Gorbacheva | Year | Movie |
| 2008 | Role | |
| 2008 |
Indigo
A frank conversation between actress Irina Gorbacheva and the editor-in-chief of OK! Vadim Vernik about his difficult childhood, personal life and profession.
Photo: DR Irina Gorbacheva Irina Gorbacheva became a star thanks to Instagram. But her obvious talent
demanded popularity of a different kind, because by that time Ira was already a first-class theater actress. When she starred in “Arrhythmia”, success finally came to her in the cinema - real, long-awaited, well-deserved... AND ra, New film “I’m losing weight” with your participation received only positive reviews
. I liked the picture too.
Initially, director Lyosha Nuzhny and the producers wanted me to play the main character so that I would gain that very valuable weight.
Here's how. But you didn't take the risk.
The experiment is, of course, interesting, but dangerous. Plus I have a theater, I couldn’t afford it, I realized that all the roles would fly, even despite the fact that all my heroines are sharp-witted. And physically, it seems to me, I would not be able to withstand it. Besides, I’m not so inclined to be overweight that I could quickly gain fifteen to twenty kilograms. How can I throw them off given the rhythm in which I lived? In general, I decided: well, no.
Are you always so careful? In this case, I just felt that I couldn’t pull it off. And then there were auditions for a girlfriend, and the script was radically rewritten - the friend’s line was increased. I remember at some point I came to the next meeting about the script and said: “I think we’re going to get completely confused now, because you’ve made so many lines that it all looks like some kind of huge tree.” There are relationships with my father, and relationships with a young man, new relationships, soul-searching, the line of my mother and stepfather, work - there are so many branches.
Was it hard to believe that it would all come together?
Yes. The guys worked on the script for a long time, they, of course, know better. And to be honest, I’m generally skeptical about comedies.
Why?
Because they don’t work in our country, unfortunately. Well, at least it's not funny to me. Roman Karimov has more or less funny comedies, but no, it’s not funny to me. IN Lately, you know, this is the beginning of a trend - to treat comedies like popcorn. There is no need to burden them with anything - there is some kind of meaning there. Just a set of situations, circumstances: fell, crashed, got drunk, jumped out of the window...
How did you end up agreeing to film?
I agreed, although I had my foot on the brake pedal all the time, I was constantly rechecking the ground. We had not worked with Lyosha Nuzhny before, I only knew that he had directed several episodes of Olga, and this became a kind of indicator for me.
In the end, are you satisfied with the result?
Satisfied. Firstly, when I found out that they wanted to try Sasha Bortich for the main role, I realized that this was an absolute hit. Sasha told me that she is prone to being overweight, what to gain excess weight it won't be difficult for her. What can I say? The comedy turned out to be sincere, touching, and to some extent philosophical, as if you were in a psychotherapy session. The humor is adequate, the characters are lively, nothing is contrived.
I went to the premiere with my dad, and at some point he cried. He says to me: “Well, what are you all about - comedy and comedy? It's not really a comedy." And indeed, this is not a comedy, its genre is a dramedy.
You have long been a Muscovite, although you grew up in Mariupol. Is dad also in Moscow now?
No, he lives in the Moscow region. At one time we moved from Mariupol to the Moscow region. Now he lives there with Tanya - this is my stepmother - and periodically comes to see me.
What does father do?
He is a caretaker at a school for the blind. We have a boarding school in the Moscow region, where not only blind children study, but also children with developmental delays, with cerebral palsy. Dad made money with his hands all his life: he was a welder, he forged latticework, he made all sorts of beautiful fences, he was also a master of finishing work, he built cottages, he renovated apartments, he repaired payphones, and after that he began working at a school.
Did he also teach his three children to do physical labor?
He taught us to live independently, all the time he told us: “You can’t count on anyone, count on yourself, guys, and I’ll help in any way I can.” At that time, he was unable to help financially, but he always said: “Bite in, bite in - like kittens falling into water. Claw your own way." This, of course, is a very difficult experience in terms of childhood, but, on the other hand, in childhood you take everything for granted.
