Ingeborga Dapkunaite: “When I had a son, life became different”

Biography and creativity

Ingeborga Dapkunaite was born in the Lithuanian city of Vilnius in 1963. She spent her entire childhood with her grandparents: her parents worked in Moscow. She was also looked after by her aunt and uncle, who worked as theater musicians. Despite the influence of such a creative family, the girl had a cool attitude towards the stage and preferred sports to it, being interested in figure skating and basketball. And yet, her grandmother managed to persuade her to enter the drama school. Gradually, Ingeborga fell in love with the performing arts and actively mastered it, dreaming of becoming an artist.

After graduating from school, Dapkunaite entered the conservatory at the Faculty of Theater Arts, and after receiving her diploma, she got a job at the Kaunas Drama Theater. Soon the talented actress was invited to the Vilnius Youth Theater, and from there she went straight to England and performed abroad for some time. Ingeborg tried herself in films several times, but these were minor roles. A real success for Dapkunaite was the role of a woman of easy virtue in the film “Intergirl,” released in 1989, and it was cemented by the film “Cynics,” filmed two years later.

1994 was a very fruitful year for the actress, when two major films were released at once: “Moscow Evenings” and “Burnt by the Sun,” which received international recognition. For the next few years, Dapkunaite worked in the United States, appearing in the Hollywood films “Mission: Impossible” and “Seven Years in Tibet.” In the early 2000s, Ingeborg began collaborating with the talented Russian director Alexei Balabanov. She starred in his dramatic films “War” in 2002, as well as “Morphine” in 2007. Among the actress’s later works, we can highlight the historical projects “Gregory R” and “Matilda”.

Ingeborga Dapkunaite: “When I had a son, life became different”

The artist manages to play at the Theater of Nations, act in films and travel a lot. According to the star, last summer she finished working in the Norwegian TV series “Occupied.” When she has free time, she devotes it to her son Alex. Nothing is known about the identity of his father. Ingeborga stubbornly keeps the man's name a secret. But he talks about the baby often and with pleasure. It turns out that Alex often accompanies his mother on trips.

“He travels with me, and often. This is another love. A child is an incredible inspiration. When I used to read interviews with people who said that a child changed their life, I didn’t realize what that meant. And when I had a son, I understood what they meant. I can’t define in one word what exactly has changed; it’s not a question of whether it’s better or worse. Life has simply become different, it is now filled with new meaning,” said Ingeborga.

The actress communicates with the child in Lithuanian. Ingeborg likes her native language for its melody. “Then, this is part of his, his son’s, culture. And who cares about knowing another language? It turns out that when children are small, they, like a computer, force it all on themselves. Therefore, the more languages he knows at an early age, the better,” Dapkunaite noted.

Ingeborga Dapkunaite: “I thought I’d show my son once and everyone would calm down”

Also, from an early age, a child learns to use gadgets. According to the actress, they bought a computer game with a robot for their son: you need to download the application on your iPhone and you can make a movie. “This is very difficult for me. I downloaded this application, and, of course, it disappeared from my phone, to which my son told me (in Lithuanian): “Mamyte, duok” (“Give me, please”). And he very quickly found this application himself. Modern children probably don’t understand that we had a life without the Internet,” the star shared.

Dapkunaite accustomed herself to early rises and an active lifestyle even before the birth of the child. Sometimes she herself doesn’t understand how she has enough energy for everything.

I love that I almost never switch off—I love that I'm always on the move. There are many parallel lives living in my head. (Laughs.) I understand that this is a sign of schizophrenia,” Ingeborga shared in an interview with “OK!”

Photo: Legion-Media, Instagram

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Ingeborga Dapkunaite: “I thought I’d show my son once and everyone would calm down”
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Family and Children

Ingeborga Dapkunaite first married during her student years to fellow student Arunas Sakalauskas. They did not stay together for long and divorced. It’s interesting that Sakalauskas’ new wife is again a woman with the last name Dapkunaite. Today he is a famous Lithuanian actor. Ingeborg also did not remain single for long and tied the knot with British director Simon Stokes, but this union quickly fell apart.

Subsequently, various rumors circulated about the Lithuanian actress’s novels. She was credited with relationships with sports coach Alexander Zhulin and even the famous director Emir Kusturica, who divorced his wife in favor of his new passion and was going to go down the aisle with her. The actress herself does not confirm this information.

Already at the age of 50, Ingeborga Dapkunaite married businessman Dmitry Yampolsky, who was much younger than her and at the same time had children from a previous marriage. By that time, the actress herself had not acquired any offspring. Soon, for unknown reasons, she decided to get a divorce once again and continue her life in splendid isolation. However, a suitor was quickly found. He became a large businessman named Dmitry, who prefers to hide from the gaze of journalists.

It was in her last marriage that Ingeborga Dapkunaite became the mother of a long-awaited child, who was given the name Alex. Fans of the actress were perplexed by such a responsible act at her already far from young age. There were rumors that the child could be adopted, but Ingeborga insisted that she gave birth to him herself. She cites constant adherence to a healthy lifestyle as the reason for successful motherhood: Ingeborg watches her figure, follows a diet and plays sports. And yet, in 2020, she separated from her husband. Today she is raising her son and continues to delight audiences with new roles in films.

Ingeborga Dapkunaite gave birth to a child and it seems that this was a surrogate mother.

Ingeborga Dapkunaite gave birth to a child, this news came as a surprise not only to the star’s fans, but also to her friends.

