| Actress Date of Birth: 20.09.1987 Country: Russia |
Karina Andolenko, a popular actress, was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine in September 1987. Her mother, who was half Ukrainian and half Tatar, initially wanted to name her Fatima, but later decided that it would be difficult for her daughter with such an Eastern name. Moreover, she remembered a relative named Fatima with a tragic fate. Among the fashionable names at that time, the woman chose Karina.
Karina became interested in theater at an early age, although no one in her family was directly associated with the arts. However, according to the actress, there was always a creative atmosphere in her home. Her mother, a sign language interpreter by profession, had a great sense of humor, her father was the life of the party, a joker, and her grandparents would put on funny mini-plays for her. Contrary to rumors, they were not professional actors, but it is true that they had disabilities (they became deaf-mute after childhood illnesses). When Karina was 7 years old, her mother took her to a music school, where she enjoyed playing the piano. And at the age of 11, she started attending a local theater studio.
Karina easily entered the Moscow Art Theatre School and was accepted into the class of Konstantin Raikin. She sat on the same bench with talented actors Anna Chipovskaya, Gela Meskhi, and Nikita Efremov. She received her diploma in theater education in 2009 and immediately joined the Satirikon Theatre troupe under the invitation of Raikin. For two years, the young actress performed on the stage of the renowned theater. She made her debut in the plays "Valencian Fools" and "Not All Shrovetide Is Pancake Week." The latter was directed by Konstantin Raikin, who entrusted the actress with the role of Daria Kruglova, a merchant's widow. Another popular actor and director, Sergey Bezrukov, was able to truly reveal the theatrical talent of Karina. In his Moscow Provincial Theater, she played in two plays - "Found a Scythe on a Stone," staged in 2013, and "Cyrano de Bergerac," which premiered in 2015. She also appeared in productions such as "Vysotsky. Birth of a Legend" and "The Cherry Orchard."
Karina Andolenko's film career started in 2008. Since then, she has appeared in dozens of films and TV series, with only one role being episodic, while the rest were either leading or prominent supporting roles. Many film critics agree that this is a kind of record in the industry, unmatched by any of her young colleagues. It is noteworthy that the actress is equally professional in films of different genres - she looks natural in contemporary projects as well as in retro roles that require immersion in a different era. Directors and audiences highly value Andolenko for her talent and highest level of transformation skills.
She made her film debut in the crime melodrama "Roses for Elsa," directed by Egor Konchalovsky, in which she played the lead role of Tanya Lepeshkina. Working with a director of such caliber was an excellent start for the young actress, and after the film was released, offers flooded in, allowing her to choose the projects she liked.
In 2009, Karina delighted her fans with a memorable performance in the historical drama "The Rowan Waltz," which earned her a prestigious award at the International Festival "Constellation". Two years later, the young but already well-known actress received her second award at the Moscow "Reflection" festival for her role as Marina Kazantseva in the film "The Arithmetic of Meanness".
One of the highlights in Andolenko's filmography was her role in the melodrama "Strong Weak Woman," which doubled her number of fans. The film, starring Andolenko, Ekaterina Klimova, Alexey Makarov, and Petr Krasilov, gained significant popularity.
She also appeared in the 4-part film "Back in the USSR" in 2010, where she played the lead role alongside Marat Basharov. For the shooting, they used vintage cars typical of the Soviet years, which were provided by a retro car club in Tula.
In the following years, Andolenko starred in several popular melodramas such as "Kiss Through the Wall" and "The Case Was in Kuban". She also appeared in the mystical series "Vangelia," which was one of the most anticipated premieres on Russian television in 2015. The series was based on the life and fate of the famous Bulgarian clairvoyant Vanga.
Her filmography continued to grow with movies like "Passions for Chapaev," "Ashes," and "The Translator." Her role in the war drama "The Translator," directed by Andrey Proshkin, brought her a new award for Best Actress at the II National Debut Festival "Movement". She also appeared in the film "The Dragon Syndrome" directed by Cannes Film Festival laureate Nikolai Khomeriki. The film was based on the story of the so-called Ilyin collection - a collection of rarities worth $1 billion.
Andolenko played a weaver turned artist in this detective film. She then appeared in the drama series "Mysterious Passion" directed by Vlad Furman, based on the novel by dissident Vasily Aksenov. The series premiered in October 2016 and was one of the most anticipated premieres of the year.
Her filmography was further enriched with films such as "Untold Life," "Queen of Beauty," and "Doctor Anna". In the latter, she portrayed a doctor who becomes the companion of a Russian parliament deputy. After the murder of her beloved, Andolenko's character hides in France, where she is assisted by a local journalist. The film was released in early 2017.
