Anna Ashimova Actress Date of Birth: 09.01.1973 Country: Russia

1. Biography of Anna Ashimova
2. Childhood and Early Life
3. Acting Career
4. Personal Life

Biography of Anna Ashimova

It has become a tradition to showcase old good comedies on television during the New Year. Among such films is the fantasy comedy "Charodei". Every year, the charming and mischievous girl Nina Pukhova delights millions of Russian viewers with songs like "Snezhinka" and "Tri belykh konya". In the early 80s, the role of Nina was played by the ordinary Moscow schoolgirl Anya Ashimova.

Childhood and Early Life

Anya Ashimova was born on January 9, 1973, in the Siberian city of Ulan-Ude. Her father, Rafael Ashimov, served in the engineering troops. Her birth brought immense happiness to her parents, and she was spoiled as a child. Anya admits that she was a feisty and mischievous girl. When she was seven years old, the Ashimov family moved to Moscow. She attended school there and spent her free time participating in dance, singing, and art classes at the House of Pioneers on Lenin Hills. It was there that she was discovered by assistant director Konstantin Bromberg, who was searching for a young actress to play the role of Nina - the younger sister of the main character in the film "Charodei" - Ivan Pukhov. And it happened like this...

Acting Career

One day, a second grade student and exemplary student, Anya Ashimova, was waiting for the opening of the art studio with her friends. A woman approached the group of girls and asked a question that many children would like to hear: "Girls, do you want to act in movies?" Of course, everyone agreed eagerly. After some time, the girls were invited to the Gorky Film Studio for an audition. Anna Ashimova recalls, "Seeing a crowd of girls auditioning for the role of Nina Pukhova didn't faze me at all. I remember being led into a small room where there was an old dressing table. I pushed open its doors and saw dozens of my reflections, so I started making faces. The photographer literally dragged me away from the mirror. It turned out that director Konstantin Bromberg had been observing all of this. He later said, 'I immediately knew that it was her, my Nina'. However, the auditions had to be held on equal terms. For a long time, Anna struggled to memorize the lines. She cried, but refused to go home despite her grandmother's pleas. Her determined character paid off, and she eventually learned the necessary words. After shooting a few takes, she was approved for the role. The presence of numerous renowned stars of Russian cinema did not intimidate the young actress. Anna Ashimova confesses, "To be honest, at that time, all people were equal to me. I didn't know much about them as actors and didn't feel any awe towards them." She also mentions that the stars turned out to be ordinary, kind, responsive, and fun-loving people. Emmanuil Vitorgan and Mikhail Svetin treated Anna warmly. Svetin even gave her a whole stack of calendars. She also developed a great relationship with her "brother" - Alexander Abdulov.

Initially, Sergei Prokhanov was cast as Nina Pukhova's brother in the film. Both Sergei and Anna Ashimova were even filmed in several episodes. However, it was later decided to give the role of Ivan to Abdulov. On the set, Abdulov always tried to entertain everyone. His jokes lifted the mood, and everyone relaxed and began their work with renewed energy. Little Anya seemed tiny next to the tall Abdulov, so the creators of the film had to come up with various tricks, like putting her on rocks or adding thick books under the bench she was sitting on.

About her work in the film, Anna says that the most difficult part for her was playing serious emotions: "When Abdulov climbed onto the roof to save Gaft, I was supposed to be scared. But I couldn't do it well because I knew they weren't in any real danger, so why should I be afraid for them? That's why my eyes are cheerful in that scene, despite the extreme situation. In general, when I watch the film, I see a lot of mistakes. There's a scene where a door slams loudly, I rush to Abdulov, pressing against him in fear - but in a close-up shot, my face is shown with an embarrassed smile. There's no fear in either eye. And for example, in the scene where I sing the song about the snowflake, you can notice that I don't say the word 'v preddverii', I just close my mouth on that word. Well, it just didn't come out right for me!"

All the songs in the film were performed by the famous singer Larisa Dolina, who was not even mentioned in the credits. The film "Charodei" was released in 1982. In an instant, the young actress became incredibly popular. But, as Anna Ashimova admits, this fame weighed her down: "Before, I was called a 'nerd' because I was an excellent student. After the premiere, they came up with a new teasing nickname for me - 'charodeyka'. It didn't seem offensive. But it was shouted in different tones with such unpleasant envy that it hurt me deeply. Both younger and older kids tried to trip me, push me, and set traps for me to fall, and then laugh at me. Pulling my braid was considered a normal thing back then. I didn't understand that these rough signs of attention were somehow related to being in love. Although there were some definite advantages for me. When the record with songs from the film was released, it was very difficult to get a hold of it. But I was given a copy. And I felt like a queen because all the girls asked me to write down the lyrics for them. The song 'Vedma-rechka' was especially popular. Despite such a bright debut, Anna Ashimova never intended to become an actress. "I understood perfectly well that this job is unstable, with constant traveling, and incompatible with a normal family life. From an early age, I wanted to have a family, take care of my husband and child."

Personal Life

Anna excelled in school, and one of her favorite subjects was mathematics. After graduating from school, she entered the Academy of Management, majoring in economic informatics.

During the entrance exams, Anna met her future husband, Kirill Haydash. They soon became classmates. Initially, they had a normal friendship, but love blossomed between them during their third year. It happened at one of the parties when they danced to a melody by Sade. After their fourth year, Kirill and Anna got married.

After graduating from the academy, Anna worked as an economist in an insurance company for a while, and then as a photo editor at a magazine. After the birth of her son Sasha, she quit her job and dedicated herself to family life.

About her life, Anna says, "Since then, I have been staying at home, and I don't regret it at all. I enjoy taking care of the household, taking my son to sports sections - swimming and biathlon. I love cooking... Working friends ask me, 'Don't you get bored at home?' Not at all. I believe that being a good support for my husband is also a calling. He appreciates it when I take care of the house. Kirill is naturally very reliable. Besides, he is the soul of any company. And I am too - I never get lost, and I'm not afraid to take the initiative. Well, if everyone is quiet, who will benefit from that?"