Svetlana Khodchenkova is a Russian TV, film, and theater actor, known for her roles in films like ‘Love in the Big City’ and ‘Little Moscow.’ Born and raised in Moscow, she initially aspired to become a doctor but found success in modeling at a young age. After gaining popularity internationally, she decided to pursue acting and made her film debut in 2003. She has since appeared in various films, including ‘The Wolverine’ alongside Hugh Jackman. Alongside her film career, she has also had a successful TV career, starring in projects like ‘Lavrova’s Method’ and ‘Mata Hari.’
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Svetlana Viktorovna Khodtchenkova
- Age: 40 Years, 40 Year Old Females
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Vladimir Yaglych (m. 2005 – div. 2010)
- Father: Viktor Khodchenkov
- Mother: Tatyana Khodchenkova
- Born Country: Russia
- Height: 5’11” (180 cm), 5’11” Females
- Notable Alumni: Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute
- City: Moscow, Russia
- More Facts:
- Education: Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute
Childhood & Early Life
Svetlana Viktorovna Khodchenkova was born on January 21, 1983, in Moscow, Soviet Union, to Viktor and Tatyana Khodchenkova. Soon after she was born, her parents separated, which led her mother to take her and move to Zheleznodorozhny, a small city near Moscow. Svetlana and her mother were left to fend for themselves, as her father made no attempt to get in touch with her. This also put Tatyana in a financial fix.
In order to raise her daughter like any other kid, Tatyana started doing odd jobs such as cleaning houses and painting walls. Svetlana also accompanied her mother and helped her in her work. She studied in a high school located in Lyceum and faced severe self-confidence issues when she came to know that most of her classmates came from affluent families.
In order to feel better about herself and to earn some extra money, Svetlana decided to try modeling. However, her ultimate goal was to become a doctor. She had a decent height and a lean physique. Despite her being only 15 years old, she had no problem bagging modeling assignments. She began modeling in local newspapers and magazines. Slowly, as her popularity soared, she also began taking up international projects.
Meanwhile, she completed high school and joined the ‘Moscow Institute of World Economics’ to study economics. However, by then, she had begun admiring acting as an art form. She thus dropped out of college to learn acting. She joined the ‘Boris Shchukin Theatrical School’ in Moscow and learned acting under esteemed actors such as Nina Doroshina. By then, she had also made her acting debut.
Career
Svetlana made her acting debut with the 2003 Russian film ‘Bless the Woman.’ She played the lead role in the film. It narrated the story of a young girl falling for an older man and traveling around with him. The film received critical appreciation, and Svetlana ended up receiving a nomination for the ‘Nika Award’ for the “Best Actress.”
Her debut role had come to her while she was still pursuing her acting course. In 2005, she appeared in the film titled ‘Not by Bread Alone’ and then played a pivotal role in yet another film, ‘Real Dad.’ In 2007, she appeared in one of the lead roles in the film titled ‘Kilometer Zero’ and then appeared in the film ‘Little Moscow.’ The latter turned out to be a major acting breakthrough for her. The Polish–Russian co-production had Svetlana playing the lead role of ‘Vera.’ Svetlana won the ‘Polish Film Festival Award’ for the “Best Actress,” for her performance in the film.
She then appeared in yet another hugely successful film, ‘Love in the Big City.’ The film was set in New York and made on a budget of around $3.5 million. It earned more than thrice its budget and paved way for a sequel, titled ‘Love in the Big City 2.’ The film was released in 2010 and turned out to be a critical and commercial success.
Meanwhile, she also appeared on TV quite frequently. She began her TV career in 2005, with the series titled ‘Talisman of Love.’ Over the next few years, she appeared in series such as ‘Carousel,’ ‘Crazy Angel,’ and ‘Pictures Hunters.’ She also played key roles in miniseries such as ‘Stalin’s Wife,’ ‘Last Reproduction,’ and ‘Traps.’
In the 2010s, her film career reached unprecedented heights, as she appeared in a pivotal role in the 2011 film titled ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.’ The film featured her as ‘Irina’ and also starred Gary Oldman in the lead role. The film received extremely positive reviews and was also a box-office success. With this film, Svetlana also established herself as an actor in Hollywood.
In 2013, she appeared in the film ‘Metro,’ and later that year, she had the biggest acting breakthrough of her career when she was signed to play a pivotal role in the superhero film ‘The Wolverine.’ The movie starred Hugh Jackman. It received good reviews and was also a massive box-office success.
In 2014, she appeared in a lead role in the Russian film and miniseries ‘Vasilisa.’ The same year, she appeared in yet another lead role, in the film titled ‘The Adventurers.’ However, her Hollywood career was not as successful as she had expected it to be. She thus resorted to doing Russian films such as ‘The Champions’ and ‘Horoscope for Good Luck.’
In 2015, she appeared in a leading role in the sports drama ‘Warrior.’ The film was a moderate commercial and critical success. She also appeared in the lead role in the 2016 film titled ‘Viking.’ In the more recent years, she has appeared in Russian films such as ‘Dovlatov’ and ‘Hero.’ She has also appeared in pivotal roles in series such as ‘Mata Hari’ and ‘The Road to Calvary.’
Family & Personal Life
Svetlana Khodchenkova married actor Vladimir Yaglych, her classmate from her acting class, in 2005. They divorced in 2010. She then got engaged to Russian businessman Georgiy Petrishin in 2015. However, the engagement was called off in 2016.