The biography of Rodion Nakhapetov is quite bright and extraordinary. The actor, filmmaker and screenwriter Rodion Rafailovich had a chance to wade through thorns to the stars in his native land, to seek recognition in the United States of America, and after 14 years to return back to Russia.
Rodion Nakhapetov: biography
Rodion (Rodin) Rafailovich was born on January 21, 1944 in the city of Pyatikhatki, Dnipropetrovsk Region (Ukraine). His mother was a member of an underground organization called Motherland, and his father, Rafail Nakhapetov , was the leader of one of the detachments of the same underground society. The parents met in a partisan detachment in Kryvyi Rih. Papa Nakhapetova was Armenian by nationality, and after the end of World War II he returned to his homeland, where he was waiting for his legal wife and children. Rodion for a long time believed that his father died during the war.
Until the age of 5, the boy lived with his mother with his grandmother in the village of Skelevatka, near Krivoy Rog. His mother worked as a teacher in a neighboring village. At one time, Rodion had a stepfather, who served as a math teacher at school. But their union was short-lived, the man left the family when they discovered tuberculosis in Galina Antonovna, the actor’s mother. Soon she was hospitalized, and in the biography of Rodion Nakhapetov, serious changes occurred - he ended up in an orphanage, where he lived for about 2 years.
When my mother went to recovery, she took her son from the orphanage to her room in Dnepropetrovsk. Galina Antonovna, being a talented teacher, instilled in the child a love of science fiction literature, and also persuaded him to attend a shipbuilding circle. A little later, Nakhapetov fell into the drama club at the Palace of Culture, in which the young man acquired his first playing skills.
Change of name
At the age of 16, Rodion Nakhapetov received a passport, but despite the fact that the name Rodina was written in the birth certificate, it was decided in the passport office that it was a feminine name. And for a man, the name Rodin is more suitable. After a while on the set of the first film, Nakhapetov became Rodion, since during the installation he was written with the letter “o” in his name.
Actor training
Rodion’s best childhood friend was actor Evgeny Bezrukavy, who graduated from the same school as Nakhapetov. Following him, the future actor and talented director went to the Dnepropetrovsk school, which earned him the nickname "Actures" from local friends. However, the nickname did not upset Rodion Nakhapetov, but only pushed to a serious decision - to leave for Moscow. Arriving in the capital, Nakhapetov tried to enter VGIK on the course of Yu. Raymazin. After reading an excerpt from "Childhood" by M. Gorky, the future actor hit the admissions committee and thanks to this, at the age of 16 he became a university student.
At 21, Nakhapetov completed his studies at the acting faculty of VGIK, and after another 7 years he received a second education, becoming a director. Rodion Nakhapetov studied well, the serious and respectful attitude of the student to his subjects aroused sympathy from the teachers of VGIK. According to the recollections of university teachers, it was interesting to work with him, since Rodion was easily given improvisation, and he easily conveyed the mood of the desired hero.
The first steps
When Rodion Nakhapetov graduated from the acting department, he already had the first role that he played in the film of Vasily Shukshin entitled “Such a guy lives.” And after a short period of time, the future famous actor and film director was offered to show himself in the role of young Lenin, in which the young man was able not only to demonstrate his professional maturity, but also to show himself as a mature personality.
Films with Rodion Nakhapetov that brought popularity are the film "Tenderness" and "Lovers" directed by Elyor Ishmukhamedov. Thanks to the filming in these films, the image of the hero of his time was fixed for the actor. By the way, with the director of these two tapes Nakhapetov made friends, while still studying at the institute. So the friendship, which began as early as student time, grew into a strong creative tandem.
Vivid roles
I am pleased to recall various films with Rodion Nakhapetov. The vivid roles with his participation include such films as “This Sweet Word Is Freedom” by V. Zhalakevichus or a role played in N. Mikhalkov’s melodrama in the film “Slave of Love”.
It is also worth noting separately the role of Nakhapetov Rodion Rafailovich in the heroic story "Torpedo bombers", shot by S. Aranovich. For participating in this film, the actor was awarded the Silver Medal. Dovzhenko and the USSR State Prize.
At one of the All-Union festivals of that time, the talented Nakhapetov was awarded the first prize for his role in the film entitled "Password is not needed."
Rodion Nakhapetov - famous film director
His first full-length film work as a director, Nakhapetov always considered the movie “With You and Without You,” which tells the story of an unhappy happy person. In the film, a love story was shown against the background of dispossession of wealthy farmers. The second film was the film “To the End of the World”, in which there was also a narrative of love and bright feelings, appearing together with an overwhelming sincere feeling. Just on the set of this film, a fateful meeting took place between Rodion Nakhapetov and his future wife - young actress Vera Glagoleva.
Personal life of Rodion Nakhapetov
The filmmaker met Glagoleva at a time when he was at the peak of popularity. As Nakhapetov said, when meeting Vera, he immediately had a tender feeling for the actress. On samples of Rodion Rafailovich bribed a deep look of a young girl and a kind of drama, which was hidden in her eyes. It is not surprising, but at that time Vera Glagoleva did not think about her acting career - she shot from a bow and, thanks to her skill, reached the title of master of sports.
After some time, Rodion Nakhapetov is the first husband of Vera Glagoleva. Young people got married in 1974. The actress during their life together gave birth to Rodion Nakhapetova children. These were two beautiful girls: Anna and Maria. However, star marriage was not durable enough, and already in 1988, rumors began to appear in the media about the breakup of relations in a couple.
Rodion Nakhapetov believed that their union broke up due to the fact that he, as a film director, stopped filming his wife in his films. Glagoleva was offended by her spouse and since that time she began to be quite critical of his work. Just at that time, the famous actor and director met with Natalia, who made significant changes in the personal life of Rodion Nakhapetov.
Life abroad
In the late 80s of the twentieth century, the period of perestroika and publicity began on the territory of the Soviet Union. After which the collapse of the USSR occurred, and changes were also made to the social and political life of the country. According to new trends that appeared in cinematography, Rodion Nakhapetov ceased to fit into the culture and work of his native state.
In 1989, Nakhapetov Rodion Rafailovich by invitation he left to work in the United States of America. Abroad, he met a new love. Natalia Shlyapnikoff served at the Independent Television Association of the United States. The film director divorced Vera Glagoleva and married an American citizen, while remaining a Russian citizen.
However, life abroad was not so cloudless. Nakhapetov’s work was not accepted by well-known film studios, and the proceeds from the sale of film projects and synopsises to independent Hollywood film companies were barely enough to feed his family (his wife had a daughter from her first marriage).
Homecoming
After 6 years, Nakhapetov again reminded himself of Russian citizens. In the fall of 1995, he arrived in Kazan with 7 tons of medicines, for a total of $ 2.5 million. While living in the United States, Rodion Rafailovich opened a charity fund called To the Heart of the Child, whose goal was to help sick children. In the creation of the fund Nakhapetov helped his wife Natalia. She fully supported the idea of ​​her husband, becoming the president, strategist and translator of the fund.
In the early 2000s, when cinema in Russia began to revive gradually, another change occurred in Rodion Nakhapetov’s biography. He decided to return to his native land. Appeared in the television series "Slaughter Force-2", after which he starred in the movie "Russians in the City of Angels", which was nominated for the Golden Eagle film award.
The main happy event in the life of the Russian and American film director was the appearance of grandchildren. The children of Rodion Nakhapetov - Anna and Maria - gave him 3 grandchildren.