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- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Milla Jovovich is a Ukrainian-American actress, supermodel, fashion designer, singer and public figure, who was on the cover of more than a hundred magazines, and starred in such films as The Fifth Element (1997), Ultraviolet (2006), and the Resident Evil (2002) franchise.
Milica Bogdanovna Jovovich was born on December 17, 1975 in Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now in Ukraine). Her Serbian father, Bogdan Jovovich, was a medical doctor in Kyiv. There, he met her mother, Galina Jovovich (née Loginova), a Russian actress. At the age of 5, in 1981, Milla emigrated with her parents from the Soviet Union, moving first to London, UK, then to Sacramento, California, and eventually settled in Los Angeles. There her parents worked as house cleaners for the household of director Brian De Palma. Her parents separated, and eventually divorced, because her father was arrested and spent several years in prison.
Young Milla Jovovich was brought up by her single mother in Los Angeles. In addition to her native Ukrainian, she also speaks Russian and English. However, in spite of her cosmopolitan background, Milla was ostracized by some of her classmates, as a kid who emigrated from the Soviet Union amidst the paranoia of the Cold War. Many emotional scars had affected her behavior, but she eventually emerged as a resilient, multi-talented, albeit rebellious and risk-taking girl. She was coached by her actress mother since her childhood, first at home, then studied music, ballet, and acting in Los Angeles.
She shot to international fame after she was spotted by the photographer Richard Avedon at the age of 11, and was featured in Revlon's "Most Unforgettable Women in the World" advertisements, and on the cover of the Italian fashion magazine 'Lei' which was her first cover shoot. She made her first professional model contract at the age of 12, and soon made it to the cover of 'The Face', 'Vogue', 'Cosmopolitan' and many other magazines. In 1994, she appeared on the cover of 'High Times' in the UK, at the age of 18. The total number of her magazine covers worldwide was over one hundred by 2004, and keeps counting. In 2004, she made $10.4 million, becoming the highest paid supermodel in the world.
Milla appeared in ad campaigns for Chanel, Versace, Emporio Armani, Donna Karen, DKNY, Celine, P&K, H&H, and continues her role as the worldwide spokesperson and model for L'Oreal. Thanks to their continued success with Milla, Giorgio Armani chose her to be the face of his fragrance, Night. In addition to Armani's fragrance, Milla was the face for Calvin Klein's Obsession and Christian Dior's Poison for over 10 years and has most recently become the new face for Donna Karan's Cashmere Mist fragrance, which debuts in August 2009. Milla continues to shoot with the fashion industry's most sought after photographers, including Peter Lindbergh, Mario Sorrenti, Craig McDean and Inez & Vinoodh.
Milla made her acting debut in the Disney Channel movie The Night Train to Kathmandu (1988) and she made guest appearances on television series including Married... with Children (1987) (in 1989 as a French exchange student), Paradise (1988) and Parker Lewis Can't Lose (1990). In 1988, at age 12, she made her film debut credited as Milla in a supporting role in Two Moon Junction (1988) by writer/director Zalman King. During the 1980s and early 1990s, she played several supporting roles as a teenage actress in film and on television, then starred in Return to the Blue Lagoon (1991). In 1997, she co-starred opposite Bruce Willis in the sci-fi blockbuster The Fifth Element (1997), then she starred as the title character of The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999).
In the early 2000s, Milla had a few years of uncertainty in her acting career due to the uneven quality of her films, as well as some hectic events in her private life. She appeared with Mel Gibson in Wim Wenders' The Million Dollar Hotel (2000) which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival. She went on to co-star with Wes Bentley and Sarah Polley in The Claim (2000) and in Ben Stiller's spoof of the world of models and high-fashion, Zoolander (2001).
Milla achieved box office success in the U.S. and around the world with the action-packed thriller, Resident Evil (2002), based on the wildly popular video game, Resident Evil. It was written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. Milla reprised her role as the zombie slaying heroine, Alice, in Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), Resident Evil: Extinction (2007), Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010), Resident Evil: Retribution (2012), and again in Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016) A seventh resident Evil movie is in pre-production.
She received glowing reviews opposite Oscar-winner Adrien Brody and Illeana Douglas in Dummy (2002) which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. In the spring of 2006, Milla returned to the big screen as action heroine, Violet, in the futuristic film Ultraviolet (2006) directed by Kurt Wimmer.
Focusing on her personal sense of style, her love of fashion led Milla and her friend and business partner, Carmen Hawk, to launch their Jovovich-Hawk clothing line, which achieved instant acclaim in the domestic and international fashion world. The fresh, unique line garnered the attention of red carpet watchers and fashion magazines, including American Vogue, who featured Jovovich-Hawk on their coveted list of "10 Things to Watch Out for in 2005." A student of voice and guitar since she was very young, Milla began writing songs for her first record at the age of 15.
Her first album, "The Divine Comedy", was released by EMI Records in 1994. Informed by her experiences as a child growing up as a Russian emigrant in the Red-bashing Reagan era, the introspective European-folkish debut drew favorable reviews for Milla's songwriting and performing. She continues to write music, and has had songs featured on several film soundtracks. She has been writing music and lyrics to her song-demos, playing her guitar and sampling other sounds from her computer, and allowing free download and remix of her songs from her website.
Charitable work also plays a major part in Milla's life. She has served as Master of Ceremonies and co-chaired with Elizabeth Taylor for the amfAR and Cinema Against AIDS event at the Venice Film Festival, and has been heavily involved with The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, as well as The Wildlands Project.
