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Valentina MaliavinaActress
Date of Birth: 18.06.1941
Country:  Russia |
Content:
- Biography of Valentina Malyavina
- The Fatal Evening
- Accused of Murder
- The Unjust Arrest
- A Life Full of Tragedy
- First Love on the Arbat
- A Tragic Marriage
- The Jealousy of Zbruev
- The Meeting with Tarkovsky
- A Life in Prison
- Conclusion
Biography of Valentina Malyavina
An Actress Loved by ManyValentina Malyavina, a beautiful and talented actress, was loved by many notorious men, but their love often ended in tragedy. One day, a cruel fate befell Valentina, as she was sentenced to nine years of imprisonment for the murder of her beloved Stas Zhdanko. This sentence turned her life upside down.
The Fatal Evening
In an interview, Valentina was asked about the fateful evening when Stas Zhdanko died. She explained that Stas was in a bad mood that day. Victor Proskurin had invited them to the premiere of the play "The Thief" at the Lenkom Theater, in which he played one of the leading roles. The performance greatly upset Stas, as he believed that the main role should have been his. At that time, Stas was going through a creative crisis and was deeply affected by the success of other actors. After the premiere, Victor came over to their house and they had a few drinks. Victor left, and Valentina and Stas were left alone. Valentina doesn't remember exactly how their argument started, but when she ran out of words, she grabbed a bottle of wine and started drinking from the neck. She knew that this action would hurt Stas more than any words could. He always got angry when she drank. However, she didn't actually finish the bottle, pouring the remaining wine down the sink. When she returned to the room, Stas was lying on the floor. It took her a moment to realize that he had inflicted a fatal wound on himself.
Accused of Murder
Valentina was asked if she was accused of murder. She responded that at the time, the investigator approached the case very carefully. He understood that it was a suicide, so the case was closed. She also blamed herself for his death, as she believed she didn't take care of him or protect him. She constantly remembered his last words, "Valyusha, come with me!", but she couldn't bring herself to take that step because she was a religious person. Another tragedy struck when she least expected it. She was at her mother's house when several people burst in, searching through the cupboards and shaking the books. They ordered her to get dressed and took her to Butyrka prison, and she never returned home.
The Unjust Arrest
Valentina was asked why she was arrested five years after the tragedy. She replied that it wasn't a setup by someone she knew. She was surrounded by good people, and she didn't believe any of them were capable of such treachery. However, she was constantly being demanded by the KGB, and she defiantly refused, saying, "I am not Mata Hari, I am a beautiful and talented actress." They threatened her that she wouldn't be able to go on international tours, but she went anyway because she was a key figure in most theater productions. She wondered who would replace her if she were to be removed. When Stas died, she felt like she was being followed. She left the Vakhtangov Theater and sold her extensive library to make a living. She was supported by friends, and Vladimir Vysotsky was always there for her, looking after her heart.
A Life Full of Tragedy
Valentina's life was full of tragedy. She recalled a funny story when she first met Galina Brezhneva, who warned her that if her father died, Valentina would be immediately imprisoned. Valentina was advised to leave the country. When asked why she didn't take the advice, Valentina replied that she couldn't leave her beloved Arbat. All the years she spent in prison, she thought about the Arbat. Maybe her consciousness as an Arbat girl helped her survive. When she returned, she didn't recognize the beloved street anymore, with its colorful market stalls and people singing and reciting strange poems. The street seemed colorless, talentless, and forgettable. The surveillance cameras monitoring every step was a shock to her. She called it the "degraded Arbat," as her friend Sasha Shalevich once dubbed it. Despite this, her dream remains to return to the Arbat and live there again because it holds so many memories for her.
First Love on the Arbat
Valentina was asked if her first love also came from the Arbat. She replied that it was the famous Arbat hooligan, Sasha Zbruev, a charming and carefree guy who was adored by all the local girls. When Valentina first saw him, she decided he would be hers. With just one look, she managed to capture his heart. At the time, she was only seventeen, but she had always known the power of her gaze. If she looked at a boy for a long time, he would melt like wax. Valentina and Sasha's romance was intense and passionate, and after a month, Valentina realized she was pregnant. The pregnancy didn't scare her because she had her beloved boy, Sasha, who immediately decided to get married. However, their wedding didn't go as planned. They were almost married, took memorable photos, and then it was discovered that Valentina was underage. They were kicked out and had to obtain permission from the Executive Committee. Valentina's parents didn't know about the wedding, so they all went together to Sasha's mother and she reacted more calmly, just asking how they planned to live.
