The film “I Ask You to Blame Klava K. for My Death” captivated audiences in the USSR with its tale of first love, but the lives of the actors who starred in it took unexpected and often tragic turns. While the movie brought them initial fame, many faced personal struggles, career changes, and even untimely deaths.

The actress who played the young schoolgirl Klava, Olga Ozeretskovskaya, faced a particularly sad fate. After starring in several films as a child, she chose to pursue biology and worked at a medical institute, while keeping theater as a hobby. She married young, had a son, but the marriage dissolved. Ozeretskovskaya then worked on television and as an art director before becoming seriously ill and passing away at the young age of 31, reportedly from cancer.

Maxim Yasan, who played the young Seryozha, also met a tragic end. The son of the film’s director, Ernest Yasan, Maxim appeared in a few more films before disappearing from the screen. His father later revealed that Maxim struggled with drug addiction, which ultimately led to his death.

Vladimir Shevelkov, who portrayed the older Seryozha Lavrov, experienced both immense fame and subsequent disillusionment. He initially studied electrotechnics but transitioned to acting after his role in the film. Shevelkov achieved widespread popularity with “Midshipmen, Go!” but grew tired of the attention and left the film industry. He later returned as a director and editor, working on TV series such as “Opera. Chronicles of the Murder Department” and “Spasskaya.” Shevelkov married and has two children, one of whom followed in his footsteps into acting. Currently he resides in Moscow for work, while his wife remains in St. Petersburg.

Nadezhda Gorshkova, who played Klava Klimkova, initially pursued a practical profession before returning to acting. She starred in “At Someone Else’s Holiday” and then studied theater. Gorshkova married an American and moved to the US, where she worked in television and theater. She later returned to Russia and continued acting and eventually transitioned into producing. She remarried and has two children and continues to be involved in film, now behind the camera.

Lyubov Polishchuk, who played Vera Sergeevna, enjoyed a successful and diverse career in theater and film. She overcame early obstacles to pursue her dream of performing and became a renowned actress, known for her charisma and style. Polishchuk starred in numerous films and was celebrated as the “Soviet Sophia Loren.” She continued acting even while battling a serious illness, before her death from sarcoma in 2006.