In the spring of this year, the wonderful Soviet film “Oh, this Nastya!” Turned 47 years old, in which the Moscow schoolgirl Irina Volkova played the main role. After the release of the picture, the young actress became the idol of millions. Her talent and charm still continue to win the hearts of viewers who sincerely wonder why, after such a bright start, Irina Volkova disappeared into ordinary everyday life.
Biography
The life story of the future actress Irina Volkova began in Soviet Moscow of the 60s, which at that time was completely different from what it can be seen now.
It was a period of rapid expansion of the capital of our country, which began back in the 50s. Thousands of builders day and night ensured the implementation of the reforms of the Khrushchev thaw. Among them was a married couple of engineer-land surveyors Volkov, who gave birth to their daughter Irina, who soon became a real idol for millions of Soviet viewers.
Childhood
The heiress of the masters of land surveying Irina Volkova was born on January 23, 1961.
From birth, the girl was very active and musical, enjoyed performing at matinees in kindergarten with her first choreographic numbers. In her incomplete five years, Irina was given into rhythmic gymnastics by caring parents looking for a way out for their daughter's irrepressible energy.
By the age of eight, she managed to star in the tiny episode of the movie smiles “Two Smiles” directed by Jacob Segel, which consists of two short stories: “Freaks” and “Grandmother and Circus”.
Below is a photo of Irina Volkova in 1969.
When the young gymnast turned ten, at one of her trainings she caught the eye of assistant director Yuri Pobedonostsev, everywhere looking for suitable types for the new children's painting “Oh, this Nastya!”.
She was invited to audition. Irina, nodding importantly to the beat of every word, almost in chant read the children's poem "Snowdrop".
Then she was to eat a nasty cold semolina in front of the camera, after which her tests were over.
The girl was sent home to wait for her fate. However, our heroine hardly at that age fully understood the importance of what was happening. Therefore, Irina Volkova's mother was more worried about the future fate of her daughter.
Star role
A few days later the telephone rang in the Volkovs' apartment. Irina was approved for the main role. She was to realize on the screen the image of the dreamer Nastya Ryabinina, the heroine of the movie “Oh, this Nastya!”.
Filming, which began in the summer of 1971, dragged on for almost six months.
It was a difficult time for the child. Despite the condescending attitude of the class teacher, not loading the girl with lessons and homework, Irina, as she could, combined shooting and study.
When, in the morning, an official car from a film studio began to arrive for a young actress Irina Volkova (whose photo can be seen in the article), a real stir began. Curious neighbors and their children stuck to all the windows of the houses in their yard.
Actors such as Natalya Gvozdikova, Alexander Kharitonov, Svetlana Kotikova and Nina Arkhipova became senior comrades in the film for Irina. All of them, including Yuri Pobedonostsev, the director of the picture, agreed that the girl was surprisingly talented, despite her young age.
Below in the photo are actresses Irina Volkova and Natalya Gvozdikova in one of the episodes of the movie “Oh, this Nastya!”.
Almost all the scenes with her were shot from the first take. She herself liked to shoot during the combined episodes most of all, stroking an imaginary panther with her hands, which then during the installation, which did not yet know computer and digital technologies, the artists painted directly into the frame.
This children's picture, in spite of a rather simple plot, due to the natural charm of the leading woman for many decades, has gained immense popularity among millions of viewers. After her premiere on May 15, 1972, almost half of the boys fell in love with the young actress Irina Volkova. A real adult glory came to a ten-year-old girl, and after her - bags of letters arriving at the address of the Gorky film studio.
In 1973, the painting "Oh, this Nastya!" became the winner of the All-Union Film Festival, receiving the main prize and an award for the best film for children and youth.
The girl gave all her first fees (about one hundred rubles a month) to her parents, whose salary at that time was about the same in size.
Then life took its course. Irina Volkova returned to school and began to catch up with her classmates ahead of her. And soon a joyful event happened in their family: our heroine had a younger sister Olya.
Life after glory
Once during the filming, noticing the tension of Irina and other children with whom she was filming, the director of the film, Yuri Pobedonostsev, misinterpreted what he saw, called the female lead and strictly said:
Forget this star sickness! Otherwise, nothing good will come out of your life ...
The ten-year-old girl did not understand anything from what she heard, but did not argue.
In fact, the young Irina Volkova became the object of envy of her peers in the film. After all, only her name was listed on the letters of enthusiastic spectators who were brought in bags from the film studio. They sent only wrappers and cards to her. And what can be more valuable when you are only ten years old?
