Nelly Uvarova: “When will you ever have to act like that again!...” • Don’t be born beautiful: Be yourself!

Nelly Vladimirovna Uvarova was born in the small town of Mazeikiai in Lithuania on March 14, 1980. Her family has Russian-Armenian roots. The girl's father was a production engineer at a factory, and her mother taught gymnastics. In addition to Nelly, the eldest daughter Elena grew up in the Uvarov family, who in the future became a successful clothing designer in Moscow.

The 80s became difficult for Lithuania, where the political and social situation became increasingly tense. The Uvarovs decided to move to the capital of Russia. By that time, Elena Uvarova was already working in Moscow and helped her relatives move to a new place of residence.

Nelly Uvarova in childhood and now

The financial situation of the Uvarovs forced the youngest daughter to work part-time while studying at school. The girl put up advertisements, delivered newspapers and dreamed of becoming an artist in the near future. Nelly Uvarova's acting abilities were discovered at an early age. Having moved to Moscow, the girl decided to develop them. She went to classes at the famous Theater Studio on Shabolovka. The family approved and encouraged Nellie's hobby. Mom even wrote scripts for some school plays and helped her daughter learn words and take on roles.

After graduating from school, Nelly Uvarova applied to five theater universities at once. But the girl was so worried during the admission process that her voice broke. Despite this, the talented applicant was noticed by the famous teacher and People's Artist of the RSFSR Georgy Taratorkin. He not only accepted Nellie into his workshop, but also helped find a doctor who eventually restored the future actress’s voice.

Nelly Uvarova

One solved problem was followed by a second unsolvable one. Because of her broken voice, Uvarova was enrolled in a paid training course. But the family did not have money for this. The student was expelled from the university, but due to her abilities and diligence, she was allowed to become a volunteer student. Obstacles on the way to her cherished goal did not break the fragile Uvarova, but hardened her. Within a few months, Nellie managed to receive a grant for training from Nikita Mikhalkov himself. And behind it is another grant from the Fyodor Bondarchuk Foundation and the Rolan Bykov Prize.

After graduating from VGIK, the aspiring actress, who managed to prove herself well, received many offers from a variety of metropolitan theaters, but chose the Russian Academy of Youth Theater. The creative biography of Nelly Uvarova is connected with him to this day.

Movies

A cinematic biography of Nelly Uvarova began in 1999. The debut film was “Let’s Fly!” Anna Melikyan. This picture brought Nelly success in the form of the main prize at the VGIK international festival. This award was soon followed by another - from the Milan Film Forum.

Nelly Uvarova in the play “Cat of Shame”

Since 2001, Nellie has become the leading actress of RAMT. On its stage, Nelly Vladimirovna played many roles, the most notable of which were in the plays “The Wizard of the Emerald City” and “The Coast of Utopia.” But the actress herself believes that her most successful work was the play “Rules of Conduct in Modern Society.” This role brought her her first theatrical awards - a nomination for the Golden Mask and a prize at the prestigious international festival Rainbow.

Among Uvarova’s other best theatrical works are “Little Lord Fauntleroy” and “Chekhov Gala”.

Since 2002, every year a new film with the participation of Uvarova was regularly released. In 2003, Nellie received a role in the cult crime drama Boomer. During the waning economic crisis, “Boomer” became one of the first films to break even. The film received national recognition and many prestigious awards, but Uvarova played the role of a nameless girl and was not very remembered by the audience.

Nelly Uvarova as Katya Pushkareva

Everything changed after the release of the series, which attracted the attention of many compatriots to television for a long time, called “Don’t Be Born Beautiful.” Petite (the actress's height is 165 cm), insecure, but at the same time intelligent and talented heroine won the love and sympathy of a huge number of television viewers. This was a real breakthrough to the popularity and fame of the young actress. The image of Katya Pushkareva, as presented by Uvarova, brought Nellie nationwide love.

The whole country followed the fate of the heroes Nelly Uvarova and Grigory Antipenko. This film adaptation, according to many film critics, became the only talented adaptation of the Colombian sitcom “Ugly Betty” in Russia.

Since Uvarova became Pushkareva, the actress was finally noticed by famous directors and TV presenters. She became a frequent guest on television programs and shows.

Nelly Uvarova before and after transformation

Next, Uvarova appeared in new popular serial melodramas, the best of which are “In the First Circle,” “Atlantis” and “Heavy Sand.” But it was not only TV series and soap operas that happily welcomed the artist. Nelly played wonderfully in the films “I’m Staying,” “M+F” and “Ex-Wife,” managing to demonstrate that she can play in different roles.

In parallel with filming on film stages and theatrical performances, Nelly Uvarova worked a lot on promoting an online store that sold designer products created by the hands of seriously ill children. For this charity project, the artist was awarded a grant from one of the Russian foundations.