A Tragic Marriage
Valentina was asked about her married life. She explained that they never had a proper wedding. They arrived at her house, stood in the doorway holding hands, and Valentina hid the marriage certificate behind her back. At first, her mother didn't pay them any attention, but then she asked, "What mischief have you two gotten into, huddling against the wall?". Sasha replied, "We've done a little mischief, we got married." Her mother burst into tears. They all went to Tatiana Alexandrovna, Sasha's mother, together. She was more calm about the news, but asked sternly, "Well, how do you plan to support yourselves?". The problem was resolved on its own, as Sasha started getting acting gigs and Valentina joined the Moscow Art Theatre School, which also brought her roles. When she first walked through the doors of the school, she didn't know where to go or who to give her documents to. Then she saw a guy with a red armband - the duty officer. It was Vladimir Vysotsky, and he immediately took her hand, led her through the offices, promised that she would definitely get in and become a famous actress, and then said, "From now on, I will be your guardian of the heart." They became lifelong friends from that first meeting, and Vysotsky supported her through difficult times. She was deeply saddened by his early death. She remembered one night when he invited her to a party. He didn't leave her side the whole evening, entertaining her with jokes and playing guitar. Enchanted by his songs, she stayed until the morning.
The Jealousy of Zbruev
Valentina was asked if Zbruev was jealous. She admitted that he was a jealous person. He wasn't innocent himself and was always liked by other girls, which made him unable to comprehend that a man and a woman who loved each other could do without sex. He was jealous of her relationship with Andrei Tarkovsky and Andron Konchalovsky, with whom they also became close friends. Then he became jealous of Sasha Kaidanovsky. Valentina met Sasha when he played Hamlet in a production at the Gnesin School. From the first moment, she was amazed by his face, which had both madness and an unfathomable intelligence. He was a genius. They became closer after that. They acted together in the Vakhtangov Theatre, but Kaidanovsky was eventually expelled while Valentina stayed. She was also cast in almost all the plays. Sasha became increasingly jealous, not allowing her to dress up or wear makeup when she went to the theater. Valentina became pregnant, but she was afraid to have a child with this unpredictable person, so she had an abortion. Sasha insisted they get married, but after the death of their daughter, Valentina no longer wanted to marry anyone.
The Meeting with Tarkovsky
Valentina was asked about her relationship with Andrei Tarkovsky. She explained that when she divorced Zbruev, talented director Pasha Arsenov invited her to act in his film "Sunflower," and she went with him to the Rostov steppes. She recalled standing in the middle of the vast steppe when a horseman approached her. The horse reared just two steps away from her, and Pasha jumped off, approached her closely, and kissed her gently. "You will be my wife, remember that," he said. And he kissed her again. She was amazed. On one hand, she was charmed by his persistence, but on the other hand, she was outraged that he could decide and impose his will on her. Nevertheless, they married soon after. However, their marriage turned out to be tragic. They had a daughter, but during a time when there were many infant deaths due to medical errors in maternity hospitals, Valentina's daughter contracted an infection and became one of the heartbreaking statistics. After the death of their daughter, Valentina couldn't be Pasha's wife anymore. Something had changed in her. She couldn't bear to touch him or kiss him. She started seeking solace in wine, which initially helped, but soon became an integral part of her existence.
A Life in Prison
Valentina was asked about her experience in prison. She mentioned that even in the darkest moments, women in prison maintained their sense of order and cleanliness. They took care of their appearance and maintained cleanliness despite the desperate circumstances. Valentina learned to make mascara from burned matches, sugar, and soap shavings. Plaster from the walls was used as eyeshadow, and they curled their hair with bits of paper. Oatmeal was used as a face mask. The prison also had a library, which amazed her. She realized that even in prison, one could live. Many years ago, when she studied the lines on her palm, she discovered a sign of prison. At the time, she thought it was nonsense, as her life was comfortable, and the thought of prison scared her. But now, she understood the saying, "Don't swear off prison and poverty."
Conclusion
Valentina's life was a rollercoaster of love and tragedy. She loved each of her men in her own way and never betrayed herself, which was the most important thing. She didn't regret not having children because it would have been a tragedy for them if she had been imprisoned. In prison, she learned that life could still go on. She believed that the prison dream she had about flying into an abyss but being lifted up by a soft cloud symbolized her survival in the face of adversity. Even though she couldn't change her fate, she faced it with dignity and strength.