Then Irina for the first time in her life knew something that had not happened to her before even at gymnastics competitions. Yesterday's girlfriends on the set reproached her for the fact that she, and not them, got the main role. They began to run to the director and slander Irina, who, according to them, was arrogant and did not want to be friends. But a more serious accusation of their age simply could not be.
So the young actress knew the opposite, not at all childish side of the screen, and for the first time became disappointed in this art.
Other movie work
In the life of our heroine after her starring role in the film "Oh, this Nastya!", There was only one more picture.
After completing the shootings in her first film, which made her famous, Irina Volkova stopped dreaming of an acting career and went headlong into school. Soon, parents moved to a new apartment, and their daughter was transferred to a special school with in-depth study of foreign languages. Classes in rhythmic gymnastics had to be finally abandoned.
In 1973, the director Isaac Magiton, starting work on the children's film “Not a Word About Football”, unexpectedly ran into unforeseen difficulties: the leading woman, for an unknown reason, refused to participate in the filming. The only girl of the right age, suitable for the type, was the heroine of this article.
Below is a photo of Irina in the film "Not a Word About Football".
The main outpost and arbiter of fate, Irina Volkova, was still her mother. She began to constantly call from the film studio and beg to let her daughter go.
As a result, Irina once again played a major role. Her second and last work in the cinema was the honest and principled girl Nadia Korotkova.
In the photo, Irina with actors Alexander Demyanenko and Evgenia Uralova in the film “Not a Word About Football”.
However, despite the brilliant cast and wonderful play of Irina, this film turned out to be much weaker than the first picture of Volkova. He was no longer so bright and interesting. Critics blamed the director for everything.
So Irina for the second time was disappointed in the movie. This time from the side of the screen facing the viewer.
Also added fuel to the fire and the conversation between mother Irina and Alexander Demyanenko, which took place during the filming of the film. When asked whether her daughter should connect her life with cinema, an honest actor sincerely answered that acting is an extremely difficult bread. And if the girl herself does not want to risk passing all the thorns to her stars, which may not be, then it is better not to try.
After this conversation, Volkova's mother finally put an end to her daughter's possible acting career. And after her, Irina herself refused the movie.
Youth
The further life of Irina Volkova was not much different from the life of hundreds of thousands of other girls of the Soviet Union.
After leaving school, a girl who intensively studied foreign languages unexpectedly followed in the footsteps of her parents and entered the Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys.
She studied diligently, firmly deciding - first education, and the numerous gentlemen who curled around her can wait.
So five years passed, the result of which was a red diploma with a construction specialty.
Personal life
The chosen one of Irina Volkova was her neighbor on the porch Vladimir Mezhirov, who lives on the floor above. And there was a fateful meeting in 1972, when she was only eleven years old - it was then that they met. She was a young star and an enviable "bride." Vladimir was a mischief and a bully.
As children, they walked together in the yard. Years passed. Vladimir no longer hid his feelings, but the life of the right Irina at that time was absorbed by studying at the institute. Then Mezhirov became a cadet at the Yaroslavl Military School and left for a long time, and when he returned, he proposed to her.
In 1986, Irina and Vladimir got married. Soon the young husband was sent to the Group of Soviet Forces on the territory of the German Democratic Republic, where he went with his wife. In the same year, the couple had a son Dmitry, the only child in the life of Irina Volkova.
While Vladimir was serving, his young wife, in addition to raising her son, was engaged in the cultural work of his military unit: she prepared and spent all the creative evenings, holidays and concerts.
Five years later, Mezhirov was transferred back to the Vladimir region. So their family returned home.
However, Irina and Vladimir still had too different views on life, and in 2005 they terminated their marriage.
Son Dmitri at that time was already nineteen years old.
He grew up as a serious youth, became a graduate of the All-Russian State Tax Academy and subsequently opened his own small business.
Gossip
Recently, on word of mouth you can hear that Irina Volkova is the mother of Ekaterina Volkova, the famous Russian theater, film and television actress, known to viewers by her role as Vera in the popular television series Voronins.
The reason for these rumors is quite simple: according to the free Internet encyclopedia "Wikipedia", on the page of actress Ekaterina Volkova in the column "Family" the name and surname of her mother are exactly the same as the heroine of this article.
In fact, this is just a coincidence or, perhaps, the intention to wishful thinking.
Volkova today
Today, the former star of Soviet children's cinema is already fifty-seven years old. But in the memory of all viewers, she forever remained that very dreamer Nastya from the 1971 film.
Below on the photo is actress Irina Volkova now.
She is still beautiful and active. Lives in Moscow and works in the department of district architecture.
Irina tries not to reflect on how her life would have developed if she had not obeyed her parents. What would happen if she took her chance?
And what does it, in the end, matter if she is so happy?