Biography

Theater actress

Nelly Uvarova was born in 1980 into a family of oil workers. Her father is a petroleum engineer, and her mother is an economist by profession. Advertising:
Nelly felt a craving for theater since childhood. Together with her sister, she took part in school plays. Parents reacted to their daughters' hobby with understanding. Mom even wrote scripts for their productions.

Nelly Uvarova photography

In 2001, Nelly Uvarova graduated from VGIK, the workshop of Georgy Taratorkin, and was accepted into RAMT (Russian Academic Youth Theater). On the stage of this theater she played in the plays: “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” (Emmy Lawrence), “Little Lord Fauntleroy” (The Lame Boy), “Erast Fandorin” (Lisa Evert-Kolokoltseva), “Dunno the Traveler” (Snowflake), “ Tanya" (Dusya), "Lorenzaccio" (Luisa Strozzi), "Shadow" (Annunziata), "The Wizard of the Emerald City" (Ellie), Forever (Susanna), "Idiot" (Aglaya Ivanovna Epanchina), "And the dawns here are quiet... "(Sonya Gurvich) and others.

By 2005, Uvarova had already become a famous theater actress. She was even nominated for the national theater award “Golden Mask” for best actress in the play “Rules of Conduct in Modern Society.” But she was still unknown to a wide circle of viewers.

Nelly Uvarova photography

Katya Pushkareva

Popularity, as a rule, comes from highly rated TV series or acclaimed films. Neither one nor the other appeared on the actress’s account until 2005. True, there was one major success - a role in Anna Melikyan’s student work “Let’s Fly” (1999) - a black and white stylization of films of the 80s. The film was highly praised by critics, and Nelly Uvarova was awarded awards at international film festivals in Moscow and Milan. But this picture did not reach the general public. In other films (Boomer, etc.), the actress got small roles.

Nelly Uvarova photography

The idea of the series about an ugly but very smart girl who takes her first steps in her career, gains self-confidence, and achieves success in work and in her personal life, was born in America. It was there that the series “Falling in Love in New York” was first staged. Later, twin series appeared with local flavor: “Falling in Love in Madrid”, “Falling in Love in Paris”, “Falling in Love in London”... Finally, the wave reached Russia. Our producers' imagination turned out to be somewhat richer than that of their foreign colleagues. The series was called "Don't Be Born Beautiful." And Nelly Uvarova was invited to play the role of the “ugly duckling” Katya Pushkareva, who works as a secretary in the clothing company ZIMALETTO.

Nelly owes this invitation to director Alexander Nazarov, for whom she played in plays. The actress says: “I was one of the first to come to the casting, it lasted a long time, but in the end it was I who began filming with Irina Muravyova, Raisa Ryazanova and Mikhail Zhigalov. These are great actors who help me a lot. And sometimes they stand up for the formidable director. When he says in a stern voice: “Nelka, another take!”, Irina Vadimovna comes to the rescue...”

Nelly Uvarova photography

By agreeing to the role of Katya Pushkareva, Uvarova accomplished a small feminine feat. After all, not every woman (especially a beautiful one) will agree to disfigure herself. But such is the acting profession. And Nelly Uvarova appeared before the audience as a shapeless and unkempt creature in ridiculous, ill-fitting old woman’s dresses. By the way, Nelly’s sister Elena works as a costume designer in this series. It was she who dressed Katya Pushkareva in antediluvian dresses, skirts, blouses and blouses that look like they were taken from her grandmother’s chest. “It was a pity for my sister to turn me into an ugly girl, but that was the task, and she coped with it superbly,” admits Nelly.

Best of the day

Wolf Messing: I left Hitler, I left Stalin... Visited: 3901

Evgeny Khrunov: Second cosmonaut in outer space Visited: 1874

Guy Ritchie: Europe's answer to Quentin Tarantino Visits:1528

Nelly Uvarova’s partner in the series, Grigory Antipenko, says: “Nelly is a very talented actress with hyper charm. I think the success of the series is almost 100 percent dependent on her. I will also say that the film set has become a second home for me. It’s cozy, warm, you’re always welcome, the atmosphere is always creative and friendly.”

In the finale of the series, Katya Pushkareva will undergo a wonderful transformation: she will turn into a beauty, and the one she has dreamed of for so long will fall in love with her. The matter will end with a wedding - strictly according to the laws of the genre.

Nelly Uvarova in the film “Don’t Be Born Beautiful”

Nelly Uvarova admits that in real life she and Katya Pushkareva have little in common. She, unlike her heroine, is a sociable person, loves noisy companies, easily gets along with people, loves and knows how to dress beautifully, use cosmetics, and please men. And yet - “...in our idea of the main human values, Katya and I coincide,” says the actress. “The common feature is the desire to go further, not to stop there, to achieve the goals.”

