In a candid appearance on Valeria Gai Germanika’s YouTube show “Lera in the Big City,” actress Lyubov Tolkalina opened up about the personal reasons behind her split from director Yegor Konchalovsky, offering a rare glimpse into the pressures that can accompany long-term partnerships in the spotlight.
Tolkalina described a relationship that stretched over many years without a formal marriage, noting that the decision to end things did not come from a momentary impulse but from a deep, evolving emotional journey. She explained that she had fallen in love with someone else, a circumstance she framed as something far more complicated than a typical breakup. She spoke of a difficult period marked by serious life events, including hospital stays and the profound pain of losing a child. She emphasized that these topics were painful for those involved, and she chose not to dwell on the specifics, respecting the privacy of others who were affected.
Following the separation, Tolkalina recalled that Konchalovsky publicly questioned her role as a partner. She recounted his remarks about her after the split, translating his critique into a question about what kind of wife she had been. She conveyed that her response to such public commentary was measured, underscoring that private conversations and decisions should remain private, especially given the ongoing connection she maintains with her former partner as they navigate life with their shared child. Tolkalina added that she continues to seek counsel from the man she once loved when it comes to communicating with their daughter, Maria, highlighting the complexities of co-parenting in the public eye.
The couple’s breakup occurred in 2017, a turning point that reshaped their family dynamic. Maria, their daughter, is nearing adulthood, with her birthday approaching in September to mark her 24th year. The evolving relationship between Tolkalina and Konchalovsky, their ongoing roles as parents, and the way personal history intersects with public life illustrate how careers in the arts often intertwine with intimate, long-standing commitments. This narrative also reflects the broader realities faced by families in the entertainment industry, where personal struggles can become public discourse even as individuals strive to maintain privacy for their children and loved ones.