Chulpan Khamatova
- Actress
Chulpan Khamatova is an internationally acclaimed film and stage actress and well-known philanthropist who left Moscow following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and took permanent residency in Latvia.
She was born Chulpan Nailyevna Khamatova on October 1, 1975, in Kazan,
Tatarstan Republic, Russia. She is an ethnic Tatar. Her name means "morning star" in Tatar language. Her mother,
Marina Galimullovna Khamatova, was an engineer. Her father Nail
Khamatov, was also an engineer and a managing director of a firm in
Tatarstan, Russia.
Young Khamatova was a professionally trained figure skater. She
suffered from a back trauma after a fall on ice; after that she quit
figure skating, but continued roller-skating. She also had a gift for
mathematics and studied at the prestigious School of Mathematics in
Kazan. Then she studied for one semester at business school of Kazan
University, but became bored and decided to change her career and
entered the Kazan School of Theatre. From 1995-1998 Khamatova studied
acting at the State Institute of Theatrical Arts (GITIS) in Moscow, and
graduated from the class of Aleksei Borodin in 1998 as an actress.
Khamatova was a third year student at GITIS when she made her film
debut in the role of Katya in
Vadim Abdrashitov's film
Vremya tantsora (1998). She won
critical acclaim in Russia after playing a female lead in
Country of the Deaf (1998). Soon she
gained international attention after starring as Mamlakat opposite
Moritz Bleibtreu in
Luna Papa (1999) by director
Bakhtyar Khudojnazarov, which
became a "quiet masterpiece" in Germany as well as in Russia.
Khamatova's effortless style shines in a variety of her film characters
ranging from farcical Lara in
Good Bye Lenin! (2003), to
charming seductress Nelly in
72 metra (2004), to passionate and
sophisticated Lara in Doctor Zhivago, a Russian TV-series based on the
eponymous book by Boris Pasternak.
Chulpan Khamatova became one of the most celebrated young actresses of
Russian theatre and cinema. She was designated Honorable
artist of Russia. In 2004 Khamatova was awarded State Prize by
Russian president Vladimir Putin for her
achievements in acting. From 1998 to 2022, she was a permanent member of Sovremennik
Theatre in Moscow under directorship of
Galina Volchek and other directors. Her stage and film
partners has been such actors as
Sergey Shakurov,
Dina Korzun,
Valentin Gaft,
Inna Churikova,
Sergey Garmash,
Marina Neyolova,
Elena Yakovleva and other
notable Russian actors.
From 2008 to 2022, Khamatova collaborated with the Theatre of Nations in Moscow.
From 1995 to 2002 Khamatova was married to her class-mate, a fellow actor
Ivan Volkov, their daughter, named
Arina, was born in 2002. She was in relationship with a Russian
émigré, actor-dancer Aleksei Dubinin with whom she has
daughter Alina, born in 2003. Her third daughter, Iya Shein, was born in 2010. Besides her native
Russian and Tatar, Chulpan Khamatova is fluent in German and English.
In 2006, Khamatova was a member of the six-person jury at the 63rd
Venice Film Festival headed by French actress Catherine Deneuve.
Chulpan Khamatova has been one of the leading figures for charitable
causes in Russia. Since 2005 Khamatova and her fellow Russian actors
started a charitable initiative "Podari Zhizn" for the benefit of
children suffering from leukemia.
In March 2022, Chulpan Khamatova with her three daughters left Russia and gave an interview saying that she has gone into exile in Latvia, because of Russian war in Ukraine. Khamatova bought a house and settled in a suburb of Riga, the capital city of Latvia. In March 2022, Chulpan Khamatova became a permanent member of the troupe at the New Riga Theatre upon invitation from Alvis Hermanis, artistic director of the company. She also made appearances on Latvian TV and made public speeches at anti-war protests in Riga, Latvia. Khamatova is learning Latvian, her three daughters are also adjusting to the new life in Europe.
She was born Chulpan Nailyevna Khamatova on October 1, 1975, in Kazan,
Tatarstan Republic, Russia. She is an ethnic Tatar. Her name means "morning star" in Tatar language. Her mother,
Marina Galimullovna Khamatova, was an engineer. Her father Nail
Khamatov, was also an engineer and a managing director of a firm in
Tatarstan, Russia.
Young Khamatova was a professionally trained figure skater. She
suffered from a back trauma after a fall on ice; after that she quit
figure skating, but continued roller-skating. She also had a gift for
mathematics and studied at the prestigious School of Mathematics in
Kazan. Then she studied for one semester at business school of Kazan
University, but became bored and decided to change her career and
entered the Kazan School of Theatre. From 1995-1998 Khamatova studied
acting at the State Institute of Theatrical Arts (GITIS) in Moscow, and
graduated from the class of Aleksei Borodin in 1998 as an actress.
Khamatova was a third year student at GITIS when she made her film
debut in the role of Katya in
Vadim Abdrashitov's film
Vremya tantsora (1998). She won
critical acclaim in Russia after playing a female lead in
Country of the Deaf (1998). Soon she
gained international attention after starring as Mamlakat opposite
Moritz Bleibtreu in
Luna Papa (1999) by director
Bakhtyar Khudojnazarov, which
became a "quiet masterpiece" in Germany as well as in Russia.
Khamatova's effortless style shines in a variety of her film characters
ranging from farcical Lara in
Good Bye Lenin! (2003), to
charming seductress Nelly in
72 metra (2004), to passionate and
sophisticated Lara in Doctor Zhivago, a Russian TV-series based on the
eponymous book by Boris Pasternak.
Chulpan Khamatova became one of the most celebrated young actresses of
Russian theatre and cinema. She was designated Honorable
artist of Russia. In 2004 Khamatova was awarded State Prize by
Russian president Vladimir Putin for her
achievements in acting. From 1998 to 2022, she was a permanent member of Sovremennik
Theatre in Moscow under directorship of
Galina Volchek and other directors. Her stage and film
partners has been such actors as
Sergey Shakurov,
Dina Korzun,
Valentin Gaft,
Inna Churikova,
Sergey Garmash,
Marina Neyolova,
Elena Yakovleva and other
notable Russian actors.
From 2008 to 2022, Khamatova collaborated with the Theatre of Nations in Moscow.
From 1995 to 2002 Khamatova was married to her class-mate, a fellow actor
Ivan Volkov, their daughter, named
Arina, was born in 2002. She was in relationship with a Russian
émigré, actor-dancer Aleksei Dubinin with whom she has
daughter Alina, born in 2003. Her third daughter, Iya Shein, was born in 2010. Besides her native
Russian and Tatar, Chulpan Khamatova is fluent in German and English.
In 2006, Khamatova was a member of the six-person jury at the 63rd
Venice Film Festival headed by French actress Catherine Deneuve.
Chulpan Khamatova has been one of the leading figures for charitable
causes in Russia. Since 2005 Khamatova and her fellow Russian actors
started a charitable initiative "Podari Zhizn" for the benefit of
children suffering from leukemia.
In March 2022, Chulpan Khamatova with her three daughters left Russia and gave an interview saying that she has gone into exile in Latvia, because of Russian war in Ukraine. Khamatova bought a house and settled in a suburb of Riga, the capital city of Latvia. In March 2022, Chulpan Khamatova became a permanent member of the troupe at the New Riga Theatre upon invitation from Alvis Hermanis, artistic director of the company. She also made appearances on Latvian TV and made public speeches at anti-war protests in Riga, Latvia. Khamatova is learning Latvian, her three daughters are also adjusting to the new life in Europe.