For many years Milla Jovovich has been maintaining a healthier lifestyle, practicing yoga and meditation, trying to avoid junk food, and cooking for herself. Since she was a little girl, Milla has been writing a private diary, a habit she learned from her mother. She has been keeping a record of many good and bad facts of her life, her travels, her relationships, and all important ideas and events in her career, planning eventually to publish an autobiography. After dissolution of her two previous marriages, Milla Jovovich became engaged to film director Paul W.S. Anderson; their daughter, Ever Anderson, was born on November 3, 2007. They got married on August 22, 2009. Their second daughter, Dashiel Edan, was born on April 1, 2015.- Actress
- Producer
- Make-Up Department
Milena Markovna "Mila" Kunis is a Ukrainian-American actress born to a Jewish family in Chernivtsi, Ukraine.
Her mother, Elvira, is a physics teacher, her father, Mark Kunis, is a mechanical engineer, and she has an older brother named Michael. Her family moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1991. After attending one semester of college between gigs, she realized that she wanted to act for the rest of her life. She started acting when she was nine years old, when her father heard about an acting class on the radio and decided to enroll Mila in it. There, she met her future agent. Her first gig was when she played a character named Melinda in Make a Wish, Molly (1995). From there, her career skyrocketed into big-budget films.
Although she is mostly known for playing Jackie Burkhart on That '70s Show (1998), she has shown the world that she can do so much more. Since 1999, she provided the voice of self-conscious daughter Meg Griffin on the animated sitcom Family Guy (1999). Her breakthrough film was Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), in which she played a free-spirited character named Rachel Jansen. She has since starred or co-starred in the films Max Payne (2008), The Book of Eli (2010), Black Swan (2010), Friends with Benefits (2011), Ted (2012) and Oz the Great and Powerful (2013).
Mila Kunis is married to actor Ashton Kutcher, with whom she has two children.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Olga Kurylenko is a Ukrainian-French actress and model, went from sharing a cramped flat with her aunt, uncle, grandparents and cousin to starring as a Bond girl opposite Daniel Craig.
She was born Olga Konstantinovna Kurylenko on November 14, 1979, in Berdyansk, Ukraine, Soviet Union. Her mother, Marina Alyabysheva, divorced her father, Konstantin Kurylenko, soon after her birth. After the divorce her mother struggled to survive as an art teacher. Young Olga was brought up by her mother and her grandmother, Raisa. During her youth Olga had the humbling experience of living in poverty; she had no choice but to wear rags and had to darn the holes on her sweater. During her years in Ukraine she studied art and languages and spent seven years studying piano at a local school of music in Berdyansk. She also went to a ballet studio until 13.
At age 13 Olga and her mother made a trip to Moscow. There she was spotted by an agent, who approached her at a subway station and offered her a job as a model. Initially Olga's mother was suspicious, but she checked the agent's credentials and eventually allowed Olga to accept training as a model in Moscow, which turned out to be a good career choice.
By age 16 she was ready for the next step. She moved to Paris, learned French in six months and was signed by the Madison agency. At age 18 she appeared on the cover of Glamour, and in short order graced the covers of Elle, Madame Figaro, Marie Claire, and Vogue. She also became the face of Lejaby lingerie, Bebe clothing, Clarins and Helena Rubinstein cosmetic companies.
In 1999 Olga married French photographer Cedric Van Mol, but divorced him 3-1/2 years later. One day Olga presented herself to an acting agency. Eventually she swapped the catwalk for the movie screen, and her acting career took off. In 2005 she made her film debut as "Iris", a sensual beauty, in The Ring Finger (2005), by director Diane Bertrand.
Olga's cinematic roles have been notably steamy, and her natural beauty and explicit nudity attracted the attention of the male audiences. She appeared opposite Elijah Wood in Paris, I Love You (2006) and as "Sofia" in The Snake (2006), then co-starred as Russian beauty "Nika Boronina" opposite Timothy Olyphant in Hitman (2007). She also appeared as "Mina Harud" in the indie surveillance-thriller Tyranny (2008). On Christmas Eve 2007, Olga was offered to play what will become her biggest hit: co-starring as "Camille", the Bond girl, opposite Daniel Craig in Quantum of Solace (2008), a sequel to Casino Royale (2006).
With the international success as Bond Girl, Olga also made appearances on various TV productions in Russia and Ukraine. In 2012, Olga Kurylenko was cast as Julia, supporting role in the Sci-Fi adventure Oblivion (2013) opposite Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Sound Department
Mark Ivanir has been working as a professional film and television actor in Los Angeles since 2001. His first major film role was in Steven Spielberg's Oscar winning epic Schindler's List (1993). He rejoined with Spielberg twice, first for a cameo appearance in Terminal, then again for Tintin. A pivotal role in Robert De Niro's 2006 film, The Good Shepherd, landed Mark a role in Barry Levinson's What Just Happened, this time acting alongside De Niro. He has booked over 35 Guest Star and Guest Lead roles on television shows such as: 24, Monk, CSI NY, Law and Order, Fringe, CSI Miami, Nikita and many others.
Ivanir's road to Hollywood was circuitous at best. Born in the communist Ukraine (former USSR), he immigrated to Israel with his family in 1972. While serving in the Israeli Army he participated in the then clandestine mission to bring Ethiopian Jews to Israel. His military experience and expertise has been tapped for various TV and Film roles.
After completing his stint in the Military, Ivanir turned down several job offers from Israel's Secret Service, and gave up studying medicine to pursue a higher vocation-clowning. He completed two years in a Circus school, traveled throughout Europe performing on the streets, and ended up working in a Parisian Circus - Cirque Pawelles. After leaving the circus, Mark entered into formal theatrical training, studying at Israel's top acting school Nissan Nativ, later co-founding a theatre company made up of actors from the former USSR called Gesher Theatre.
Within two years, Gesher became Israel's top theatrical outfit and was hailed by the London Times as "one of the six best theatre companies in the world." Mark performed many different roles, translated and adapted eight plays for the company and performed everywhere from Lincoln Center to the National Theatre in London as well as major stages in Paris, Rome, and Berlin.