I know that you lost your mother early.
Yes, my twin brother and I were nine years old at the time, the eldest - eleven.
Do you remember that time well?
Of course... We lived in Mariupol until I was nine years old, I remember everything perfectly. It was an incredibly bright childhood. You know, some kind of separate life, sunny: the sea, the south, just constant happiness. And then we moved to the Moscow region, still with my mother. We tried to treat her here. It so happened that my mother had to return to Ukraine, where she died.
It is clear that you and your brothers had to grow up sharply then.
And it was not easy for my father. We were immediately “intercepted” » our grandmother Olya, father’s mother, she began to raise us. And my father had to constantly work to support us. At that time he was just a master of finishing works. He was abandoned periodically.
It was a time when you renovated an entire apartment, and they told you: “As long as you’re alive and we haven’t buried you here in the yard, get out of here, guy!” I had to leave - that is, you don’t see the children and you practically don’t earn any money.
Did he tell you children such harsh things?
No, we found out about this only later, when we got older.
Tell me, you and your twin brother strong connection? This is especially interesting to me, since Igor and I are also twins.
At first, of course, I took the baton from my mother. Unwittingly. She began to stand up for her brother in every possible way, trying not to offend him.
Were you so lively?
Lively. My older brother and I fought as children, just with knives. We didn’t have such a thing in our family that Ira is a girl, you can’t touch her, because she’s a delicate flower. I knew that at school my brothers could stand up for me, but in principle I could come to the same school with a black eye received from my own brother. As a child, you come to terms with everything - how you live is how you live. There is no such thing as: “This is not normal.”
Have you ever had a need to feel like a girl?
There was a certain block in this regard. First of all, you grow up with two boys in a room of ten square meters. Secondly, my character.
What is your character?
I'm harsh. As a child, she was quick-tempered and categorical. I had girl friends, but I liked playing with boys more, running around with them. And it was completely strange to behave like a girl among thirteen-year-old boys. I didn’t need this, and besides everything else, I was afraid.
What were you afraid of?
Some kind of relationship. I didn’t understand how you could start dating someone, touch someone - I had a phobia.
At what age is this?
The first time I started dating a boy was when I was sixteen. I had my grandmother’s upbringing, and she always told me: “We don’t go anywhere before the age of sixteen.”
And at the institute, they probably tried to make you into a girly girl?
We tried. We tried with all our might. It was a withdrawal because I wore sweatpants and a T-shirt all the time. Looking at myself in the mirror, I didn’t feel the desire to put on a skirt or shoes. I told the teachers: “On stage I will change clothes, but in life I am who I am.”
How did you get into acting in the first place? Based on what you're saying, I don't see much logic.
There was no logic. I never dreamed of becoming an actor; for me it was not a choice at all.
I wanted to become a fitness instructor, hip-hop instructor - this is my history, sports, I love to dance.
By the way, recently I, together with Yulia Repeta, came up with the project “I’m dancing around Moscow.” This is such therapy in the capital's parks. During one session, a group of twenty-five people (anyone can join) begins dance movement in the park - it all comes down to liberation, an outburst of emotions, stress goes away, and this is so important in a metropolis! In these classes, no one expects virtuoso control of the body; everyone moves the way they know how and how they feel.
Great! I already wanted to take part in this myself. But let's go back to the beginning of your acting history.
My friend’s mother once said: “Ira, you need to go to the theater, try it.” For me, this turned out to be a way to get a degree in higher education. The easy way, as I thought at the time. You dance, tell poems, fables, prose - and all this is not connected with physics, chemistry, algebra. This is a “light” option for hiking higher education...
...so that later there will be hip-hop again?..
I didn’t leave this thought because I didn’t understand what would happen in this new world, I didn’t understand what I would face. I started thinking seriously about the future in my third year. I was sure that they wouldn’t take me to the cinema.
