The legendary actress Iya Arepina, the famous "Masha" from the "Captain's Daughter", was very popular in the 1960s. Her fame did not last long. The brightly lit star, unfortunately, faded away just as quickly. Her life was not easy. But Iya remained a man in any situation.
Childhood
Iya was born on July 2, 1930 in the Mordovian city of Ardatov. She was the seventh, penultimate child in a large peasant family. My father was very fond of reading, he was a very original person. He gave the girl the unusual name of Oia, which means “violet” in Greek. The mother of the actress was illiterate.
Iya was a teenager when the Great Patriotic War began. Hunger and want did not pass over a single family. The family of actress Iya Arepina was no exception. They ate pellets from peeling potatoes, roots and plants. The girl spent a lot of time in the forest, where she collected moss, berries, mushrooms - all that could be eaten. She carried love for the forest through her whole life.
Iya has always been a creative person. Since childhood, she wanted to be an actress, with difficulty asking her parents for money to watch films that were shown in Ardatov. Sometimes she earned a trip to the cinema herself, selling dill. At school, the future star was engaged in a drama circle, played in productions and performances.
VGIK
After graduation, a short blonde with beautiful features decided to move to Moscow to enter the theater. She sent documents to all universities, but received a call only from VGIK.
The girl adored Audrey Hepburn, therefore, having glued her photo on the lid of her wooden suitcase, the future actress Iya Arepina went to conquer the capital.
A girl in thick woolen socks with two ridiculous ponytails on her head won the admissions committee with her spontaneity. She plucked white eyebrows to a single hair and drew wide black arcs. Confident in her irresistibility, the girl read the monologue of Pavel Vlasov from the novel "Mother".
Arepina accepted to the institute. She got into the workshop of V. Vanin and V. Belokurov.
Iya lived in a hostel, which was located in the suburbs. It was necessary to get to it by train. The girl did not even realize that there was a tram to the station, so every day she walked several kilometers on foot, chewing a big bun along the way, until her classmates explained everything to her.
During training, Arepina played in the performances "The Snow Maiden" and "Egor Bulychev and Others." In 1954, Iya graduated from VGIK.
At the peak of popularity
The debut of Iya Arepina as a movie actress took place in the films "Steppe Dawns" and "Big Family". All-Russian and world fame brought her the role of Masha in the film "Captain's Daughter." For this role, Arepina were ready to give the title of "Honored Artist", but she refused, believing that so far she was not worthy.
Then there were a few more successful roles in films. In total, actress Iya Arepina starred in 27 films.
Leaving the big movie
Oia disappeared from the screens in the mid-1960s. On the set of the film, she had a conflict with a young director. He invited her to become his mistress. But Arepina always believed that they did not make a career through bed, so she publicly refused, without hesitation for a second.
The actress has always been proud that every role was given to her in an honest way, through film screenings. She never spoke ambiguously, positioned herself as an actress working only on the set.
After an unpleasant incident, she was removed from the picture, and the role was given to another actress. And the villain-director hung the stigma of the brawler on May.
One of the last pictures, where Iya Alekseevna was shot, was a small role in Vasily Shukshin’s painting “Red Viburnum”. Arepina loved Shukshin very much as a director and dreamed of working with him. She gladly accepted the offer and played the role of the sister of the protagonist, which was performed by Shukshin himself.
Then came a few more miniature roles. And that’s it. Arepin was no longer invited to the tests. She continued to play only in the theater, occasionally going on tour.
Personal life
Iya was given completely to any process, and love was no exception. She could not love half-heartedly, she wanted to dissolve in a person, live in an atmosphere of romance and happiness, she wanted to take care of someone, getting a return.
But her men, obviously, wanted something else, so the personal life of actress Iya Arepina did not work out.
The first husband of the star was cameraman Julius Kun, whom she met on the set of the film “Steppe Dawns”. It was a very beautiful couple, their relationship developed rapidly, but after several years of marriage, love was gone, there were only quarrels and insults. The family broke up, despite the presence of a common son, who was also called Julius.
Relations with his son Arepina did not work out. He left home very early and did not even let his mother communicate with her children.
Oia's second husband was Vadim Milstein. He, like the first spouse, was very handsome: handsome, tall (Arepina did not pay attention to others). The couple really wanted to have children, but nothing came of it. Either this problem is to blame, or the complex characters of the spouses is unclear, but the marriage broke up.
Iya was disappointed in men, she did not want to marry anymore. But the dream of having another child prompted her to meet a young man, from whom she gave birth to a daughter Lada in 1968. Arepin was not involved in the upbringing of the girl.
The misfortunes in the personal life of actress Iya Arepina in the photo and in the frame did not prevent her from looking happy.
Loneliness
Iya Alekseevna noted that almost all actresses are single people. In everyday life, they are demanding and require increased attention. Accustomed to play, actors lose themselves real. And in order to do this truly professionally, one must completely renounce oneself. The star said that it happens by itself only when walking with its dog.
She did not have such a friend whom she could turn to on any issue and at any time of the day. She talked with Tamara Nosova, Valentina Telegin, Antonina Maximova, but still could not name them real friends.
Effects of stress
Iya Alekseevna suffered two heart attacks - in the 91st and 92nd years. A few years later she got asthma. The actress believed that many stresses caused her health to deteriorate. She sometimes called her life a "series of tragedies", indeed, there were many of them in the biography of actress Iya Arepina. Until the last days, she was waiting for big roles. Alas, I did not wait.
Last years
In the late 90's, directors ... commercials began to turn to Ie Alekseevna. She always refused their offers to appear in commercials, offering the phone numbers of her colleagues from the theater.
The outlet of the actress was her favorite dog, with whom she walked through the forest every day. But the star experienced real happiness when her daughter Lada gave birth to her grandson Artyom. Now the three of them walked through the woods.
In 2003, Ie Alekseevna was offered to teach the basics of acting to children. She doubted for a long time, but still decided. It would seem that this is a matter that will benefit both her and others. But the actress failed to start him.
Forever in memory
Actress Iya Arepina died on July 24, 2003. It happened in the morning. At night, another asthma attack occurred. Iya Alekseevna suffered for a long time, did not go to the kitchen for medicines, so as not to wake Artem and Lada. And when she finally made up her mind, she didn’t get it, because a heart attack happened on the way.
At the funeral of the star there were only a little more than ten people. Only close relatives and two actresses from the theater in which Iya Alekseevna worked.
Arepina bequeathed to be cremated, and the dust scattered over the sea or buried in his native Ardatov.
Relatives did not fulfill the last will of the star. They buried her in Moscow, at the Nikolo-Arkhangelsk cemetery, so that anyone could visit her grave.
The place where Iya Alekseevna rests is located on a small elevation, away from other graves. She sleeps alone, surrounded by her beloved “friends” - pines and birches.
It is safe to say that Iya Arepina "by nationality" was an actress. Several paintings in which she played brought her all-Russian love and fame. Some cannot achieve such success in their entire acting lives.
And her stats and graces could be envied by many modern stars.