After being cast by Spielberg in Schindler's List, Ivanir moved to London to study with Philippe Gaulier and the actors of the Theater De Complicite. During this stint, he landed roles in The Man Who Cried (with Johnny Depp) and Secret Affair which encouraged him to relocate to Hollywood. Tapping his command of Russian, English, French, Arabic, German and Hebrew, Mark has been working consistently in major studio film and television projects in eclectic roles spanning from a Russian spy to an Israeli producer to a German elephant trainer. He lives in LA with his wife and two daughters.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Director
Alex Veadov was born on 15 April 1962 in Chernovtsy, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Chernivtsi, Ukraine]. He is an actor and director, known for The Equalizer (2014), Act of Valor (2012) and We Own the Night (2007).- Alec Utgoff is a British actor best known for playing 'Alexei' in the Netflix hit show, 'Stranger Things'. He was born in Kiev, Ukraine. After moving to UK at a young age, Alec pursued acting and attended the prestigious Drama Centre London where he graduated in 2010 after completing his BA and MA degrees. He appeared in numerous Films and TV series including 'Stranger Things', 'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit', 'Mission Impossible...' and others...
His parents and his older brother still live in Kiev. Alec's father, Vladimir, is a heart surgeon and his mother, Roza, is a musical conductor. His brother, Alan, is an economist. - Actress
- Writer
- Director
Vera Graziadei was born in Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. Vera is an actor and writer, known for Peep Show (2003), The Book of Vision (2020) and The Silent Canary (2022). Vera has been married to Count Robin Monotti Graziadei since May 2008. They have two children.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Sound Department
In 1976, Alla Korot emigrated to the USA with her parents, Alex and Elena Korot. Korot spent six years touring professionally with Ballet Celeste International, and was crowned California Miss T.E.E.N. at 17. She was the model for Esmerelda in Disney's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", and she has had many guest spots on television shows.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Ilia Volok trained at the Moscow Art Theatre School under Russian actor Aleksandr Kalyagin and is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio. He has appeared in over 150 films, television shows, and video games. He is known for his work on Gemini Man opposite Will Smith for director Ang Lee, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull directed by Steven Spielberg; Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol with Tom Cruise; Air Force One opposite Harrison Ford directed by Wolfgang Peterson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button opposite Brad Pitt, directed by David Fincher, Water For Elephants opposite Reese Witherspoon, Swordfish opposite John Travolta and Hugh Jackman and The Immigrant opposite Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix and Jermey Renner directed by James Grey, .
Additionally, he has guest starred in major television including "The Punisher", "Magnum PI", "McGuyver", "Counterpart", "Shameless", "NCIS" and "NCIS: New Orleans", "Criminal Minds", "The Americans", "Baskets", recurring roles on Michael Bay's series "The Last Ship" and "Scandal" and an episode at the height of 'Friends" in which reference was made to the Air Force One without mentioning him as one of its actors.
The character Vladimir Kamarivsky in the Electronic Arts video game Battlefield 3 is modeled after and voiced by Volok.
His life took an unexpected turn when after being a professional athlete, 3rd place at the world championship in rowing, he left to pursue acting at one of the most prestigious acting colleges, the Moscow Art Theatre School. To the complete surprise of his friends and relatives, he passed a rigorous competition (200 hundred contestants per one spot) and was accepted to study under the direction of one of the top stars of Russian theatre and cinema - Alexandr Kalyagin. Upon graduation he was invited to work in several top theatre companies the Moscow Art Theatre being one of them. But once again he changed the direction of his life, and with $300.00 in his pocket, without any knowledge of English, he came to America to pursue his dream of being a working as Hollywood actor.
He was working at a cemetery as a funeral service attendant where he enjoyed quiet surroundings and fresh air, later he was promoted to selling cemetery plots. Volok got his acting break in the movie Hail Ceaser, opposite Samuel Jackson, Robert Downey Jr. and Michael Anthony Hall. Volok also appeared in Oliver Stone's U-Turn, The Soloist, Abduction, GI Joe 2 and Pawn Sacrifice.
Ilia often performs on stage. His Theater credits include: "The Awful Grace of God" at The Actors Company, "The Revisionist" at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing arts, co-starred opposite Tony award winner Deanna Dunagan, "Who Killed Comrade Rabbit" at the Blank Theater), co writer and producer, "Vivien" at the Actor's Circle, co-produced, the one man show "Diary of a Madman", Just a Song at Twilight at Write Act Repertory, Cat's Paw at the Actor's Studio, "Ferdinand" at Promanade Playhouse, "Cassat & Degas" at The Hudson Theater, "Destiny's Calling" at the Stella Adler Theater, "Chekhov in Yalta" at Theater 40) and "Fakov in America" at the American Renegade Theater. His one-man show Diary of A Madman won the LA Weekly Theater Award for Best Solo Performance. Ilia is a Faculty of the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in Los Angeles. Volok is represented at Endorse Management Group.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Maksim "Maks" Aleksandrovich Chmerkovskiy is a Ukrainian Latin Ballroom dance champion, choreographer, Broadway performer, and actor. He is widely known as one of the professional dancers on the American television series Dancing with the Stars, on which he first appeared in season two. In 14 appearances on the show, Chmerkovskiy made it to the final round four times, with two runner-up and two third place finishes.On May 20, 2014, Chmerkovskiy, paired with Olympic ice dancer Meryl Davis, won his first Dancing with the Stars title.
Following his win with Davis, Maksim announced his retirement from the show.
Maksim owns four dance studios in greater New York City. The three studios - Dance With Me USA - are social dance studios located in Ridgefield, New Jersey, and Long Island, New York, as well as the Soho neighborhood of Manhattan. He recently opened another studio in Stamford, Connecticut. He is also the founder of the Rising Stars Dance Academy in NYC.
Maksim appeared on the TV Land sitcom "The Exes" in July 2012. He also appeared on the ABC soap General Hospital in March 2013 playing the role of handyman Anton Ivanov, who danced with Kelly Monaco's character Sam Morgan during the Nurses' Ball.
In July 2013 Maksim made his second stint on the Broadway production of "Forever Tango. He first appeared on Broadway in the ballroom fusion production "Burn The Floor" in 2009 - 2010.- Yuliya Mayarchuk was born on 20 April 1977 in Odessa, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. She is an actress, known for Cheeky (2000), Go Go Tales (2007) and Italiani nello Spazio (2004).
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Natasha Yarovenko was born on 23 July 1979 in Odessa, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. She is an actress, known for Room in Rome (2010), Aftershock (2012) and Diary of a Nymphomaniac (2008).- Dmitry Chepovetsky was born in 1970 in Lvov, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Lviv, Ukraine]. He is an actor, known for Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011), RED (2010) and Man of the Year (2006).
- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Natasha Blasick was born in the city of Odessa, Ukraine on the Black Sea. Her first languages are Russian and Ukrainian. She grew up in a Soviet-style apartment that housed two families. She made her debut as a lead actress in the film Death of Evil (2009). She is the older daughter of Sergei and Ludmilla and has a younger sister, Marina. Natasha is the first member of her family to pursue an acting career.
Life in the USSR saw Natasha wearing homemade clothes and attending Young Pioneers of the Soviet Union camp. Interested in studying English from the age of six, Natasha waited many winter hours for the most affordable public transportation to ferry her to and from her language classes. When she was 14, she and her father Sergei were visited by a UFO. Natasha studied dance, acted in many plays, and competed in several beauty contestants. Eventually earning a Master's degree in marketing, Natasha bade farewell to family and Odessa and set off on a voyage of love to marry her American husband Martin Blasick.
Natasha immediately embraced both Los Angeles and the craft of acting where she studied technique with several coaches, melding the training into her own acting style. Her leading role in Notes from the New World (2011), based on Dostoevsky's Notes From The Underground screened in festivals across Europe. In The Black Russian (2013) Natasha traveled to India to shoot the title role of the multi-layered Francesca, a Russian ex-patriot caught up in a deadly game of love. Mockbuster Paranoid Activity 2 (2011) starred Natasha in a battle against an Alaskan poltergeist.
She was the swimsuit winner in the Mrs. World contest and appeared as Sasha the secret agent on Days of Our Lives (1965). She also appeared in Meet the Spartans (2008) and (as herself) in Battle of the Bods (2008). She had the chance show her comedic talents doings sketches for a season of Spike TV's MDN (2004) and on Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003).
Natasha co-produced Death of Evil (2009) and Vampiro (2009). In 2012 Natasha released Live In Your World, an EP of her own brand of pop-electronica music.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Yakov Smirnoff was born on 24 January 1951 in Odessa, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is an actor and writer, known for Night Court (1984), The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984) and Brewster's Millions (1985). He was previously married to Linda Dreeszen.- Director
- Writer
- Cinematographer
Mstyslav Chernov was born in 1985 in Kharkov, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Kharkiv, Ukraine]. He is a director and writer, known for 20 Days in Mariupol (2023), Frontline (1983) and Moderated by Matt (2022).- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the 6th president of Ukraine. Before entering politics, he was a comedian, actor, screenwriter, film producer, and director.
Prior to his political career, he obtained a degree in law and created a production company, Kvartal 95, which produces films, cartoons, TV comedy shows, including Servant of the People (2015), in which Zelenskiy played the role of President of Ukraine. A political party bearing the same name as the television show was created in March 2018 by employees of Kvartal 95.
Zelenskiy announced his candidacy for the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election on the evening of 31 December 2018, alongside the New Year's Eve address of President Petro Poroshenko on 1+1 TV Channel. At the time, Zelenskiy had already been one of the front-runners in opinion polls for the election. Zelenskiy won the election with 73.22% of the vote in the second round, defeating Poroshenko.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Sergei Polunin was born on 20 November 1989 in Kherson, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is an actor and director, known for Murder on the Orient Express (2017), Red Sparrow (2018) and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018).- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Alex Feldman was born in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is an actor and director, known for The Americans (2013), Eternity Hill (2016) and Law & Order (1990).- Alina Levshin was born on 10 September 1984 in Odessa, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. She is an actress, known for Combat Girls (2011), In the Face of Crime (2010) and Paradise (2023).
- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Olga Fedori was born on 17 March 1984 in Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. She is an actress and producer, known for The Wolfman (2010), Holby City (1999) and Of Their Own.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Ana Layevska was born on 10 January 1982 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. She is an actress, known for The War Next-door (2021), La Muchacha Que Limpia (2021) and Yankee (2019). She has been married to Rodrigo Moreira since 13 April 2014.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Marina Maximilian Blumin was born on 15 December 1987 in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine]. She is an actress, known for Pillars of Smoke (2009), Fauda (2015) and Devils (2020).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Boris Sagal was born on 18 October 1923 in Yekaterinoslav, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine]. He was a director and writer, known for The Omega Man (1971), The Name of the Game (1968) and Rich Man, Poor Man (1976). He was married to Marge Champion and Sara Macon. He died on 22 May 1981 in Portland, Oregon, USA.- Oleg Stefan was born on 7 September 1959 in Stalino, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Donetsk, Ukraine]. He is an actor, known for The Good Shepherd (2006), Duplicity (2009) and Tetris (2023).
- Ekaterina Kuznetsova was born on 12 July 1987 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. She is an actress, known for Bystree, chem kroliki (2014), Chastnoe pionerskoe 2 (2015) and Samka bogomola (2021).
- Director
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- Writer
Vadim Perelman was born in 1963 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is a director and producer, known for House of Sand and Fog (2003), Persian Lessons (2020) and The Life Before Her Eyes (2007).- 1994 Olympic GOLD Medalist & 1993 World Champion, Ladies Figure Skating.
When Oksana Baiul was three years old, she received her first pair of ice skates from her Grandfather. By just seven years old, she already won her first competition. The Ukrainian Figure Skating Federation immediately took notice of her unique, natural balletic artistry on the ice.
In 1994, at barely 16 years old, the world watched literally (Oksana Baiul holds the record for most watched Olympic performance in history) as Oksana captivated our hearts & won the Olympic Gold Medal, proving that she is the Best in the World! Contrary to the false tales spun by a former coach and others to the media claiming to have financially supported Oksana prior to 1994, in fact Oksana was by 1993 already unknowingly a very wealthy teenager with her own apartment, having won GOLD at the 1993 World Championship, headlined the ISU European Tour and being contracted by Tom Collins to co-headline his 1993 Tour of World Figure Skating Champions sold out 43 US cities tour. In 1994, Oksana was brought to the United States, was signed to William Morris Talent Agency, turned professional, toured and performed nonstop for 8 years and Barbara Walter's named her "One of the 10 Most Fascinating Personalities of 1994".
Born in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, she was an only child of parents Sergei and Marina Baiul who divorced when she was two. Her mother and her grandparents raised Oksana. When Oksana was 10, her grandparents died. Tragically, three years later at 13, her mother died of ovarian cancer.
Prior to and since her victory in Lillehammer, Oksana headlined figure skating tours non-stop from 1993 to 2003 in figure skating tours and competitions in the United States, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, North Korea, South Korea, China, Ukraine, Russia and many more including AEG's Champions on Ice and Smucker's Stars On Ice.
Oksana's life story was depicted in the Hallmark & CBS produced movie, "A Promise Kept: The Oksana Baiul Story". Oksana has published two NYT Best Selling books, Secrets of Skating/Oksana Baiul; Oksana, My Own Story. Oksana has been profiled in several televised bio specials including Lifetime and A&E's Networks. In 1996, Oksana also launched "OKSANA: Jewels On Ice" and "Oksana: Ice Crystals" her jewelry collections, which sold-out on QVC and in turn was made available with major US luxury department stores. Oksana Baiul has headlined more than 900 live performances touring the globe, a part of over 150 headlining television and movie performances (Nutcracker on Ice, Wizard of Oz on Ice, CBS Sports Olympic Winterfest, Goodwill Games) and more than 300 television appearances.
In 2002, Oksana also launched her clothing line, the Oksana Baiul Collection, the most successful independently owned Figure Skating Apparel line, created and designed by Oksana herself which is re-launching and expanding in 2013. In 2003, Oksana returned to her hometown of Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine and her heartfelt story was featured on ABC's 20/20 and featured in People Magazine. During 2005 to 2009 Oksana also headlined a Moscow Red Square TV special, starred in an off Broadway theatrical show "Cold As Ice" earning her performance critical acclaim, while dedicating the majority of her time to philanthropic endeavors benefiting children. Oksana, the only figure skater to become a globally known household name and cross over to be considered a true entertainer, has graced the covers of over 50 media publications globally and endorsed products such as ICON Fitness' HealthRider and Lifeway's KEFIR. During the last seven years Oksana has also taken on a few acting roles making appearances on television series' (Arli$$, Strong Medicine), supporting roles in movies (Cutting Edge II), and stared as lead judge on ABC's prime-time reality show "Master of Champions".
Oksana Baiul, nicknamed the "Queen of the Ice" and the "Swan of Odessa", who partnered with Entertainment Producer, Investor and Philanthropist Carlo J. Farina, can be found on the ice training in Philadelphia preparing for her upcoming return to performing in 2013, writing her highly-anticipated autobiography, developing her first headlining global tour commencing in 2014 and expanding her career as a co-Producer of the tour in addition to two Television specials, while also designing and re-launching the OKSANA BAIUL Collection encompassing figure skating apparel, ready to wear, accessories and her jewelry line. - Director
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- Actress
Larisa Shepitko was born on 6 January 1938 in Bakhmut, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine]. She was a director and writer, known for The Ascent (1977), Heat (1963) and You and Me (1971). She was married to Elem Klimov. She died on 2 July 1979 in near Redkino, Kalinin Oblast, Russian SFSR, USSR.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Juliette Marquis was born in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. She is an actress and producer, known for Horn Maker, Dent (2017) and Into the Sun (2005).- Kseniya Mishina was born on 18 June 1989 in Sevastopol, Ukrainian SSR, USSR. She is an actress, known for Silence (2021), #Selfieparty (2016) and Black Rose (2014).
- The 55th Anniversary Playmate of Playboy, the vocalist of "NikitA", actress, model.
Slim, lovely, and sexy brunette knockout Dasha Astafieva was born on August 4, 1985 in Ordzhonikidze, Ukraine. Dasha grew up after the fall of the Soviet Union. After school graduation Astafieva moved to Dnepropetrovsk, where she graduated Dnepropetrovsk theatrical college and tried herself in model business.
Music. «NikitA» the girls armed to the teeth with sexual beauty, and are very dangerous! The group exists since 2006. The first music video of "NikitA" called "Mashina" shook with its erotic and aggressive sexuality. The next music videos only made their scandalous reputation worse and raised their ratings. The next music video for the song "Veriovki" provoked a real agitation in Ukrainian and Russian media. In the video the girls walk around a shopping mall absolutely naked. It provoked an ambiguous reaction, some experts called it a sensation but some TV channels played it only after 11 p.m. justifying their decision by saying that it was too overtly erotic. In 2008 the band "NikitA" was called by the media "Discovery of the year." In March 2009 the first album called "Mashina" was released. It sold more than 50 000 copies. In the late 2009 "Cosmopolitan" magazine called the girls from band "NikitA" the most stylish and awarded them a prestigious prize. In 2011 they received a statuette from the Russian channel "Ru TV" in the category "Fantastisch of the Year" for the most sexual music video "Verevki."
