Irina Kupchenko is a Russian actress known for the role as Lisa in A Nest of Gentry (1969) by director Andrei Konchalovsky.

She was born Irina Petrovna Kupchenko on March 1, 1948, in Vienna, Austria. Her father, Petr Kupchenko, was a Soviet Army officer stationed in Vienna; her mother was a teacher of English. Her parents insisted that her actual birthday, 29th of February of the leap year 1948, was changed to the 1st of March. Young Kupchenko was raised in Kiev, Ukraine. There she studied languages at Kiev University, then moved to Moscow. From 1967 - 1970 she studied acting under M. Ter-Zakharova at the Shchukin Theatrical School of Vakhtangov Theatre in Moscow, graduating in 1970 as an actress.

In 1969 Kupchenko shot to fame with her film debut as Lisa in A Nest of Gentry (1969) by director Andrei Konchalovsky. She made a stellar film career in collaboration with Andron Konchalovsky, and also appeared in films by such directors as Ilya Averbakh, Yuli Raizman, Vadim Abdrashitov, Eldar Ryazanov, and Nikita Mikhalkov. During the 1970s - 1990s she was among the most popular actresses of the former Soviet Union. Kupchenko co-starred opposite such actors as Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy, Mikhail Ulyanov, Aleksey Batalov, Vasili Lanovoy, Sergey Bondarchuk, Oleg Yankovsky, and Aleksandr Zbruev, among many others.

Since 1970 Irina Kupchenko has been member of the troupe at Vakhtangov Theatre in Moscow. There his stage partners were such actors as Mikhail Ulyanov, Vasiliy Lanovoy, Yuliya Borisova, Lyudmila Maksakova, Lyudmila Tselikovskaya, Marianna Vertinskaya, Nina Ruslanova, Elena Dobronravova, Nikolai Plotnikov, Yuriy Yakovlev, Vladimir Etush, Vyacheslav Shalevich, Andrei Abrikosov, Grigori Abrikosov, Nikolai Gritsenko, Nikolai Timofeyev, Aleksandr Grave, Evgeni Fedorov, Vladimir Koval, Viktor Zozulin, Evgeniy Karelskikh, Aleksandr Koznov, Vladimir Vdovichenkov, Sergey Makovetskiy, Mikhail Vaskov, Mariya Aronova, Elena Sotnikova, Anna Dubrovskaya, Olga Tumaykina, Aleksei Kuznetsov, and Viktor Dobronravov, among others.

He most memorable stage performances included such roles as Octavia in the Shakespeare's 'Antony and Cleopatra' (1970s), as Dolly in 'Anna Karenina' (1970s), and as Lady Anna in the Shakespeare's 'Richard III', among other plays. In 1994 Kupchenko created the character of Clodia Pulcher in 'Martovskie Idy' (aka.. Ides of March) adaptation of the eponymous novel by Thornton Wilder. Since the 2001 premiere of 'Cyrano de Bergerac' Kupchenko has been delivering critically acclaimed performances as Roxana opposite Maksim Sukhanov. She also appears in stage production of "Svobodnaya lyubov" (aka.. Free love) at La'Teatr in Moscow.

Irina Kupchenko was designated People's Actor of Russia. She was a professor of acting at the Shchukin Theatrical School of the Vakhtangov Theatre. Irina Kupchenko is married to actor Vasiliy Lanovoy, and the couple has two sons. She is living with her family in Moscow, Russia.

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Irina Kupchenko

Actress

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