Valeria Lanskaya Actress Date of Birth: 02.01.1987 Country: Russia

Biography of Valeria Lanskaya

Valeria Lanskaya (formerly Zaitseva) was born on January 2, 1987, in Moscow. Her parents, Alexander Alexandrovich Zaitsev and Elena Stanislavovna Maslennikova, were well-known in the world of ballroom dancing. They danced together, participated in various competitions and concert programs, and taught ballroom dance lessons. Valeria was still young when her parents divorced. In 1993, Alexander Alexandrovich moved to the United States as a permanent resident. Her mother stayed in Russia, becoming a choreographer and coach for figure skating. There was a moment when her parents offered Valeria the choice of where and with whom she wanted to live. After thinking it over, she chose to stay with her mother. Valeria's childhood was meticulously scheduled. She was involved in figure skating, artistic gymnastics (for five years), played the piano and guitar, took vocal lessons, danced ballroom and step. From a young age, Valeria performed on various theater stages. First, she spent two years in a children's theater under the direction of Ovsyannikov, and then two years in the "Expromt" theater under the guidance of L. Ivanova (played in the play "The Tale of Tsar Saltan"). Valeria dedicated six years (from 1996 to 2002) to the Children's Musical Theater of Young Actors (artistic director A.L. Fyodorov). Here, the young actress performed in productions such as "Fantasies on the Theme of Dunaevsky" (ballerina), "In the Nursery" (Katya), and "Gerda" (troll). It is astonishing how she managed to do it all! Valeria admits that it is thanks to her mother: "If she hadn't pushed me to pursue these activities, didn't take me to training sessions, didn't help and support me, I wouldn't have achieved anything I dreamed of and would have been a completely different person." Her grandparents also had a significant influence on her upbringing and character development. Valeria says, "My grandmother, Valeria Evgenievna Maslennikova, and my grandfather, Levon Ashotovich Barkhudaryan, are musicians. They had a strong influence on my attitude towards music and taught me to love it so much that it became a part of me. My other grandparents, Stanislav Grigorievich Maslennikov and Irina Borisovna Geroeva, are doctors. They played a huge role in my upbringing and shaping my character, showing by their example how to love and value their profession." Being versatile, Valeria could have succeeded in various fields. However, her desire for the stage was the strongest, and she chose a theater school. Valeria was accepted to the Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute on her first try. She then spent years studying at the course of Yu.V. Shlykov. In the institute, the slender and beautiful student was only given characteristic roles – mostly old women and aunts. For example, Valeria successfully played Korobochka in "Dead Souls." All of this only expanded the range of the aspiring actress. Even before graduating from the institute, Valeria was accepted into the troupe of the Satirikon Theatre. The actress played the role of a beggar woman in the play "Country of Love," among other productions, and then decided to leave. She explains it this way: "Konstantin Raikin is one of those directors who don't allow actors to work on other stages or appear in films. But I had interesting offers. I decided that it was better to have leading roles in the Luna Theatre than to be an extra in the Satirikon." Valeria (then Zaitseva) joined the Luna Theater while studying in her final year at the theater school. It was at this moment that she decided to change her last name. The reason was that there was another Valeria Zaitseva working at the Moscow Academic Musical Theater – Valeria Zaitseva. To avoid confusion, Valeria decided to take the maiden name of her paternal grandmother – Lanskaya. People often ask her if she comes from a noble family because of her surname. She honestly answers, "We have tried many times to dig into our roots and find out our origins, but she (my grandmother) is very secretive. She doesn't even tell my father anything about his father. So we don't even know our roots or our nationality. And she doesn't say anything about our last name either..." In 2006, Valeria Lanskaya graduated from the Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute and continued working at the Luna Theater. On its stage, the actress played roles such as Cordelia in "Liromania," Magda in "Lips," Rosemary Hoyt in "Tender is the Night," Dasha in "Sleeping Beauty Ball," and Mary Poppins in "Mary Poppins - Next." In addition, Valeria collaborates with other theaters. She appeared in the Evgeny Vakhtangov Theatre productions "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" (Shahrazad) and "The Dog in the Manger" (Clara), and in the Cinema Actor Theatre production "Nameless Star" (Mona) and "Juno and Avos" (Conchita), as well as the Central House of Art Workers production "Lift My Eyelids." Valeria Lanskaya has showcased her vocal abilities in the musicals "The Count of Monte Cristo" at the Operetta Theatre (role - Mercedes) and "Caesar and Cleopatra" at the Moscow Operetta (role - Cleopatra). She gained attention from the audience from her first roles in film. Her characters, so different in character, temperament, and even the eras they inhabited, equally elicited sympathy. This includes Princess Anastasia in the series "Yesenin," the passionate daughter of a gypsy baron Anna in the comedy "Zayats Above the Abyss" by Tigran Keosayan, and the young stepmother Natasha Rotmistrova in the series "Cadet's Romance" by Alexey Sidorov. The skills and abilities Valeria acquired in her childhood often helped her on screen. For example, in the melodrama "New Year's Tariff" (2008), her character was a violinist named Alena Sergeeva, a determined girl who had been involved in music since childhood. Valeria Lanskaya shared, "People often have the notion that those from the conservatory are completely disconnected from the real world and it's not interesting to talk to them. But the director and I decided to show that, despite being seriously involved in