Playboy. Dasha Astafieva is a "playmate" of "Playboy". The title "Playboy girl" she won twice: first in Ukraine and second in the USA when she became the "playmate" of the month for the 55th anniversary of "Playboy". There are only 11 anniversary playmates, in-line with Marilyn Monroe, who was the first. In July 2008 Dasha Astafieva set off to the USA to the famous mansion of the owner of "Playboy" empire - Hugh Hefner. The singer spent three weeks in the Playboy Mansion where she took part in photo sessions, participated in the contest for "playmate" of the month devoted to the 55th anniversary of "Playboy" and the popular TV show "Girls Next Door." Dasha startled Hugh Hefner with her natural beauty. The famous dandy called Dasha "his favorite Ukrainian girl" and he couldn't help admiring unique similarity between Dasha and his first love, legendary model Betty Page. Astafieva became the first Slavic girl to win the title of "playmate" of the month among 500 participants from all over the world. By the way, the photo session that made Dasha internationally famous, was such a success that other publishers of "Playboy" tried to imitate it later. Playboy with Dasha's cover was published in more than 50 countries worldwide. In 2009 Dasha opened the Lithuanian "Playboy" as an honored guest and also escorted Mr. Hefner at the popular festival in San Remo. The media gossiped many times about a romantic relationship between Dasha and Hefner. In June 2010 "NikitA" went to Las Vegas where they performed at the closed "Playboy" party of Hugh Hefner and spent a week in his villa called the "Playboy Mansion" upon his kind invitation. - Dmitrious was born in Zaporozhye, Ukraine and moved to the states when he was two years old. Growing up in Spokane Washington, Dmitrious dabbled in theatre, breakdancing, gymnastics, and the janitorial arts. At 23, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue stunts and acting, but he was quickly recruited into a circus school, a detour from his original path. Dmitrious' circus hobby spiraled out of control and allowed him to travel across the United States working for companies: "Cirque du Soleil" and "7 Fingers." Dmitrious is now a stunt performer and actor living in Los Angeles, and also performs in the variety circus duo: "The Bistrevsky Brothers" with his brother, Alex.
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Ireesha was born in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. She is known for Click (2006), Q: Secret Agent (2008) and Two and a Half Men (2003).- Actor
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Andriy Mykhailovych Danylko, better known as his drag persona Verka Serduchka, is a Ukrainian comedian, actor, and singer. He represented Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 as Verka with the song "Dancing Lasha Tumbai", finishing in second place. He has sold over 600,000 records. He has appeared in films, most notably a cameo as Verka in the American comedy film "Spy".- Olga Lomonosova was born on 18 May 1978 in Donetsk, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. She is an actress, known for Kobra. Antiterror (2003), Better Than Us (2018) and Pro zhenu, mechtu i eshche odnu... (2013).
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NK is a solo project of Nastya Kamenskykh, a new chapter in the singer's creative work, a new image and role.
NK is a key element of the unified philosophy of Nastya Kamenskykh, which has become synonymous with success, talent and motivation for numerous fans. The solo project of the singer fully reflects her views and principles: look ahead, keep up with modern trends, set pace, blast the dance-floors with crazy energy. The new image of Nastya is a cheerful, open, energetic and modern girl. She is a cosmopolitan girl. She was born in Ukraine, grew up in Italy, lived for a long time and performed in USA, visited almost the entire world on tours. In every country, in every mentality, Nastya found something interesting, absorbing it into herself. Having such a colossal creative and life experience, in 2017 she starts her own project - NK - music with no boundaries.
After just a year in existence, the project to promote Nastya Kamenskikh to an international audience has achieved amazing success - Nastya has become the first Ukrainian performer to make it onto the Billboard chart with her international hit, NK: Peligroso (2018).
NK became the first singer from her country, Ukraine, to appear at the 19th Annual Latin American Grammy Awards and on top-rated Latin American TV shows such as ¡Despierta América!, Acceso Total, Titulares y Más, Buenas Dias la Familia and many more.
After the impact of her track "Peligroso", the singer was invited to Mexico to present her new song NK: Elefante (2019) on the leading and most influential local TV and radio channels.
The singer not only took her music overseas but also introduced to an multinational audience a piece of Ukrainian culture - a stylized "sopilka" that appears in the video for the song. The fame of "Elefante" soon spread to new horizons and reached the USA, Canada, Turkey, Spain and even India.
Today, NK's tracks have appeared in music charts around the world, and the Nastya herself has featured on billboards in the very heart of New York; she has recorded tracks with world-famous stars, including Juan Magan, Jacob Forever, De La Ghetto, and performed on the same stage as popular Latin American performers such as Maluma.
Nationally, NK has twice been celebrated as "Singer of the Year" at the M1 Music Awards, was given the accolade of "Singer of the Year" at the Zolotaya Zhar-Ptitsa Awards, and was named Best Female Artist at the YUNA Awards. In addition Nastya's track NK: Obitsayu (2019) got the Best Video award at the Chervona Ruta festival, in cooperation with Ukrainian radio station "Russian Radio". She was also recognized as Singer of the Year at the Cosmopolitan Awards.
The path to NK solo career began in early childhood. Nastya devoted herself completely to art: engaged in playing piano, singing and dancing. At that time, she already understood that the key to success was to invest maximum efforts in the development of talent. For the first time the name of Nastya as a singer thundered at the festival "Black Sea Games" in 2004, where she received a Grand Prix and won all kinds of awards. After the successful debut, Nastya was heading to the first recognition on the international scene, namely in London, where she got the UBN Awards in the "Opening of the Year" nomination.
