Vera Alentova Actress Date of Birth: 21.02.1942 Country: Russia

1. Biography of Vera Alentova
2. Theater
3. Films
4. Personal Life

Biography of Vera Alentova

Vera Alentova was born on February 21, 1942, in the provincial town of Kotlas. She was born into a family of actors, with her mother Irina Nikolaevna and grandmother also being theater artists. Her father, Valentin Mikhailovich Bykov, was also an actor but passed away when Vera was only four years old. After her husband's death, her mother decided to move to Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, where Vera attended school. Her childhood was spent in poverty, with her mother working hard but still not having enough money for toys. Vera would make cardboard dolls to play with. She spent a lot of time alone, creating imaginative stories to pass the time. Eventually, she started sharing these stories with friends from the neighborhood. Despite her mother's disapproval, Vera secretly dreamed of becoming an actress.

Theater

In 1961, Vera went to Moscow to apply for theater schools. She applied to all the theater schools in the city and was accepted into the Moscow Art Theatre School, where she studied under Vasily Markov. It was there that she met Vladimir Men'shov, who would later become her husband. At the time, Men'shov was considered an unpromising student, and Alentova's future as an actress was seen as bleak. According to Alentova, the course was intense, with students competing against each other in knowledge and originality of creative ideas. They would read literature, including samizdat, and attend poetry readings by famous poets. While still a student, Alentova started performing at the Moscow Art Theatre. After graduation, she hoped to join the theater but was rejected. She then auditioned for the Pushkin Moscow Drama Theatre, where she was accepted and became one of the leading actresses.

Films

While Alentova quickly landed leading roles in theater productions, her film career had a slow start. Her debut was a small role in the film "Flying Days." She then had another unnoticed role in a film, and for the next 10 years, she focused on her theater career. In 1977, she appeared in the film "Birth," and two years later, she became a star of Soviet cinema with the cult film "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears," directed by her husband Vladimir Men'shov. The film became a worldwide success and won an Academy Award in 1981. Alentova's performance was praised, and she received numerous awards for her role. After the success of "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears," Alentova was offered leading roles in films. She appeared in films such as "Reflections" (1982), "Desire" (1984), and "Envy of the Gods" (2000), among others.

Personal Life

Alentova's personal life is closely intertwined with her husband Vladimir Men'shov. They met while studying at the Moscow Art Theatre School and got married while still students. However, their marriage faced challenges, and they lived separately for some time. After graduating, they even lived in different cities. They eventually reunited and had a daughter named Yulia Men'shova. Although they never officially divorced, they went through periods of separation and conflict throughout their marriage. Alentova has been open about her plastic surgeries, which have caused changes in her appearance. Despite the challenges, she remains active in her career and continues to perform on stage and in films. She also teaches acting at the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography.