Director Igor Maslennikov had to replace both lead actors in the 1985 hit movie Winter Cherry after romantic entanglements and on-set arguments nearly canceled production. The film became a long-lasting hit that remains popular today, although the project was initially close to being abandoned.
Maslennikov originally selected Sergei Shakurov and Natalya Andreychenko to play the main romantic couple. However, Andreychenko began a relationship with famous actor Maximilian Schell and immersed herself in the romance, skipping scheduled filming sessions.
Actor Conflicts and Replacement
The director was forced to seek a replacement for Andreychenko and cast little-known actress Elena Safonova. The recast created new difficulties when Safonova and Shakurov failed to get along, resulting in constant arguments and a serious conflict on set.
Shakurov quit the movie because the two actors could not reach an agreement. Maslennikov then searched for another lead actor and hired Vitaly Solomin, who had previously worked with him on Sherlock Holmes films, saving the production according to aif.ru.