The next success was Potap and Nastya, a duet with Aleksey Potapenko. The project became tremendously popular and gained recognition with lightning speed. The duet produced world-famous hits that have been the leaders of the musical charts for 11 years. The duet's stunning success is obvious: behind their back are 6 successful albums, 29 clips, many music awards, record visits to concert venues, including abroad, sold out shows on international tours.
It seemed that by this moment Nastya had achieved everything: popularity and fame, love of admirers and beauty. However, Nastya is not used to rest on laurels, she always sets new goals and admires with different projects. The artist is confident that there is no limit to perfection, and self-improvement is an important element of success and positive metamorphoses. She is ready to improve further, improve herself and motivate her fans to follow her example - to conquer new peaks. This is how the philosophy of NK is born.
Nastya became the first pop artist to start a video blog on Youtube. Sincere desire to motivate the modern youth for an active lifestyle and sports helped the singer to gather a large audience of subscribers. Sports achievements, the way to a beautiful shape, advice on healthy nutrition, stardom life secrets and behind-the-scenes stuff of concerts - Nastya sincerely shares all this in NKblog, inspiring viewers to follow her example and achieve their dreams and goals. She is not afraid of showing herself real, herself - in ordinary life, outside the stage and without makeup. Nastya proved that she is not only a talented singer, a bright and memorable artist, a sex symbol of our time, but also a powerful motivator for modern youth.
Nastya's love for sports, desire to self-improve and inspire her fans to change for the better have turned into a successful project - her own brand of sportswear NKsport. Its main purpose is to motivate girls to work on their body and generate a desire to go in for sports. In NKsport, Nastya managed to combine the quality and functionality of clothing with feminine and sexy design, which further encourages self-improvement.
In 2017, NK took the honorary place of judge and mentor of The X Factor (2010) vocal show. The singer with an invaluable experience, who has been the public's favorite for more than 11 years, the owner of a huge number of awards, the sex symbol and the standard of success, was entrusted with an important mission - to find real talents and point the right direction on the path of creative development.
In 2018, NK started to coach and guide a recently emerged duo [url=nm10927951] which became the first band to ever win "The X-factor" in Ukraine within nine years of its existence.
NK is actively participating in various charity events. She is a regular participant of a charity program Charity Weekend. She's involved in public talks, she gives public performances and public sport workshops. All the funds collected there are donated to different hospitals and medical establishments to support purchases of expensive equipment.
NK is also actively cooperating with a charity organization «Giznelub» (Ukrainian for «Lifelovers»). The main goal of the project is to support and take care of senior citizens by collecting funds towards building spots for food and winter clothes giveaways. By the end of 2018 NK was involved in 3 successful campaigns. She also opened 2 spots with food giveaways and together with her fans #NKfamily helped to collected a lot of warm clothes for people during cold winter time.
In addition, NK is involved in various other campaigns. She is highly concerned over increasing AIDS tendency in the world. She invests her time and effort to raise public awareness about the issue while supporting the fight against virus dissemination.
In 2020, NK has featured on the Ukrainian edition of "The Voice" TV show as a talent coach. With her existing experience in coaching new talent, NK joined the project team with an extremely important mission: to help each team member find their voice and realize themselves as an artist. And for the first time in the history of the show, the producers made an exception to the rules specially for the NK and PTP team, and allowed them to form a duo from contestants, as Nastya refused to vote them off the show.- Actor
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Sergej Onopko is a German Actor, born and raised in the 80's in former Soviet Union. He attended an art school in his native city of Kharkiv, in which he practiced latin dance, painting and performance art & competed in latin & standard dance nationally for 5 years.
He took part in several international film productions, since 2012 where he had his very first appearance in the action film "A Good Day to Die Hard" ever since he has appeared in more than 35 TV films, Short Films, TV series and feature films.- Nataliya Vdovina was born on 12 January 1969 in Belogorsk, Belogorskiy rayon, Krymskaya oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Crimea, Russia]. She is an actress, known for The Return (2003), Probuzhdenie (2021) and Zakaz (2005).
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Eugene Hutz was born on 6 September 1972 in Boyarka, Kiev Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is an actor, known for Everything Is Illuminated (2005), Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006) and Filth and Wisdom (2008).- Actress
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Karina Smirnoff was born on 2 January 1978 in Kharkov, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Kharkiv, Ukraine]. She is an actress, known for Dark Feathers (2024), Shall We Dance? (2004) and Tango Shalom (2021).- Producer
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Len Blavatnik is a global industrialist and philanthropist with over 33 years of experience in deploying long-term capital and transforming companies into market leaders delivering exceptional returns on investment. He is a dual citizen of the U.S. and UK.
In 1986, Mr. Blavatnik founded Access Industries, a privately-held industrial group based in the U.S. Access owns strategic and diversified investments around the world in media and entertainment, natural resources and commodities, real estate, venture capital, and biotechnology.
A self-made billionaire, Mr. Blavatnik's financial acumen and entrepreneurial instincts have resulted in a successful track record of investments and a reputation as a visionary and synergistic investor.
In the media and entertainment sector, Mr. Blavatnik has created a media platform for the 21st century built on investments in disruptive technologies, content platforms, and production companies. In addition to Warner Music Group, Access' TME holdings include DAZN, the leading digital sports content streaming company, Deezer, the high-resolution online music streaming service with over 15 million active monthly users, Access Entertainment, which invests in premium-quality television, film, theater, and other transformational companies.
In the industrials sector, Access' investment in LyondellBasell Industries was widely heralded as one of the greatest deals in Wall Street history. Access currently owns approximately 22% of the company. Access also owns Clal Industries, one of Israel's leading investment companies with a portfolio encompassing heavy industry, biotechnology, hi-tech, and energy companies. Access Technology Ventures (ATV), Mr. Blavatnik's venture capital and growth technology arm, invests in and builds foundational companies that impact millions of customers across the consumer and enterprise technology ecosystems. ATV's portfolio encompasses many leading technology companies in the U.S. and abroad including DigitalOcean and Opendoor.
