Lyudmila Savelieva is an actress whom the audience recognized and loved thanks to the epic “War and Peace” in which she played Natasha Rostov. Throughout her life, a female legend refused negative roles, as she did not want to try on the images of “villains”. Faina Ranevskaya was and remains an idol for her. Lyudmila also tries not to play, but to live on stage. What is known about her?
Savelyeva Lyudmila Mikhailovna: childhood
The future Natasha Rostova was born in January 1942. Her hometown is St. Petersburg (in those years Leningrad).
Lyudmila Savelyeva is an actress who happened to learn what a difficult childhood is. The first years of her life fell on the days of the blockade, of course, the family was starving. However, the difficulties experienced did not deprive the girl of optimism and the ability to enjoy life.
As a child, Luda read a lot, was interested in art. The main hobby for the girl was ballet. From the age of eleven she began to seriously engage in dancing. It is not surprising that after graduation, the future film star was among the students of the choreographic school.
Fateful meeting
Lyudmila Savelyeva is an actress whose path to the pinnacle of fame began as a ballerina at the Kirov Theater, which was later renamed Mariinsky. Colleagues predicted the talented girl the role of a soloist, but fate decreed otherwise. No one can say if Lyudmila would become an actress if the assistant Sergei Bondarchuk was not among the spectators of the production of Sleeping Beauty, in which the future Natasha Rostova participated.
For a long time, the director could not find an actress who could play Rostov in his new film, War and Peace. Seeing Lyudmila, his assistant considered that she had the right type and introduced her to the master. At first, Bondarchuk did not like Savelyev - he found the ballerina unprepossessing. Upon learning that for the sake of samples she arrived in the capital from Leningrad, the director reluctantly agreed to audition.
When Savelyeva Lyudmila Mikhailovna appeared before Bondarchuk in makeup, he changed his mind. However, the final decision was still made only after numerous trials involving other actors.
"War and Peace"
At first, Lyudmila was afraid to work with Bondarchuk, who managed to gain a reputation as a despot because of his exactingness towards actors. However, to the fragile ballerina who did not yet have experience in filming a movie, the master was indulgent and even cared for her. The picture "War and Peace" was shot over four years. Not only Soviet spectators, but also residents of other countries were looking forward to the epic.
Savelyeva Lyudmila Mikhailovna was forced to refuse to work in the Kirov Theater, as her attempts to combine rehearsals with filming in "War and Peace" failed. Leaving the ballerina's career in the past, the aspiring actress has never regretted.
The epic “War and Peace” won the Oscar and the applause of millions of viewers from different countries, and the performer of the role of Natasha Rostova suddenly became a movie star, like many other actors who starred in the film.
Best films with her participation
Lyudmila Savelyeva is an actress known for her exactingness to roles. Having played Rostov, she began to categorically refuse to star in those films in which the directors suggested she portray similar heroines. One of the most famous paintings with the participation of the star is “Running”. The plot of the film is taken from the eponymous work of Bulgakov. The actress played in it Serafim Korzukhin, and also acquired a girlfriend in the person of the writer’s wife, who acted as a consultant.
Then she tried on the image of Nina Zarechnaya, adorning the painting “The Seagull” with her presence, and played Masha in “Sunflowers”. It is impossible not to note the drama "Julia Vrevskaya", in which the actress received the role of the Russian countess, who took care of the wounded during the Russian-Turkish conflict. Of the later films with the participation of the movie star, it is worth highlighting "Anna Karenina," in which she played Princess Shcherbatskaya.
Family Children
Not only the profession, but also love gained thanks to the epic Lyudmila Savelyeva. Zbruev turned out to be her colleague on the set. He was fascinated by the young ballerina and almost immediately began to look after her. Lyudmila herself fell in love with Alexander long before meeting her, having seen him in the drama “My Younger Brother”.
Among women for whom a successful career is more important than family, Lyudmila Savelyeva does not belong. The movie star’s personal life settled before the end of the filming of War and Peace, when she agreed to become Zbruev’s wife. Of course, in relationships that have been going on for several decades, there are disagreements. However, the couple did not part even when the public found out about Alexander’s relationship with another woman who gave birth to a child from him.
The daughter of Lyudmila Savelyeva and Zbruev is called Natalya. She can be seen in the drama "If You Believe Lopukhin", in which the girl got a small role in her teens. However, the girl did not become an actress.
Interesting Facts
Lyudmila Savelyeva, whose personal life has been interested in fans and the press for several decades, hates cooking. From time to time, she tries to use recipes for cakes and pies from fashion magazines, but the result is depressing. Lyudmila claims that she would be happy to eat only sandwiches if it did not harm her health and did not affect the figure. The husband of the actress is condescending to this lack of wife is not picky about food. But Lyudmila is happy to clean up, and in her apartment reigns perfect cleanliness.