I had this complex for a long time, and to be honest, I still have it now. You know, this is from the category: “This handsome guy is not about me.” And then somehow it happened that “this handsome guy” came up to me, and I thought: “This is some kind of delusion, he will soon see a frog in me.” ( Laughs.)
I was always afraid that I would be exposed. At the institute, every time they said, “If you feel like you don’t belong or are taking someone else’s place, get up and leave,” I called to myself: “Get up, get up!” But she didn’t get up. I continued to study somehow in spite of myself. As for cinema, I repeat, I was very skeptical about my appearance.
High growth annoying?
Being tall started to irritate me when I started auditioning. They kept telling me: “Oh, how tall you are, our partner is shorter than you, it will be comical. Oh, okay, let's try it." Plus I have a problem with shoes big size legs.
I understood: if there is some kind of sports story, it’s mine, social drama is mine. And everything else is the world of inch heroines with long hair- this story is closed to me.
Ira, you and I did television program“Who’s there...” two years ago. And I had a feeling of your certain creative understatement. But “Arrhythmia” appeared, a picture that told a lot about you as an actress. And how many times I hear now: “Oh, what a wonderful actress she is!” This makes me happy, because today you have received what you deserve, although this does not mean that you need to relax.
Certainly. Now there is even more responsibility. At all interesting story it turned out because on my candidacy for to a greater extent Dunya Smirnova insisted, with whom I eventually starred in a film with the working title “The Story of One Destination.” Dunya once saw my samples and said to Bora Khlebnikov: “Well, Gorbachev needs to approve this, that’s for sure.”
Did Khlebnikov have serious doubts?
For sure. Like any director, if he looked all over Moscow for this role.
In the end, the result was excellent, you received several awards. Now she has also been nominated for the Chopard Talent Award, designed to evaluate the talent of young actors. This is also a very good story.
Yes, in general, all this is incredibly pleasant. It seems to me that each role should be like a small code that you put in, and people read it, understand it, and thanks to this they can understand something for themselves, develop, open up. And in this regard, “Arrhythmia” is like a breath of fresh air for everyone.
I remember you I didn’t tell you that after college, when I started working in the theater, I decided to try the clown line - it led you in this direction. You know, I recently did an interview with Vincent Cassel, who said that he entered the circus school in order to gain some kind of self-identification as an actor. This is such a difficult path. Why did you need the circus element?
So, in fact, I didn’t want to work in the theater, I really wanted to work in clownery. But I didn’t want to go to the circus school: the old style of clowning is not close to me. I wanted to do something else - different, new. Recently, when my husband and I were in Los Angeles, we went to Las Vegas to see Cirque du Soleil and watched the show “O”. And after the performance I thought that I still want to be a clown. A clown is, of course, a mask, a mask of a small person, a person with some kind of complexes, clamps, this is the holy fool that is in each of us. Plus, most often it’s touching, with some kind of philosophy, and still you’re joking...
...you're kidding yourself first of all.
Yes. You connect with the audience and joke about yourself, giving people the opportunity to look at themselves from the outside, to see the absurdity of self-identification.
And when you joke about yourself, you probably also feel liberated?
Absolutely. I still think that someday I will touch stand up. All this is very close to me, in this genre you speak without fear about your complexes, about what irritates you. Stand up is some kind of door that you should definitely try to at least just enter.
Listen, I looked, you have some amazing roles in films now: you played Sofya Andreevna Tolstoy, the wife of Leo Tolstoy.
At all! No, the fact that Dunya Smirnova took me into this picture, and she took me for a reason, - when we met (we were recording a poem for her foundation), she said: “Irina, I have new script, there is one role written specifically for you.” It was just a shock. I tried my best to hide my excitement and simply said: “Well, interesting.” She says: “Sofya Andreevna Tolstaya.” This is where I got completely screwed! ( Laughs.) The ground has gone from under my feet. I think: “What is she doing, why? Where, what kind of Sofya Andreevna Tolstaya am I?” But Dunya has some steel character plus this incredible insight: she feels people very well, sees them, and, most importantly, she loves and knows how to work with artists.