Mr. Blavatnik's real estate investments through Access Real Estate are driving significant transformation. The development of the Faena District in Miami Beach, an eight-block cultural neighborhood has revitalized the mid-beach area with more than one million square feet of hotels, residential condominiums, a cultural center, and retail complex. Similarly, Access' investment in the Faena Buenos Aires project has transformed Puerto Madero into one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in Argentina. Access' real estate portfolio also includes iconic hotel properties around the world including Hollywood's landmark Sunset Tower Hotel and the Four Seasons-managed properties of the Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat on the French Riviera and the Ocean Club Bahamas.
Mr. Blavatnik also invests in select external funds using an endowment-style approach.
In addition to his business interests, Mr. Blavatnik is a well-respected and active global philanthropist. The Blavatnik Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3) private foundation is exclusively self-funded. Over the past decade, it has contributed more than $700 million to 250+ institutions worldwide. Mr. Blavatnik is also engaged in numerous educational, scientific, and cultural activities, sitting on the boards of Tel Aviv University and Carnegie Hall, and serving as a member of the Harvard Global Advisory Council. Mr. Blavatnik was knighted in the 2017 Birthday Honours for service to philanthropy.
Born in the former Soviet Union in 1957, Mr. Blavatnik attended Moscow State University before emigrating with his family to the U.S. in 1978. He earned a Master's degree in computer science from Columbia University in 1981, became a U.S. citizen in 1984, and received his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1989. He became a citizen of the UK in 2010. Mr. Blavatnik has been married for over 20 years and has five children.- Actor
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Valentin Chmerkovskiy is a Ukrainian-born professional dancer, author and television personality. A 14-time US National Champion and two-time World Dance Champion, Val rose to stardom as a fan-favorite professional and eventual two-time winner of the hit series Dancing with the Stars. He has since appeared on numerous television shows, including Netflix's Fuller House and Fox's Flirty Dancing, as well as served as a judge on the inaugural season of Dancing with the Stars: Juniors. Val also appeared in the 2021 award-winning Amazon Prime film Being the Ricardos.
Val is the co-founder and owner of Dance With Me studios, a leading nationwide network of dance studios with the mission of making dance accessible to all people regardless of skill level. Val is a nationally recognized dance educator and advocate for keeping kids active, healthy, and creative through dance. Val is a philanthropist who supports numerous charities, including the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the Children's Hospital of LA and Pencils of Promise. He also spent time mentoring kids at the KIPP Scholar Academy in South Los Angeles.
In 2018, Val released his first memoir titled "I'll Never Change my Name," which detailed his life, career and experience as an Eastern European immigrant. As a classically trained violinist, Val has performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.
In response to the 2022 humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, Val, along with his brother and father, launched Baranova 27 in March of that year. The charity organization provides funds and humanitarian aid, including medical, hygiene, baby supplies and more, to those in need in the country.
Val was born in Odessa, Ukraine to an engineer mother and marine merchant father and immigrated to Brooklyn, NY at 8 years old. He is fluent in Russian and English. Val resides in Los Angeles with his wife, fellow DWTS pro Jenna Johnson-Chmerkovskiy, and their dog Ziggy.- Vladimir Skomarovsky was born on 10 October 1938 in Odessa, Ukrainian SSR, USSR. He is an actor, known for 2010 (1984), Fatal Attraction (1987) and American Dream (2021).
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Irina Gorbacheva was born on 10 April 1988 in Zhdanov, Donetskaya oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Mariupol, Donetska oblast, Ukraine]. She is an actress and talent agent, known for Arrhythmia (2017), No Escapes (2020) and Istoriya odnogo naznacheniya (2018).- Igor Gasparyan was born on 6 August 1974 in Sverdlovsk, Luhansk region, USSR, Ukrainian SSR [now Ukraine]. He is an actor, known for Volshebnyy uchastok (2023), Mantikora (2011) and Gitler kaput! (2008).
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Lyudmila Gurchenko was a popular actress in the Soviet Union during the 1950s - 1980s, she was best known for Carnival Night (1956), Five Evenings (1979) and Siberiade (1979).
She was born Lyudmila Markovna Gurchenko on 12 November 1935, in Kharkov, Ukrainian Soviet Republic of the USSR. She studied acting at the VGIK (Soviet State Institute for CInema), graduating from the class of Sergey Gerasimov in 1956. That same year she shot to fame in the Soviet Union, aftr delivering a stellar performance as singer Lenochka Krylova in Carnival Night (1956), by director Eldar Ryazanov.
Gurchenko's film partners were such Russian stars, as Oleg Borisov, Sergei Shakurov, Aleksandr Abdulov, Oleg Basilashvili, Mikhail Boyarskiy, Igor Ilyinsky, Yuriy Nikulin, Armen Jigarhanian, Oleg Tabakov, Stanislav Lubshin, Andrey Mironov and Aleksandr Mikhaylov among others.
Lyudmila Gurchenko was married five times and had one daughter with her first husband, Boris Andronikashvili. She died of a pulmonary failure on 30 March 2011, at age 75, and was laid to rest in Moscow, Russia.- Stanislav Bondarenko was born on 2 July 1985 in Dneprorudnoe, Zaporozhye oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Dniprorudne, Zaporizhia oblast, Ukraine]. He is an actor, known for Street Racer (2008), Stiker (2022) and Strannyy dom (2023).
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Alex Kaluzhsky was born on 16 August 1984 in Odessa, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is an actor and editor, known for The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009), Rie and Aria.- Director
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Konstantin Lopushanskiy was born on 12 June 1947 in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine]. He is a director and writer, known for The Ugly Swans (2006), Visitor of a Museum (1989) and Dead Man's Letters (1986).