music, Alena is a normal person, just like everyone else. She has her own interests, romantic experiences, sufferings, and fun outings with friends. Both my character and I share a lot in common when it comes to romance..." In the series "Circus Princess" (2008), Valeria Lanskaya, who played one of the main roles, utilized her gymnastic skills. During the audition, she was immediately asked to do the splits. Valeria effortlessly performed the split, and she continued to showcase excellent preparation during the filming. This role made Valeria Lanskaya famous throughout the country. After the release of "Circus Princess," the actress received hundreds of letters with expressions of gratitude, poems, and declarations of love. Valeria Lanskaya's popularity was also aided by her participation in the show "Ice Age," where she had the opportunity to perform with Alexei Yagudin. Riding the wave of the show's success, the series "Hot Ice" (2008) was released, which featured the best figure skaters and cinema stars. Valeria Lanskaya played the figure skater Victoria Polonskaya in the series. Among her other works in film, Valeria played the role of the aspiring singer and schemer Irina Tumanova in the Ukrainian film "Silly Star," Marusya Gorodetskaya in the war melodrama "Rowan Waltz," Peri in the historical and biographical film "The Prophet. The Life of Omar Khayyam," and Rosa in the series "The Model Home." As can be seen, Valeria Lanskaya successfully acts in both series and feature films. When asked where she finds it more interesting, she answers, "These are completely different things. The pace and rhythm are different. I find it more interesting to perform in the theater, where I have been since the age of five, and I can't imagine my life without the theater stage. It is easier to convey the energy that is present on stage to the audience in the theater. And the audience appreciates it..." Like in her childhood, Valeria manages to do everything: act in films, participate in shows, simultaneously perform in multiple theaters, and sing in musicals. Additionally, the actress dreams of one day playing Larisa Ogudalova in Ostrovsky's "Without a Dowry." Most of Valeria's characters are of a romantic nature. She herself is vibrant and sincere. Perhaps that is why audiences love her so much. In turn, the actress respects her fans and regularly meets with them on forums, answering their questions.
Personal Life: Valeria's first experience of love occurred during primary school. She sat at the same desk as a boy named Volkov, although Valeria was still Zaitseva at that time. The whole class teased them as a couple, saying "Well, wait!" However, the feeling turned out to be unrequited: the quiet boy never took the initiative towards Lera, and another classmate carried her bag home, who didn't interest her. Valeria recalls her personal life as a period of searching and hesitation. She finds it difficult to be alone but also didn't want to be with just anyone. The man who aspired to win her heart needed to have a sense of humor and talent. Valeria's first known suitor appeared in 2006. She dated her colleague from the musical "The Count of Monte Cristo," Andrey Alexandrin. The two planned to get married, but their beautiful relationship quickly and unexpectedly ended. In 2009, while participating in the show "Ice Age," Valeria began a "professional" romance. The chosen one of the actress was the producer of the show, Ilya Averbukh. Valeria and Ilya tried to spend as much time together as possible. They were so compatible that even Ilya's ex-wife, Irina Lobacheva, wished them happiness. However, the romance ended with the end of "Ice Age." Valeria's next partner, producer Anton Kalyuzhny, proposed to her. Valeria agreed, but due to her busy schedule, the wedding had to be postponed. This necessary break revealed a lack of understanding between the lovers. The future husband demanded that Lera devote less time to work, which she couldn't agree to. Valeria dated TV presenter Ramaz Chiaureli for less than six months, followed by a beautiful correspondence romance with Denis Nazarov. He found the movie star on social networks, caught Valeria's attention in real life, but these relationships also ended quickly. In 2014, Valeria met film director Stas Ivanov. They worked on different projects but lived in the same hotel. For a month, Valeria and Stas did not cross paths until Ivanov noticed the actress at a nearby table and immediately went to introduce himself. As Valeria admits in an interview, the couple never separated after their first date. They got married in Moscow in the spring of 2015, and in the fall, their first child, Artemiy, was born. He turned out to be a real heavyweight at birth, weighing 4,300 grams. The petite Valeria (height 168 cm, weight 53 kg) had a difficult delivery. Stas was in the room next to the delivery room to support his wife, and he was one of the first to hold their son. Lanskaya dreams of having two children, and she would be especially happy if a girl is born. However, for now, Valeria is choosing her career over expanding her family. Her mother, sister Anastasia, and husband provide support in caring for their son. A significant burden falls on the shoulders of their nanny. Valeria's Instagram mostly features photos from rehearsals, performances, and filming locations. There are a few personal photos in a swimsuit and snapshots from her daily life. In addition to social media, Valeria has a personal website where fans can learn about the latest developments in the beloved actress's career. Valeria is currently experiencing a surge in her creative abilities, as evidenced by news in the film and theater industries. One of her recent projects, which started in February 2020, is the melodrama "Women's Secrets." Her character, Martha, is a middle-aged woman who works as a teacher in a college. Having made many mistakes in her youth, she tries to warn her student against making hasty decisions. To do this, Martha goes to meet her student's chosen one and encounters her first love. In 2021, the fifth season of the show "Toch-v-Toch" was released on Channel One, in which Valeria Lanskaya participated.