Natasha Stefanenko
Encyclopedia
Natalia "Natasha" Stefanenko (born 18 April 1971), is a Russian
-born actress, model, and television presenter who lives and works in both Italy
and Russia
.
, Soviet Union
, the daughter of a nuclear engineer who worked in a secret unnamed city underground, close to the Ural Mountains
and accessible only by a special train that travelled 30 kilometres an hour. She lived with her family in a closed city
and they also owned a dacha
beside a lake.
Natasha was also a swimming champion who swam with Alexander Popov
; when she was a young girl she swam 10 kilometres a day. In 1984, she almost joined the Soviet Olympic
swim team, but preferred to continue with her education. As it turned out, the Soviet Union
decided to boycott the 1984 Summer Olympics
which were held in Los Angeles
.
At the age of 16, Natasha went to study in Moscow
where she eventually earned a degree in Metal Engineering.
, Italy where she obtained work as a model. After being discovered in a restaurant by director Beppe Recchia, she made her first television appearance on the variety show, La grande sfida, alongside host Gerry Scotti
, without being able, at the time, to speak the Italian language.
She commenced her acting career with the cinematographic film La grande prugna in 1999.
She played the character Angela Cornelio, one of the protagonists in the television series Nebbie e delitti (Fog and Crimes), which aired on Rai Due
from 2005 to 2009. She has also hosted many programmes, including the 2001 edition of Festivalbar
, which is an annual series of televised summer concerts performed by both Italian and international pop groups in town squares throughout Italy; and Italia's Next Top Model
in 2009. In the same year 2009, she had a role in Mediaset
Canale 5
's police drama series, Distretto di Polizia 9 (Police District 9).
Since 2007, she is also a host of Russia's TV show "Snimite eto nemedlenno" which is based on the British programme What Not to Wear (UK).
and ex-model Luca Sabbioni, and they have one daughter, Sasha, who was born in 2000.
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
-born actress, model, and television presenter who lives and works in both Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
Early years
Natasha was born in SverdlovskSverdlovsk
Sverdlovsk is a city in Luhansk Oblast of south-eastern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of Sverdlovskyi Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast, and is located approximately 80 km from the oblast capital, Luhansk.The current estimated...
, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, the daughter of a nuclear engineer who worked in a secret unnamed city underground, close to the Ural Mountains
Ural Mountains
The Ural Mountains , or simply the Urals, are a mountain range that runs approximately from north to south through western Russia, from the coast of the Arctic Ocean to the Ural River and northwestern Kazakhstan. Their eastern side is usually considered the natural boundary between Europe and Asia...
and accessible only by a special train that travelled 30 kilometres an hour. She lived with her family in a closed city
Closed city
A closed city or closed town is a settlement with travel and residency restrictions in the Soviet Union and some of its successor countries. In modern Russia, such places are officially known as "closed administrative-territorial formations" ....
and they also owned a dacha
Dacha
Dacha is a Russian word for seasonal or year-round second homes often located in the exurbs of Soviet and post-Soviet cities. Cottages or shacks serving as family's main or only home are not considered dachas, although many purpose-built dachas are recently being converted for year-round residence...
beside a lake.
Natasha was also a swimming champion who swam with Alexander Popov
Alexander Popov (swimmer)
Aleksandr Vladimirovich Popov ; is a Russian former Olympic gold-winning swimmer, widely regarded as one of the greatest sprint freestyle swimmers of all time.-Career:Born in Lesnoy, Sverdlovsk Oblast , Popov began swimming at age 8 at...
; when she was a young girl she swam 10 kilometres a day. In 1984, she almost joined the Soviet Olympic
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
swim team, but preferred to continue with her education. As it turned out, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
decided to boycott the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
which were held in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
At the age of 16, Natasha went to study in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
where she eventually earned a degree in Metal Engineering.
Career
After winning the Look of the Year contest in Moscow in 1991, Natasha, who is 6 feet 1 inch tall (1.85 meters), moved to MilanMilan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy where she obtained work as a model. After being discovered in a restaurant by director Beppe Recchia, she made her first television appearance on the variety show, La grande sfida, alongside host Gerry Scotti
Gerry Scotti
Gerry Scotti is an Italian television presenter, actor and former member of the Italian Parliament.Scotti was born Virginio Scotti on August 7, 1956 in Miradolo Terme, Pavia. After giving up studying law Scotti began his career as a disc jockey at Radio Milano International...
, without being able, at the time, to speak the Italian language.
She commenced her acting career with the cinematographic film La grande prugna in 1999.
She played the character Angela Cornelio, one of the protagonists in the television series Nebbie e delitti (Fog and Crimes), which aired on Rai Due
Rai Due
Rai 2 is one of the three main television channels broadcast by Italian public television company RAI alongside with Rai 1 and Rai 3. Rai 2 first started transmissions on November 4, 1961...
from 2005 to 2009. She has also hosted many programmes, including the 2001 edition of Festivalbar
Festivalbar
The Festivalbar was an Italian singing competition that took place in the most important Italian squares during summer, such as the Piazza del Duomo, Milan; the first time it was held was in 1964...
, which is an annual series of televised summer concerts performed by both Italian and international pop groups in town squares throughout Italy; and Italia's Next Top Model
Italia's Next Top Model
Italia's Next Top Model is an Italian reality television show hosted by Natasha Stefanenko and based on the American program of the same name. It is broadcast on SKY Uno, a channel of the Italian Pay Television SKY Italia...
in 2009. In the same year 2009, she had a role in Mediaset
Mediaset
Mediaset S.p.A., known as Gruppo Mediaset in Italian, is an Italian-based media company which is the largest commercial broadcaster in the country...
Canale 5
Canale 5
Canale 5 is an Italian private television network of Mediaset, the media branch of Fininvest. Canale 5 was the first private television network to have a national coverage in Italy in 1980, based on a local channel, TeleMilano 58, founded in 1978....
's police drama series, Distretto di Polizia 9 (Police District 9).
Since 2007, she is also a host of Russia's TV show "Snimite eto nemedlenno" which is based on the British programme What Not to Wear (UK).
Personal life
In December 1995, Natasha married Italian entrepreneurEntrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and ex-model Luca Sabbioni, and they have one daughter, Sasha, who was born in 2000.
Filmography
- La grande prugna (1999), cinema
- Ti spiace se bacio mamma? (2003), cinema
- In nome di Maria (2008), cinema
Television
(A partial list)- La grande sfida (1992), variety show
- Per tutta la vita (1997), matrimonial show
- Gioco di specchio (2000), television film
- Nebbie e delitti (2005–2009), television series
- FestivalbarFestivalbarThe Festivalbar was an Italian singing competition that took place in the most important Italian squares during summer, such as the Piazza del Duomo, Milan; the first time it was held was in 1964...
(2001), televised summer concerts; co-presenter - Italia's Next Top ModelItalia's Next Top ModelItalia's Next Top Model is an Italian reality television show hosted by Natasha Stefanenko and based on the American program of the same name. It is broadcast on SKY Uno, a channel of the Italian Pay Television SKY Italia...
(2007–2011), reality show; presenter, judge - Snimite eto nemedlenno (Russia) (2007–2011), presenter
- Camera Cafe (2007), sit-com
- Quelli che....il calcio (2007)
- Distretto di Polizia 9 (2009), television series
- 7 vite 2 (2009), sit-com