Lюдмила Gurchenko’s creative path unfolded dramatically: her artistic potential was not fully demanded by either theatre or cinema. Yet she has remained—and still remains—one of the brightest Russian actresses of the second half of the 20th century. This book by film critic and journalist Valery Kichin, based on numerous interviews and long conversations with Gurchenko, tells under what circumstances her talent developed and how her famous roles were created.