Daria Lesnikova ... Maybe this name doesn’t say anything to anyone. But for him they speak roles in the cinema (“About Freaks and People” - the mysterious Grunya, “Brother 2” - the prostitute Dasha-Marilyn, Bagheera in the series “Sea Devils”), as well as numerous theatrical roles.
Daria Lesnikova: biography
Born in an acting family on January 20, 1968. Daria's mother - Natalia Yurgens - Honored Artist of the RSFSR.
Lesnikova (Yurgens) Daria Georgievna was born in Tomsk. However, in Siberia, she did not have to live long. Shortly after the birth of a daughter, the family moved to Mariupol (Ukraine). In this city and passed the childhood of the future actress. Daria Lesnikova loved her native city of Mariupol.
Dasha took part in the play for the first time in infancy. It was Virgin Soil Upturned. Then the baby was carried onto the stage, wrapped in tatters.
Interestingly, unlike many of her peers, in childhood, Dasha did not dream at all of being an actress and shining on stage. While millions of other girls of her age were dreaming about movies, theater and crowds of fans, little Daria Lesnikova wanted to become ... a veterinarian.
From a young age she was fond of sports, in particular fencing. But she didn’t do well in school. She would have dedicated her life to sports, if not for one unpleasant incident in fencing competitions. It happened when the future actress was 14 years old. Having hit a rapier on the opponent's hand, the girl was disqualified. As a result, she did not receive the title of master of sports, to which she was very close. But she got a big disappointment and decided to leave the sport.
How does it feel to study for an actress?
Although Dasha had other hobbies during her school years, but when it was time to choose her professional path, she still decided to follow in her parents' footsteps and enter the Academy of Theater Arts. Cherkasova.
It is no coincidence that the girl wanted to study in Leningrad, because her mother was born from there. From the besieged Leningrad to the Great Patriotic War, her grandmother fled with her then still small mother. In Leningrad, her father comprehended acting. Her great-grandfather Dmitry Chernov, a well-known scientist in the field of metallurgy, who laid the foundations of domestic metal science, once worked here.
It was not possible to enter the Academy Daria Lesnikova. Acting skills were excellent, but received three for the composition. So the girl was allowed to attend classes only as a free listener.
She did not receive a hostel and did not have money to rent an apartment, but still she did not return home. Young Dasha went to classes and was passionate about new life. And the fact that there was nowhere to sleep was not such a problem: either friends shelter for several days, or they sleep in the audience. Despite the disastrous lack of money, Dasha graduated (1990, course A. Kunitsyna) and received a diploma.
The first steps to acting
She began her career in the theater troupe (Youth Theater on the Fontanka, 1990). Although she played her first role on the stage at the age of 10. It was Anyutka in the play “Power of Darkness”.
In the Youth Theater, she was remembered for her roles:
- the charming Masha from The Death of Van Halen;
- Lucy from The Three Penny Opera;
- Rene de Sade - the main role in the philosophical play "Marquise de Sade";
- Agnes from the Lark;
- domineering Grandma from the "Moon Wolves";
- Marusi (a small role in "Cries from Odessa").
- Desdemona from the production of Othello et al.
The native actress was very fond of the young actress. She devoted almost all of her time to work. Although her earnings were scanty, and work in the theater did not particularly solve the material problems of Lesnikova.
Daria was very devoted to her Youth. She refused other offers. Only once did Lesnikova play on the “alien” stage. This was the role of Olivia from the play "Twelfth Night" in the Bolshoi Drama Theater.
From the stage to the set. Debut movie roles
The way of Daria Georgievna in the cinema began in 1998 with a casting, which was conducted by director Alexei Balabanov for his fifth film. She decided to take this chance, although she did not particularly believe in her success. But they took her.
She starred first in the film "About Freaks and People" (together with V. Sukhorukov, S. Makovetsky), where she got the role of a gloomy Gruni. The film was shown at the Cannes Film Festival. In general, Lesnikova’s film debut was a success. She was noticed.
After the first work in the cinema, Dasha was invited to star in the second part of Brother, Sergei Bodrov, a film that had become a popular favorite in its time. She perfectly got used to the role of a prostitute Daria. To star in Brother 2 and reincarnate in the proposed role, she had to make some sacrifices - to cut her hair and shave her head baldly. The actress broke up with her hair without a second thought.
It is interesting that the image of the prostitute Marilyn (aka Daria) was created specifically for Lesnikov. After all, even at the first casting, she behaved arrogantly and eccentrically, which was what stood out in the eyes of the director. Moreover, in this way, the actress seemed very interesting to him.
