Aleksandr Abdulov.

Growing up in Uzbekistan after his family moved from Siberia, Aleksandr Abdulov finished high school and became a Master of Sports in fencing. His father Gavriil Abdulov was a decorated WWII veteran and theatre director; his mother worked as a make-up artist. After failing admission to GITIS, Abdulov stayed in Moscow working labor jobs, studying acting at the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts.

Director Mark Zakharov cast Abdulov in An Ordinary Miracle 1978 and The Very Same Munchhausen 1979, making him a sex symbol. Abdulov starred in Formula of Love 1984 and To Kill a Dragon 1988. In 1991, he worked with Viktor Sergeev on Geniy and earned a Nika Award nomination for Sukiny deti. He played Koroviev in the TV series The Master and Margarita 2005 and appeared in Anna Karenina 2005.

Abdulov first married Yuliya Abdulova. He later married actress Irina Alfyorova. They had a daughter, Kseniya Alfyorova, who also became an actress. His father Gavriil was a theatre director, and his mother was a make-up artist.

Lung cancer killed Abdulov in 2008 at age 54. Audiences remember him for his role as Koroviev in The Master and Margarita. He remained a permanent member of Lenkom Theatre and served as general director of the Moscow International Film Festival from 1995. He received the Order of Honour and the Nika Award.