She also acted in the film "Chinese New Year," which tells the story of an assistant to the mayor who raises her child alone. However, her life takes a turn when she encounters the father of her son's classmate. The film explores the miracles that can happen during the New Year. Andolenko appeared in this romantic drama alongside Anastasia Zadorozhnaya and Pavel Priluchny.
In the film "Moon Race," Andolenko played a member of a space crew on a mission to the Moon. She appeared alongside Nastasya Samburskaya, Mikhail Tarabukin, Vladimir Yaglych, and Boris Dergachev. The comedy "space epic" titled "Team B" premiered in February 2018.
Andolenko starred in the historical drama "Golden Horde," where she portrayed Nastya, a young woman who disguises herself as a boy and goes to the enemy's camp in search of her husband, who has fallen into slavery. In this film, she worked alongside Alexander Ustyugov, Yulia Peresild, Sergey Puskepalis, and Yuri Tarasov, as well as a number of stars from the Kazakh film industry.
In the project "Stepfather" directed by Sergey Ginzburg, the actress portrayed the complex character of a woman waiting for her husband's return from the war. The main male character was played by Anton Khabarov. This film is not about choosing between two worthy people but rather a tribute to the memory of the older generation who remained faithful in difficult times.
Andolenko's filmography continued to expand with the series "Shadow Behind," where she investigates the murders of women in a provincial town alongside Ivan Oganesyan and Alexander Lyapin. The local authorities are not helpful as they are busy dividing power and redistributing property.
Olga Subbotina, the creator of the series "Papiny Dochki. Supernenasty" and the melodrama "Soblazn," invited Andolenko to the family saga "Alien Blood," which depicts the life of the Gorbatov family over more than 40 years. The story revolves around two adopted children who eventually reveal their biological parents' genes. The cast of the melodramatic series also includes Darya Moroz, Iya Ninidze, Laura Keosayan, Viktor Dobronravov, and Roman Polyansky.
In the fall of 2020, the multi-part series "Spasskaya" premiered. It is a Russian detective produced by "Zhar-Ptitsa" TV company, in which Andolenko played the lead role. The story takes place on a cruise ship, navigating the sea and featuring many intricate and sometimes detective stories with a complex plot and unpredictable twists.
Each episode is dedicated to a specific character, gradually revealing the personalities of all the travelers. The series was filmed under the direction of Vladimir Shevelenko in Sochi in 2019, and the main object used was the riverboat "Knyaz Vladimir." Alongside Andolenko, the main characters in this series were played by Alica Smekhova, Ilya Noskov, Yulia Belyaeva, and Olga Chudakova.
Throughout her career, Andolenko has portrayed characters who live a significant period of time within the framework of a particular film or series. For example, in "The Yellow Eye of the Tiger," she played a schoolgirl who grows up to become Maria Koroleva. This experience came in handy when she played a governess and secret KGB agent in "Russian Roller Coaster". The film featured such stars as Konstantin Lavronenko and Ekaterina Vilkova.
In her latest role, she appeared as the lead in the autumn 2021 premiere of the TV channel "Russia-1" series "Transcript of Fate."
There have been rumors about Karina Andolenko's romantic relationships throughout her career. It is said that she briefly dated her classmate Gela Meskhi during their student years, but the romance ended due to Meskhi's excessive love interests. However, the actors neither confirm nor deny these rumors.
In 2020, Dmitry Pchela talked about his relationship with Karina. They met at the Moscow Art Theatre School. He was genuinely in love and had serious plans. However, due to work, he had to leave for Tallinn for 2 years. Upon his return, their attempt to revive their past feelings led to nothing.
There have been numerous unconfirmed reports about Andolenko's personal life in the media. In 2010, during the filming of the series "The Case Was in Kuban," rumors circulated that she had a romantic relationship with Dmitry Dyuzhev, her co-star. However, it turned out to be just gossip.
Later, Karina shared that she was in a relationship with a man with whom she lived together for 3 years. She did not disclose his name. According to rumors, he was far from the acting industry and found it difficult to cope with the popularity of his beloved and her busy filming schedule. Tired of her busy schedule, he allegedly demanded that she choose between him and her career. Andolenko, whose career was rapidly advancing, chose her profession.
Later, rumors circulated about a new romance between the actress and a well-known figure in the country. It was director Egor Konchalovsky, who opened the doors of the Russian film industry for Andolenko. But the information that Andolenko and Konchalovsky were living together and expecting a child turned out to be false.
Celebrities have often been associated with on-screen romances with their co-stars. Andolenko's name has been linked at different times to Ivan Zhidkov and Stanislav Bondarenko, with whom she appeared in films. She portrayed on-screen love so convincingly that viewers believed in the existence of a relationship off-screen.
At the beginning of 2017, news broke about Andolenko's relationship with the heartthrob Alexey Makarov. The rumors intensified when a joint photo of Andolenko and Makarov appeared on her Instagram account.