"She was a bright personality, personified an entire era": theater and film actress Irina Miroshnichenko died

On Thursday, August 3, at the age of 82, People's Artist of the RSFSR, theater and film actress Irina Miroshnichenko died. According to media reports, at the end of July, she was hospitalized in one of the Moscow clinics due to poor health. For help, the actress turned to the doctors herself, doctors diagnosed a viral disease with complications, cysts in the kidneys and a benign tumor in the brain. Later, she was put into a medically induced coma and connected to a ventilator. It was not possible to stabilize the state of the star of domestic cinema. The death of the actress in an interview with RT was confirmed by the rector of the Moscow Art Theater School, Igor Zolotovitsky. On the website of the Moscow Art Theater named after A. P. Chekhov, an obituary of the artist appeared, where it is noted that "She is immortal, she is forever."

"The Moscow Art Theater named after A.P. Chekhov sadly announces: today, August 3, People's Artist of Russia Irina Miroshnichenko passed away. Just the other day, we congratulated her on her 81st birthday, and then, when she suddenly ended up in the hospital, we hoped that the many wishes for health would have power. But alas, the message says. - For many generations of viewers, Irina Miroshnichenko was a favorite actress, a "star" of the screen and stage, the standard of femininity and beauty. For us, her colleagues, Irina Petrovna is also an example of service to the stage and the public, an example of loyalty to the Art Theater and just a dear person.

The report notes that Miroshnichenko was a purposeful and generous person who was not afraid of the blows of fate.

Condolences in connection with the death of the actress were expressed by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, who called her a "brilliant actress."

"Unforgettable images in the theater, bright and deep roles in the cinema - for decades Irina Petrovna delighted us with her works. The talent, charm and intelligence of the actress aroused the sincere love of the audience," the mayor wrote in his Telegram channel.

Colleagues and friends of the artist remember her as a kind, generous and energetic person.

"She was very sensitive to the theater. He was practically her second home in the truest sense of the word. In October last year, the theater very solemnly and beautifully celebrated her 80th anniversary. It was a real holiday. Unfortunately, for the last six months she was sick and lived in the hope that next season she would go on stage. She is an absolute legend. She will remain such a legend in the memory of all of us, "said Vadim Vernik, deputy director for public relations at the Chekhov Moscow Art Theater, in a conversation with RT.

Musician and singer Lev Leshchenko told RT that he was saddened by the departure of such a legendary artist as Miroshnichenko. He called her a person who personified the era.

"She was a bright personality, personified an entire era with her skill. She was not only an actress, but also worked well on stage as a singer. She was a person. The legend is ours. She stood apart," Leshchenko said. - There are many actresses in our country, but Miroshnichenko was a sign of quality. She was very attentive and caring, did not ignore anyone.

Director of the Guild of Actors of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia Valeria Gushchina stressed in a conversation with RT that the acting community has lost an "extraordinary woman."

"An extraordinarily beautiful and talented actress. Rarely did a people's artist give so much time and effort to his colleagues. If you had to go and help someone - just call - Irina always answered. Only she could open any government door to help actors. The most distinguishing thing about her is that she turned to people who could decide fate with such dignity, pride, and desire to help," she said. "It was such an energy, she did not know peace at all: concerts, performances, petitions for her colleagues."

Actress Svetlana Nemolyaeva said that she knew Miroshnichenko, despite the fact that the actresses did not act together in films and did not meet on the theatrical stage.

"Of course, I knew her. I can say that I really sympathize with her loved ones, I worry that she is gone, because the generation that was the glory of the Soviet and Russian theater and cinema is passing away," says Nemolyaeva. - Gradually, a whole galaxy of artists of the 1970s and 1980s, who today cannot be compared with anyone, is leaving. Therefore, I can only sympathize with the theater and her loved ones.

People's Artist of the RSFSR, Soviet and Russian actress Larisa Luzhina, who starred with Miroshnichenko in several films, including "Plead Guilty" and "The Secrets of Madame Wong", admitted to Izvestia that she did not know about the illness of a colleague. Luzhina noted that Miroshnichenko "did a lot for our cinema."

"It's unexpected that she passed away. She was full of energy. Life. She was an active person, she did a lot of good for others. In recent years, when I saw her, she did not sit still, she was at work - she was invited everywhere, she was necessary for the people around her and the viewer. This is a great grief. I am very sorry that she is gone, that she is gone. It's a loss. She could still work hard and bring a lot of joy to her viewers and listeners," Luzhina said.

Actor Yevgeny Steblov, with whom Miroshnichenko collaborated on the project "I'm walking around Moscow", said in an interview with the publication that he could only remember the actress with kind words.

"She was a wonderful actress. We worked in different theaters, but we can say the kindest words about her. She gave herself entirely to the theater and work - both stage and screen, "said Steblov.

The actor stressed that he always treated Miroshnichenko well, and he had the most pleasant memories of her.

Farewell to Miroshnichenko will be held in the walls of the native theater on Monday, August 7. Then the actress will be buried at the Troekurovsky cemetery.

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Irina Miroshnichenko was born on July 24, 1942 in Barnaul - where her family was evacuated. A few years later, she moved with her parents to Moscow, where she studied violin at the music school of the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music.

Irina Miroshnichenko received her higher education at the V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko Studio School at the Moscow Art Academic Theater of the USSR named after M. Gorky, and in 1965 she became a member of the theater troupe. On this stage, she performed many roles, in particular in such performances as "The Seagull", "The Widower", "Three Sisters", "The Cherry Orchard", "My Dear Matilda", "Chekhov's Pages", "Echelon", "The Copper Grandmother", "The First Day of Freedom", "The Blue Bird" and many others.

In the movie, Miroshnichenko made her debut in 1955 in the film "Jumping", playing a cameo role. Later, in 1963, the actress played Katya in Georgy Danelia's melodrama "I'm walking around Moscow." Subsequently, she starred in the films "Andrei Rublev", "Royal Regatta", "Resident's Mistake", "Uncle Vanya", "A Soldier Came from the Front", "Old New Year".

In 1981, the actress appeared in Ilya Frez's drama film "You Never Dreamed Of..." in the role of Lyudmila Sergeevna, Katya's mother, and in 1982 she played Kroshina in the mini-series by Alexander Blank "Profession - Investigator".

Miroshnichenko's last work in the cinema was a small role in the serial film "Living Water", the first season of which was released in 2019.

The actress was married three times. Her first husband was playwright Mikhail Shatrov. With her second husband, director Vytautas Žalakevičius, Miroshnichenko met while working on the film "This Sweet Word is Freedom!", which was filmed, among other things, in Chile.

"I got the main role - a Latin American girl Maria. The film won the main prize of the Moscow Film Festival. But for me, it was not the reward that was important, but the novel that happened then. And I married Zhalakyavičius," the actress said in an interview with Arguments and Facts.

The third time she married actor Igor Vasiliev.

In addition to cinema and theater, the actress performed as a singer and, together with composer Andrei Nikolsky, released several albums, in particular "Tender Words", "I Am an Actress", "Native Muscovite".

In 2011, Irina Miroshnichenko also published her autobiography "I'll tell you ...", in which she shared stories from her life.

Among other things, the actress was a member of the Union of Theater Workers of the Russian Federation and the Guild of Film Actors of Russia, and also taught at the Academy of Cinematographic and Theatrical Arts named after N.S. Mikhalkov.