Iya Ninidze Actress Date of Birth: 08.09.1960 Country: Georgia

Biography of Iya Ninidze

Iya Ninidze is a renowned Georgian actress and People's Artist of Georgia. She was born on September 8, 1960, and spent her childhood in a cozy Georgian house with a shaded courtyard. Growing up, she was surrounded by an abundance of fruits, grapes, figs, nuts, pomegranates, and the magical drink called matsoni. Every summer, her mother would take her on vacations to the mountains, the seaside, or to mineral water resorts. Their family was immersed in beauty, from the bed linen to the tablecloths and clothes. In the corner of a large room stood an old piano, and little Iya loved crawling underneath it – it was her own little home where her dolls "lived".

However, in the traditional sense of the word, Iya didn't have a typical childhood. She started ballet at a very young age and didn't walk like a regular child but danced on her tiptoes. The values of hard work were deeply ingrained in the Ninidze family and in Iya's upbringing. Every movement, every step she took at the ballet school was filled with effort and inspiration, as if she was already performing on stage. Her mother was a philologist and a teacher of Russian language and literature, while her father was a television director. Perhaps, that's why Iya Ninidze got involved in film at an early age. She studied at the Tbilisi Choreographic School, and an invitation to star in the film "Do Not Grieve" changed her life drastically. It was like a fairytale when a man in a cap and denim jacket walked into the rehearsal hall – a typical image of a film director. Georgiy Daneliya immediately noticed the funny, tiny, skinny girl with a thick fringe and large protruding ears. He gave her one of the main roles – Tsitsino. On the film set, Daneliya created a kind world of human brotherhood. And what actors were working alongside the young star! Vakhtang Kikabidze made his film debut, a charismatic soloist of the "Orera" ensemble. Evgeniy Leonov, a soldier who seemed to have stepped out of a Russian fairy tale. Sofiko Chiaureli, a woman tormented by a large family. Anastasiya Vertinskaya, Mary Tsintsadze, and the elderly Veriko Andzhaparidze, Koka's mother, Georgiy Kavtaradze, Luka, David Abashidze, Prince Vakhvari, Sergey Filippov, a barber named Eros, and Frunze Mkrtchyan, a Turk. The girl wanted to be a ballerina, but she was always in demand in the film industry. At the ballet school, she accidentally knocked down the assistant to the actors of the film "Melodies of Veri Quarter" while sliding down the stair railing. The lady couldn't dodge her, caught the mischievous girl, and immediately asked her to audition for a film. And again, more filming!

Iya Ninidze gained fame by playing her signature role in Leonid Kvinikhidze's musical "Heavenly Swallows". The Georgian girl from the ballet school resembled Audrey Hepburn to a tee. She brilliantly handled this "mature" role, and the character of Deniza became her trademark. When the film was released, every girl to some extent felt like Deniza. Half of Russia and half of Georgia were getting the same haircut as Deniza. During that time, many mothers even called their daughters Iya.

Thus, Iya Ninidze became a movie star in her childhood. She worked alongside renowned personalities on various film sets – Georgiy Daneliya, Georgiy Shengelaya, Andrey Mironov. They taught her to value her own work and the work of her colleagues. Having a good partner on set is true actor's happiness. Iya further honed her acting skills at the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) in the workshop of Sergey Bondarchuk and Irina Skobtseva. By that time, she had already appeared in numerous films, including "Tears Were Falling," "Orders to Capture Alive," and "Five Brides Before the Beloved." In Tengiz Abuladze's film "Repentance," the actress played the wife of Lavrentiy Beria, Nino Gegeshkori. One day, on the film set in Batumi, a woman from the extras approached the actress. She shared that many years ago, in that terrifying year, she was afraid to take in a woman with a child. That woman turned out to be Iya's grandmother. It's true, the world is small... In the late 1930s, Beria included 36 people on the death list. "Innocent ones," – Iya's grandfather, who was the First Secretary of Georgia at the time, dared to say about them. "You will be the thirty-seventh," Beria replied...

That's how this woman repented on the set of the film "Repentance," and in a way, the actress avenged her grandfather's death with her brilliant performance... In recent years, Iya has been appearing in TV series such as "Simple Truths" and "Nina." However, this fact doesn't upset her, as a talented actor can excel in any medium. Iya Ninidze served in the Rustaveli State Academic Theater, and since moving to Moscow in 1997, she has been working at the renowned "Letuchaya Mysh" theater under the direction of Grigoriy Gurvich.

In Iya Ninidze's successful acting career, there was one tragic moment. On the day of the premiere of the play "The Great Illusion," during a dress rehearsal, a 300-kilogram decoration fell on her. She suffered a severe fracture and almost lost her leg. Instead of crying out in pain, she started singing. And the most interesting thing was that her first thought was to not become disabled. Her willpower and guardian angels prevented that from happening. They didn't allow the "heavenly swallow" to fly with just one wing. Iya Ninidze has two homes – in Tbilisi and Moscow. In both places, she strives to preserve the spirit that surrounded her in her childhood. She has never invited interior designers; she came up with everything herself. She has many photographs of her grandmother, grandfather, and mother. Therefore, it can confidently be said that her living space is designed in the style of "Iya Ninidze."

In Tbilisi, she has a large apartment in the city house. It has two bedrooms and a spacious studio-living room. Despite the ample space, it feels very cozy. The house is filled with violets since Iya translates to a violet.

Iya Ninidze has two children from two different men. In order for a man to catch Iya's attention, he must be a true man in every sense – genuinely devoted to his ideas and family, pure, and open. He must be reliable, like a rock wall. "And it should be mutual, of course. And, most importantly, the man must take the first step. After all, he is the man!"