Now another film with your participation is being released - “Coach”, the directorial debut of Dani Kozlovsky, where you play one of the main roles.
You know, Vadim, I wanted to meet Danya someday, just to get to know each other. Then I suddenly found out that I was being called to audition. Try me for the role of president football club He was advised by make-up artist Lera, with whom we are friends. I come, meet Kozlovsky, and talk. But I had a prejudice that I was “not about this cohort of people,” that is, I understand that I most likely am not from there. Probably, I thought, they will recruit actors from glossy magazines. And then Danya said that he wants to take people with a lively appearance, some kind of atypical, atypical, so that you get such a motley group.
And everything came together.
Yes. The non-format that I once identified myself with eventually became a format. Working at Trainer was very interesting. Danya is also the author of the script, he knows everything about the characters, he explains well and sets the tasks very correctly and accurately. His approach is like a Swiss watch, that is, everything is very precise...
You talked about brothers. What are they doing now?
My twin brother works as a loader at Sheremetyevo. And the eldest is a top manager at Ikea.
Which different destinies!.. On the eve of the publication of this issue of the magazine, you are turning thirty years old. This date is still light and airy, but nevertheless you somehow feel it?
I treat age as the time we spend on earth, no more. When I turned twenty-five, it hit me: “I’m stupid, I don’t know anything.” - neither in history, nor in politics, nor in geography.” Some kind of wild complex began to develop, I began to draw some conclusions - in general, it’s all about how you perceive the world. It's my 30th birthday now. This is just a fact, I don’t want to sum it up. And in general, what could be the results?! ( Smiles.)
Well, of course... Ira, it seems to me that you are a person who dominates in communication, in relationships. I'm right?
Yes Yes. There is such a moment, and sometimes I suffer from it.
Do you behave the same way with your husband?
This also happened and happens to my husband, such moments occur that I start to steer and steer.
Is he okay with this? I don’t know him personally, but it seems to me that Grigory is a fairly calm person.
Whether it suits you or not, you need to ask him. But anything can happen, of course. Sometimes I go too far.
You guys broke up for a while, right?
There was such a moment. We broke up, then got back together to try again. It was difficult to.
And how long were you apart?
Perhaps you have taken the first step towards?
Yes. I endure for a very long time, I am a very patient person, I know how to forgive, turn a blind eye to something, and sometimes engage in self-deception. In principle, I am of the opinion that if you cannot change the situation and cannot agree with it, you must get out of this situation. Still family life, relationships are a colossal job. You must be in constant connection. Our story with Grisha is somewhat reminiscent of the relationship between the heroes of Arrhythmia. We went through all these stages with him.
How is Grisha’s acting career going?
He's filming. Not so often, but still. Plus he wants to try himself as a director. Last year, he and his friend Lyosha Ilyin made a short film, which entered the Kinotavr competition. Some kind of forward movement began. Plus Grisha is a composer, he writes music, he and Seryozha Shaidakov recorded a track that was in the trailer for “Arrhythmia” - “Pobud” is called. They released it on iTunes as well. Grisha is also interested in editing - he is such a versatile person. Basically, when there is no employment in one area, he switches to another.
Great... I recently found out that you are participating in a very interesting social project, organized by Oriflame. The project is dedicated to natural beauty.
For me it turned out amazing story and good luck. This is more than a product, a kind of philosophy: “Love yourself for who you are.” True, this is already such a worn-out expression, because in practice everything is wildly complicated: all the gloss teaches the opposite. Cult perfect appearance eliminates individuality, all women become similar to each other. For me this is a disaster, just a disaster. We are not talking about the soul; for us everything depends on some external history. And the Oriflame company came up with an amazing “Anti-Casting” project, when women (including me) talk about other real women who inspire them. That is, here we are talking about individuality, and not about stereotypes. The photography took place in Warsaw, and fifteen women from the most different professions. The next project, “I am Beautiful,” was against prejudices associated with age.
