She was called the queen of supporting roles, the greatest actress of the 20th century, and the wittiest woman in Moscow. Her life has been dissected into quotes that even those who haven’t seen her movies know. She conquered the world with her talent, wisdom, self-irony, and a completely unique view of the world.

1. Her real name is Faina Feldman. She borrowed her pseudonym, Ranevskaya, from Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, whom she deeply admired, specifically from the character Lyubov Andreevna Ranevskaya in “The Cherry Orchard“.

2. In her family, little Fanya was considered an ugly and clumsy girl: she was not very attractive, painfully shy, and had a stutter.

3. Initially, Ranevskaya attended a girls’ gymnasium, but she did not complete her education there. However, she received a decent education at home, mastering foreign languages, music, and singing.

4. Ranevskaya hated the phrase about “Mulya“ (a nickname for her), and she even scolded Leonid Brezhnev when he tried to make a joke about it, like teasing pioneers.

5. Everyone laughed at Ranevskaya’s dream of becoming an actress. Her decision to become a professional actress and move to Moscow led to a rift with her parents.

6. Ranevskaya was friends with the widow of Bulgakov and Anna Akhmatova, supported the young Vysotsky, and adored the works of Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin. When asked by doctors what she breathes, she replied, “Pushkin!“

7. It should be noted that in her youth, she had a very striking appearance: height of 180 cm, thick dark hair, piercing gaze, and a proud posture. Partially because of this, she had the opportunity to work in many theater troupes, from Feodosia to Rostov-on-Don.

8. Ranevskaya never felt ashamed of her age and was a convinced vegetarian (she couldn’t eat meat that “loved and watched“ her).

9. During the Great Patriotic War, Faina was evacuated to Tashkent. Upon returning to Moscow, she performed in theaters such as the Drama Theater, the Pushkin Theater, and the Mossoviet Theater. She served the longest in the Mossoviet Theater, often conflicting with the chief director Yury Zavadsky due to the differences in their creative methods, which were reflected in jokes and folklore stories.

10. Ranevskaya did not appear in films very often. She loved to repeat the phrase, “The money is gone, but the shame remains.“ She also said, “Appearing in a bad movie is the same as spitting into eternity; you can’t erase it.“ The audience saw Faina Georgievna on the screen for the first time in the role of the colorful Madame Luazo in the drama “The Muff“ in 1934.

11. The actress tirelessly helped both family members and strangers, sometimes ending up without money by giving away her fees.

12. In the role of the stepmother in “Cinderella“, Shvarts gave Ranevskaya complete freedom – the actress could change her lines and even her behavior in the frame as she wished.

13. The actress lived alone, without a husband or children. She dedicated her entire life to her art. However, in the 1960s, for four years, her sister Isabella lived with her. She came from emigration after her husband’s death to be with her only close relative. Ranevskaya allocated a separate room for her in her apartment.

14. When a high-ranking official, instead of a greeting, said to Ranevskaya at an award ceremony, “Here comes our Mulya, don’t annoy me!“ she replied, “Only boys or hooligans address me that way!“ The General Secretary was embarrassed and added, “Sorry, but I really love you.“

15. The actress adored animals and spent her last years together with a stray dog named Malchik, whom she found on the street and adopted. After the actress’s death, a figurine of her beloved dog was placed on her tombstone.

16. Not far from her father’s house in Taganrog, there is a coffee shop called “Fräulein Bok“ decorated with photographs of Ranevskaya and famous pastries on the menu.

17. The role of the circus director in the 1966 film “Today Is a New Attraction“ was Ranevskaya’s last appearance in cinema. She was 70 years old at the time.

18. Ranevskaya constantly hired housemaids to manage household chores because of her absentmindedness and inability to handle “stupid money“ with daily tasks.

19. In her old age, while looking at flowers from her admirers, she often said, “So much love, but no one to go to the pharmacy for me.“

20. Devoting her entire life to theater and cinema, the actress performed on stage until the age of 86 when she played her final performance and announced to everyone that she was no longer able to “simulate health“ due to severe pain. Ranevskaya’s heart stopped on July 19, 1984, after a battle with pneumonia. Fans of her talent and strong character still leave flowers at Faina’s grave at the Novodevichy Cemetery.