Once upon a time, I came across an interview with Ingeborga’s first husband, Arunas Sakalauskas. His memories of their first meeting in the corridor of the theater university were imprinted in my memory. Then he wrote about her so touchingly, I’ll try to remember not verbatim:

“...She’s like a ball, jumping here and there... On a chair, on a windowsill... A full-length smile, a ringing laugh... A boy’s haircut, short pants dangling on her skinny legs. Shirt... not a boy, but an elf! I fell in love with the Elf!!!..."

Since I read his revelations, she has been like that for me - open, cheerful, mischievous, always with a smile and a short haircut. But I am sure that behind all this there is a strong and tough character, stubbornness, willpower and extraordinary hard work.

The actress’s family was from the so-called pre-revolutionary Lithuanians, at that time one of the most respected in Vilnius.

My father, a diplomat, was forced by duty to exchange one country for another. Therefore, the girl was raised by her grandmother. An elderly aristocratic woman to the core, she was an employee of the opera house, where Ingeborg spent all her childhood and youth.

After graduating from school, the girl easily entered the Lithuanian Conservatory. All the course teachers loved this unusually flexible girl who could transform herself literally before our eyes. Therefore, while still a final year student, she was offered a role in the film “My Little Wife” by Raimundas Banionis.

The talented student had a minor role there. But it was she who discovered her as an actress. And her first guide to the world of foreign art was John Malkovich, who considers her work filigree and brilliant.

She managed to work in her native Lithuania, Russia and European countries. But the actress’s personal life turned out to be no less eventful than her professional one.

Her first husband was Arunas Sakalauskas, although the student marriage did not last long. Ingeborga fell in love with British theater director Simon Stokes, who was involved in the play.

The young woman herself told her husband that she had fallen in love and it was time for them to get a divorce. But the second attempt to build family happiness was not crowned with success. A few years later, the relationship between the actress and the director faded away.

With Simon Stokes

After the divorce, Dapkunaite was credited with a long affair with Emir Kusturica , although they themselves preferred not to comment on such rumors. Twelve years ago, the relationship with figure skater Alexander Zhulin, with whom they worked in the same project on Channel One, also attracted increased attention. But here, it seems, there was just friendship.

Despite the pathological secrecy, six years ago the actress decided to participate in the program “Battle of Psychics.”

Then the predictions of the future winner of the season, Natalya Vorotnikova, seemed ridiculous and fictitious. The clairvoyant claimed that the actress would soon have a marriage that was destined for her from above and could give her a child.

At that time, such a story seemed like a tall tale. The artist was at an advanced age to have children, and she did not plan to go down the aisle for the third time.

But a year after the changes promised by the medium, fate gave Ingeborg a meeting with restaurateur Dmitry Yampolsky . A successful, wealthy and attractive man was 10 years younger than his chosen one, which did not interfere with their happiness. The lovers got married in England away from prying eyes.

But the actress’s confession, which took place in the format of a creative project at the beginning of this year, created a real sensation on the Internet. Dapkunaite introduced the public to her little son Alex, who was already 2 years old at that time.

Son Alex

She did not disclose the details of his birth. Attentive fans are sure that a surrogate mother gave birth to the star’s heir. The woman herself does not discuss this topic even with close friends, of whom she has a lot.

Just two months after this stunning news, journalists published online a document from the capital’s court about Ingeborga’s divorce from her husband. But the actress herself refused to comment on this news. And, of course, the reasons for the separation are still unknown.

Ingeborga Dapkunaite showed her grown-up son

Ingeborga Dapkunaite // Photo: Interpress / PhotoXPress.ru

On January 20, Ingeborge Dapkunaite celebrates her birthday. The theater and film star turns 54 years old. On the eve of the important date, the celebrity took part in the filming of the documentary “Everything that they write about me is not true.” Its premiere took place on Saturday night on Channel One.

According to the creators of the film, the star's friends talk to her about creativity and art. In addition to Dapkunaite, the film stars Evgeny Mironov, Alexey Popogrebsky, Mikhail Porechenkov, John Malkovich and Konstantin Ernst. They congratulated Ingeborga on her birthday and left her warm wishes. According to many, Dapkunaite has undoubted talent and can play almost any role on the theater stage or on the screen. The celebrity herself does not hide the fact that she literally lives by work.

“I am grateful to you for the fact that we have been friends for so many years, for initiating me into different projects and actions. And I like it when women I know all the time ask: “What is she doing? Why doesn't she change? Years pass, but she is exactly the same!” They don’t know that you are a sorceress,” Konstantin Ernst addressed the actress.

Ingeborga Dapkunaite thanked her colleagues for their warm wishes // Photo: film frame

According to Evgeniy Mironov, Dapkunaite is now at “the best age.” “On the one hand, you have matured. You have serious experience working in Russia and abroad. I know that you are at a completely new stage in your life. I would like to combine it with my profession. Do you have a feeling about what you would like?” – her colleague asked Ingeborga. The birthday girl did not go into details when answering Eugene. Dapkunaite admitted to Mironov that she considers her native theater her home, therefore she feels responsibility and affection.

At the end of the documentary, Ingeborga said goodbye to her good friends and thanked them. The star, who prefers to hide her personal life so as not to attract unnecessary attention to it, also showed off her son Alex. The charming boy is a copy of his famous mother. Dapkunaite took him in her arms with a smile.

According to some reports, the famous actress is married to lawyer and restaurateur Dmitry Yampolsky. Not much is known about Ingeborga’s chosen one. According to journalists, the man has Baltic roots, like Dapkunaite, but he left his native land and lives abroad. The star refuses to talk about family life, so her wedding ceremony, which took place in 2013 in the UK, was surrounded by an atmosphere of strict secrecy.

Alex, the charming heir to the star // Photo: film frame

Ingeborga Dapkunaite with her son // Photo: film frame

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