Best weeks

Cheryl Douglas: Is it easy to live without arms and legs? Visited:5846

Who holds the 400 meter record? Visited:10547

Wolf Messing: I left Hitler, I left Stalin... Visited: 3901

Nelly Uvarova today

In the spring of 2020, Nelly took part in the choreographic show “Dancing with the Stars.” Evgeniy Raev became the actress’s dancing partner. While participating in the project, Uvarova was injured. The actress performed at the Festival of Theater Arts in Salekhard, where, playing a role on an unfamiliar stage, she did not notice the step in the dark and fell from the stage. Nellie got up and finished the performance, but after its completion the actress was urgently called for an ambulance. There was a suspicion of a fracture, but doctors found only a bruise. The press doubted that the artist would continue to dance, but Nelly continued to participate in “Dancing with the Stars.” Uvarova and her partner reached the final of the show, but lost first place. The tandem of Uvarova and Raev received the Audience Award.

Nellie’s latest film work at the moment is filming in the comedy series “Adaptation,” which premiered in February 2020. The sitcom was an ironic attempt to show Russian people from the outside through the eyes of a foreigner.

The series tells the story of an American spy who must infiltrate the city in order to find out information about the discovery by Russian researchers of a method for cheap gas production. The Americans are afraid that this will lead to sharp economic growth in Russia. The role of the spy in the film was played by Leonid Bichevin. Arthur Beschastny and Evgenia Brik played the role of random fellow travelers of the American, whose further acquaintance with him jeopardized the entire spy mission. The role of the head of Gazprom Dobycha Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug went to Alexander Ilyin, and Nelly Uvarova played the role of his secretary.

Nelly Uvarova in the series “Adaptation”

For this series, Nellie changed her image. Instead of the image of a modest and insecure girl familiar to viewers, Uvarova played an ambitious vamp and a sexy secretary. Tight dresses and low-cut blouses emphasized the actress’s figure and drew attention to her curves. The press immediately began bombarding Nelly with questions about plastic surgery.

Nelly Uvarova has a seductive figure

The actress claims that she has never had plastic surgery and is generally against this procedure, and she has naturally large breasts. Perhaps Uvarova’s attractive figure was simply hidden too well by the baggy cardigans and sweaters that accompanied her image of the popularly known “ugly girl.”

Anastasia Zavorotnyuk, “My Fair Nanny”

Anastasia Zavorotnyuk is one of the brightest and most beautiful actresses in Russian cinema. Fans of the star have repeatedly noted that since the series “My Fair Nanny” (which was in 2004), Anastasia has practically not changed. The actress is often accused of being overly enthusiastic about injections and even plastic surgery, but Zavorotnyuk denies any interference in her appearance. Be that as it may, the star looks very young and fresh, I just can’t believe that the actress turned 49 years old this year.

Stories of stars From Elizabeth II to Meghan Markle: what members of the British royal family looked like as children
Stories of the stars
Pretty Little Liars: Celebrities who successfully hide their natural hair color

Personal life

Nelly Uvarova’s personal life did not immediately turn out happily. The artist’s first husband was director Sergei Pikalov. Their relationship began romantically. The lovers had a beautiful spring-style wedding in a country house. Preparations for the wedding celebration were kept secret, and the holiday itself took place far from prying eyes. Nellie’s sister claims that the bride had a cream-light green veil and a coat of the same color over her dress, but there are no photographs of Uvarova in this form in the public domain.

But wedding romance could not save their relationship. The couple lived together for only three years. As it became known, the reason for the breakup was the husband’s banal envy of his wife’s fame and demand, which fell on Nelly after the release of “Don’t Be Born Beautiful.” Pikalov went to see the costume designer, and Uvarova withdrew into herself for a long time and threw herself into work.

Nelly Uvarova and Alexander Grishin

After this, Nelly Uvarova’s personal life was classified as “secret” for a long time; the actress did not comment on the topic. Therefore, the message about the actress’s imminent motherhood came as an unexpected surprise to Nelly’s fans. Nelly Uvarova’s daughter Iya was born in 2011. It soon became known that the baby’s father was the artist Alexander Grishin. The lovers got married immediately after the birth of their daughter. Alexander proposed to the actress while celebrating her 30th birthday, in front of all her friends and family. Nellie immediately agreed to have the wedding.

Uvarova’s exclusive dress for the celebration was sewn by her sister, a fashion designer. But it’s very difficult to find footage from this wedding. There are no photos from the celebration on the actress’s Instagram, even though Nelly has an account.

Nelly Uvarova with her daughter and husband

On November 1, 2020, Iya got a brother, Ignat. In December of the same year, Nellie brought her slightly older daughter into the world for the first time. Together with her and her husband, Uvarova appeared at the premiere of the show “Disney's Magic Constellation.” Iya smiled a lot, was not at all afraid of the noisy crowd and numerous cameras, enjoyed the event and posed for photographers.