Whatever it was, but in the role of Marilyn from "Brother 2" Daria looked very organic.
How did the career of Lesnikova-film actress
After the release of the film, Daria Lesnikova (Jurgens) found out what it means to be a truly popular actress. But there was a catch in this: after working in the Bodrov film, the actress simply rained down on offers to act in films. But ... all the time she was offered the same thing - to play a woman of easy virtue. She was also attracted by the classic and serious, deep images.
Next up were Streets of Broken Lights, filming at the NLS Agency, the Cop Wars, House at the Big River, Landscape with the Murder, etc. Daria agreed to shoot more on TV shows for the sake of earning, not for pleasure and professional development. Filming in the series for her, like for many other actors, is just an additional income and nothing more. An exception was the series "Sea Devils", where the actress was offered the role of Bagira special forces soldier. Lesnikova had long wanted to play in the movies a strong, serious, independent woman with a strong character. And all the tricks that rely on the script for her heroine, the actress tried to perform independently.
Daria Lesnikova, whose filmography is quite rich, has repeatedly emphasized that she does not particularly like modern Russian cinema. She prefers old Soviet films.
In 2005, Lesnikova received the title of Honored Artist of Russia.
Men in her life
Daria Lesnikova, whose personal life is of interest to many fans, experienced the first serious feelings for a man as a student. They were followed by the first serious relationship, and then marriage.
The first husband of Daria is actor Evgeny Dyatlov. She met him in the late 80s. With charming Eugene, they then studied on the same course. They were married (3 years - in civil, 4 - in official), in which the spouses gave birth to a son, Yegor.
There were many problems in this early marriage all the time. First material: the beginning of the 90s - difficult times, and even more so for the acting family. Then - Zhenya’s betrayal. As a result, the couple broke up, maintaining friendly relations.
Her second husband also became a colleague - theater actor Pyotr Zhuravlev. Having married and lived together for 7 years, Daria and Peter broke up. They have a common daughter, Sasha.
During the filming of "Sea Devil" Daria Lesnikova unexpectedly met a new love. She was mutual. The chosen one of her heart was Sergey Velikanov (stunt director and Dasha’s coach on the set). The lovers had a lot in common. Much more than with her first husband Yevgeny Dyatlov, according to the actress herself. Now he and Sergei live together and are very happy.
In the role of mom
In addition to the role of the actress, Daria Lesnikova (Jurgens) successfully copes with the role of mother. She has 2 children: already an adult son Egor and daughter Sasha.
Son followed in the footsteps of mom. He chose the acting profession, graduated from the Academy of Theater Arts. Now Yegor Lesnikov works in the same place where his father began his acting career - in the theater "Buff" (St. Petersburg). Since 2005, having made his debut in the film "The Tale of Happiness", he is simultaneously filming a movie. With his participation, the paintings “Inhale Exhale”, “1814”, “Katerina” were published. There were small roles in the series "Foundry", "Sea Devils 4", "Hounds 4". In 2013, the young actor also became a young dad: he had a daughter, Alice.
The daughter of Daria Alexandra (born in 2003) while studying at school. He is also engaged in figure skating, is fond of swimming.
In the same 2003, the actress said goodbye to her old surname and took her mother's surname - became Jurgens. This was caused by a desire to support my mother and her family, because the father of the Lesnikovs is already continued in the cinema and theater by son Yegor.
Waiting for her daughter did not become an obstacle to acting Lesnikova. Throughout the pregnancy, Daria participated in the filming and performances. For example, she played one of the key characters in the production of Marquise de Sade. The playwright Yukio Mishima, as the actress admitted, took a lot of energy for this work. It was very difficult to work. “Each time, reincarnating in Rene de Sade, I literally die by the end of the performance,” Daria says about her work in this performance.
Children, according to the actress, are the most important in her life. She tries to devote all her free time to them.
How Daria Jurgens lives now
The theater remained a priority for her. But to the movie, according to the actress, she is less attached. After all, it is in the theater that one can completely convey emotions to the audience, see their eyes and feel the connection. Through the TV screen, viewers and actors will never succeed in interacting like this.
Now Durga Georgievna Yurgens continues to work in the Youth Theater, where she once began her professional career. It plays different roles: large, and not very, and completely small (but from this no less beloved).
As the actress herself admitted in one of the interviews, although she has been working in the theater for many years, she gets very worried every time she goes on stage.
She is also happy. Just because she’s loved. Because she is not only an actress, but also the mother of two wonderful children. And even a young grandmother.
Lesnikova Daria is an actress whose films I want to review several times. We wish Daria good luck and inspiration!