Journalist Otar Kushanashvili shared concerns about the health of actress Anastasia Zavorotnyuk’s mother in a conversation on the YouTube program, What’s it like?! He described the heavy burden carried by Valentina Borisovna, who endured immense personal losses and continues to face life with resilience amid ongoing family challenges.
Kushanashvili noted that he never met Anastasia Zavorotnyuk personally, though he had crossed paths with her on film sets where she left an impression of vitality and buoyant energy. The path she walked, he observed, contrasted with the silent strength she drew from her family during difficult times.
Anastasia Zavorotnyuk passed away in the early hours of May 30, at the age of 53. In the years leading up to her death, the renowned performer of the role in My Fair Nanny fought glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer. Reports indicated that her condition had worsened significantly in the weeks prior to the tragedy. During the final years of her life, she lived in the Moscow region, supported by her husband, figure skater Pyotr Chernyshev. Zavorotnyuk is survived by her children: Michael, 23, Anna, 28, and Mila, 5, who faced the loss alongside their family and the broader community that followed her career with affection and admiration.
A recent remark from a classmate at the Moscow Art Theatre School-Studio, actor Denis Matrosov, touched on the later years of Zavorotnyuk’s life and the sense of timing and fate that seemed to accompany her journey. His reflections pointed to a broader theme about the perseverance and moments of grace that can accompany challenging times in an artist’s life.
Earlier statements from colleagues also reflected on her health and the constraints it imposed. One longtime associate noted that the period following medical intervention was met with a cautious optimism appropriate for someone navigating serious illness, and others offered their thoughts about the arc of her career and the impact she had on fans and peers alike. The collective memory of those who worked with Zavorotnyuk continues to be marked by respect for her talent and the warmth she brought to her projects, even as the illness shaped the final chapters of her life. [Citation attributed to multiple contemporary sources that documented the family’s journey and public statements].