Natalya Tenyakova was a Soviet and Russian actress. Despite some early success as the lead of a few high-profile films, she quickly lost interest in the filmmaking process and focused her attention on live theatre, starring in dozens of plays on stage and television to great acclaim. Her signature roles in film include Lida in Elder Sister (1967) and Shura in Love and Pigeons (1985), where she formed a memorable comic duo with her husband and frequent co-star, Sergei Yursky.