Now I will participate in another project dedicated to naturalness in the most different manifestations. We must love ourselves for who we are, which, among other things, expands the boundaries of our ideas and capabilities. And this is the right trend of our time.
Ira, I can’t help but ask about your apartment, where we filmed our program. The apartment then impressed me strong impression: the feeling that this space could become the basis of some kind of interactive, immersive performance.
Oh, I'm so tired of this apartment!
Endless old furniture from flea markets, vintage telephones, typewriters...
At first it was all for fun, fun, I really filled up my home space with all this, I wanted to play around.
Was there not enough play in your life?
Maybe yes. We made a mirror from an old window frame. We put light bulbs and glass in there. I covered everything with my favorite deer... We recently purchased new apartment, in which I try to minimize everything, I try to even have a minimum number of shelves, with a minimum of things clogging up the space. Right now I just wanted silence, peace, light, bright space.
I remember there were inscriptions on your kitchen wall, I left mine too.
Literally two weeks ago I erased the entire wall, all the inscriptions, there was practically no empty space there anymore. I finally realized that I needed some kind of asceticism. It was about two in the morning, I took a rag and wiped everything off and finally exhaled. That's it, it's time to say goodbye to this period. ( Smiles.)
And with Instagram, you began to play around less and post your famous video sketches.
Yes, less and less often. Previously, this was a way for me to speak out - I spoke out. Now I only do it when I really want to or for promotional purposes. Advertising is not a shameful story for me; thanks to advertising, I manage to refuse many offers from the series: “Well, you can act, but it would be better not.”
It's your day off today. What will you be doing?
I’ll go clean up now and put the house in order.
Do you like it when everything is in its place?
Yes, I love order. It's important to me. Just a pure mind, unclouded. Do you know that I left the theater?
(Laughs.) Yes, this is also such a powerful period in my life. In December I finished the last performances and kept only “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for myself.
Why did you leave? You quickly became the leading actress of the Pyotr Fomenko Workshop theater.
Why did you leave?.. ( Long pause.) This decision has been brewing for a year. I had such a message at the beginning of last season, but I realized that I was a little excited, I thought that I should wait, see, breathe out - maybe everything will fall into place and I will calm down. I went into a lull for a year, didn’t release a single new play, and didn’t have any premieres. And then, at the beginning of the season, I came and realized that no - I can not anymore. It’s not that I can’t, it’s just that at some point I realized that I don’t agree with a lot in the theater and I can’t change it. I’m wasting my energy, my life, and if I stay and still disagree, I might turn into a cynic.
I have already begun to notice that some kind of cynicism towards the profession is emerging in me. Therefore, it was necessary to leave. On this moment repertory theater is not my story. I wanted, you know, to take a break and breathe out, look around. Although any breakup - it is both painful and difficult.
You see, on your 30th birthday you felt the need for some kind of reset.
Maybe. I wanted to hear myself. The past two years have been so bright and eventful, so much has happened! Just two years, but it feels like five years. We need to slow down. There is a lot of unnecessary noise around, behind which you can lose yourself and begin to exist by inertia.
An unexpected turn in our conversation, Ira.
Yes, yes, but I wanted to tell you this so that you know. ( Smiles.)
And I appreciate it. You're all in white now, and the energy is so fresh, or something. And the story with the theater is an ellipsis, like the beginning of some new experience. At the end of our conversation, I want to repeat the wishes that I wrote on your wall at home: “Create, dare, take risks!”
Thank you, Vadim.
Photo: Olga Tuponogova-Volkova. Style: Irina Svistushkina. Makeup: Vyacheslav Sasin/Dior Hair: Mila Belova/international art partner Matrix
Photographer's assistant: Konstantin Egonov
