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Grajina BaykshtiteActress
Date of Birth: 20.07.1951
Country: ![]() |
Biography of Grazhina Baikstite
Grazhina Baikstite was born on July 20, 1951, in Vilnius. She comes from a family of Lithuanian filmmakers who have played an integral role in the Soviet film industry. Despite Lithuania becoming an independent country, the tradition of creative collaboration and mutual enrichment continues. Baikstite, a slender and beautiful girl, fully embodied her surname, which translates to "quiet" in Lithuanian.

During her school years, Baikstite was often invited to act in movies, but she never dreamed of pursuing such a profession. Instead, she focused on folk dancing, her passion for literature, and her desire to learn foreign languages. However, her attempt to pursue a prestigious field of study ended in failure, and she found herself working as a model at the Vilnius House of Models. Many of the models were frequently cast in films, and Baikstite received invitations from various directors who were looking for a specific type of girl for their movies. As a result, she appeared in an episode of the Lithuanian film "The Beauty" (1969).

In 1972, Baikstite enrolled at the Vilnius Polytechnic Institute while continuing to pursue her dancing career. She became a soloist in the ensemble "Suktinis" and continued to act in films. In 1972, she played Catherine in the film "A Little Requiem for a Harmonica," Gertrude in "The Last Fort," and a stewardess in "Chronicle of the Night." Collaborating with renowned screen masters such as Gemma Firsova, Efim Kopylan, Tatiana Konyukhova, Elsa Lezhdei, Lembit Ulfsak, and others led Baikstite to consider a career in acting and the importance of receiving proper education. During the summer break, she traveled to Moscow and applied to the famous VGIK (All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography). The competition for admission to this renowned institution was fierce, with two hundred applicants vying for each spot. Baikstite saw her attempt to enter as a chance to test her fate. If unsuccessful, she could always return to her studies at the Vilnius Polytechnic Institute. While her quiet voice and Lithuanian accent did not impress the examiners, they were captivated by her dance moves. Baikstite was accepted into the workshop of Irina Skobtseva and Sergei Bondarchuk, masters of the Soviet screen. Her best friend became her classmate Natalia Andreychenko.

In 1977, after receiving her diploma, Baikstite returned to Lithuania. She began working at the Kaunas Drama Theater and continued to act in films. Her filmography now includes thirty-five works. Some of her most well-known films include the detective film "The March of the Golden Beasts" (1978), in which she played the leading role of biologist Nina, "Millions of Ferfax" (1980) as Mrs. Ferfax, and "The Woman in White" (1981) as Laura Fairlie and Anne Catherick. Although Baikstite diligently studied stage speech and received praise from her teachers during her time at GITIS (Russian Institute of Theatre Arts), a slight accent remained in her speech. Consequently, other actresses, mainly Natalia Fateeva and Evgenia Simonova, dubbed her in films. Her last on-screen role was Christina in the mystical series "The Yermolovs" (2008).
Since 2002, Baikstite has been pursuing a career in journalism. She has written articles for Lithuanian periodicals such as "Man and Woman," "Baltic Cosmetics," "Hostess," and "Lilit." In 2008, she participated in the Lithuanian parliamentary elections as a representative of the "New Party." In 2012, Baikstite published a book titled "Garden of Rimas Tuminis," dedicated to the famous Lithuanian director. For over forty years, Baikstite has been married to cinematographer Algimantas Mikutėnas, whom she met while studying at VGIK. They have two daughters, Maria and Victoria, who appeared in films during their childhood but chose entirely different professions as adults.