Oksana Shvets

{{Infobox person

| name = Oksana Shvets

| native_name = {{nobold|Оксана Швець}}

| image = Oksana_Shvets.jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name = Oksana Oleksandrivna Shvets

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1955|02|10|df=y}}

| birth_place = Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Kyiv, Ukraine)

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|03|17|1955|02|10|df=y}}

| death_place = Kyiv, Ukraine

| nationality =

| other_names =

| education = I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre

| occupation = Actress

| organizations = Kyiv National Academic Molodyy Theatre

| title = Merited Artist of Ukraine

}}

Oksana Oleksandrivna Shvets ({{Langx|uk|Оксана Олександрівна Швець}}; 10 February 1955 – 17 March 2022) was a Ukrainian actress. She worked for the Kyiv National Academic Molodyy Theatre from its foundation in 1980 until her death, and was awarded the title Merited Artist of Ukraine, one of the highest Ukrainian honours for performing artists, in 1996. She also appeared on stage at the Ternopil Music and Drama Theatre and the Kyiv Theatre of Satire. She played in film and on television, such as in the 2013 Russian-Ukrainian series House with Lilies.

Biography

Born in Kyiv, Shvets was a graduate of the theatre studio at the Ivan Franko Theatre in 1975{{cite news | last=Burton | first=Jamie | title=Ukrainian actress Oksana Shvets killed in Russian rocket attack | website=Newsweek | date=18 March 2022 | url=https://www.newsweek.com/who-oksana-shvets-ukraine-actress-died-russian-attack-1689370 | access-date=21 March 2022}}{{cite web | url=https://molodyytheatre.com/people/shvec-oksana#bootstrap-panel--2 | title = Швець Оксана / Раніше зіграні ролі (roles) | publisher = Kyiv National Academic Molodyy Theatre | date = 2021 | language = uk | access-date = 22 March 2022}} and of the faculty of theatre studies of the I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre{{cite news | author = Owoseje, Toyin | url = https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/18/europe/oksana-shvets-actress-killed-intl-scli/index.html | title = Oksana Shvets, famed Ukrainian actress, killed in Russian missile strike | publisher = CNN | date = 18 March 2022 | access-date = 20 March 2022}} in 1986. Shvets worked at the {{ill|Ternopil Music and Drama Theatre|uk|Тернопільський академічний обласний драматичний театр імені Т. Г. Шевченка}}, and the Kyiv Theatre of Satire.{{cite news | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/oksana-shvets-death-ukraine-russia-war-b2038666.html | title = Oksana Shvets death: Ukrainian actor killed in Russian rocket attack, aged 67 | newspaper = The Independent | date = 17 March 2022 | access-date = 18 March 2022}}{{cite web | author = Parsley, Aaron | url=https://people.com/movies/beloved-ukrainian-actress-oksana-shvets-reportedly-killed-russian-rocket-attack/ | title = Ukrainian Actress Oksana Shvets Reportedly Killed in Russian Rocket Attack: 'No Forgiveness' |magazine=People | date = 17 March 2022 | access-date = 18 March 2022}} She worked as an ensemble member of the Kyiv National Academic Molodyy Theatre (Young Theatre) from its foundation in 1980 until her death. The company lists many of her roles and plays. She played in the 2013 production of Гоголь-могол (Gogol Mogol) by Nikolai Erdman.{{cite magazine | author1 = ВАРВАРИЧ, Олена | author2 = СОКОЛАН, Фото Віоли | url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Culture_and_life%2C_07-2013.pdf | title = "ГОГОЛЬ-МОГОЛЬ..." уже готовий! (Gogol-Mogol) | magazine = Культура (Culture) | date = 15 February 2013 | page = 10 | language = uk | access-date = 22 March 2022}}

She appeared as Natasha in Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters, directed by O. Uteganov. She performed as Hannah in a 2015 production of Зачарований (Charmed{{cite web | url = https://tabloid.pravda.com.ua/person/62334fb395aea/ | title = Акторка Оксана Швець загинула під час ракетного обстрілу - театр | website = tabloid.pravda.com.ua | date = 6 January 2018 | language = uk | access-date = 22 March 2022}} or Enchanted), based on the play {{ill|Talentless (play)|lt=Talentless|uk|Безталанна}} by {{ill|Ivan Karpenko-Kary|uk|Іван Карпенко-Карий}}.{{cite news |last1=БЕСПЕРСТОВА |first1=Ольга |title=Під час удару по столиці загинула відома театральна актриса |url=https://crime.fakty.ua/398452-vo-vremya-bombezhki-stolicy-pogibla-izvestnaya-teatralnaya-aktrisa |access-date=24 March 2022 |work=Fakty i Kommentarii |date=17 March 2022 |language=uk}} It was directed by Andriy Bilous,{{cite web | url=https://molodyytheatre.com/repertoire/zacharovanyy | title = Зачарований | publisher = Kyiv National Academic Molodyy Theatre | date = 2021 | language = uk | access-date = 22 March 2022}} the theatre's intendant.{{cite web | author = Kranz, Oliver | url = https://nachtkritik.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16256:theaterbrief-aus-kiew-2&catid=1552:theaterbriefe-aus-der-ukraine&Itemid=99 | title = Treffen der European Theatre Convention in Kiew / Aufbruchstimmung trotz Krieg | website = nachtkritik.de | date = 17 March 2022 | language = de | access-date = 22 March 2022}} Theatre critic {{ill|Oleg Vergelis|uk|Вергеліс Олег Анатолійович}} praised her performance, finding complexities in the mother-in-law's character, not just bad temper. In a 2016 production of Поступися місцем! (Make Way!) by Viña Delmar, she played the role of Nemi. The play, filmed as Make Way for Tomorrow, and described as a sad comedy, was directed by Dmytro Veselsky.{{cite web | url=https://molodyytheatre.com/repertoire/postupysya-miscem | title = Швець Оксана / Раніше зіграні ролі (roles) | publisher = Kyiv National Academic Molodyy Theatre | date = 2021 | language = uk | access-date = 22 March 2022}}{{efn|Make Way! is possibly the production mentioned in some sources as Get Missed!}}

In 1996, her long-time engagement and "outstanding achievement in the performing arts" was honoured with the title Merited Artist of Ukraine, one of the highest Ukrainian awards for performing artists.{{cite web | author = Cooke, Bruno | url = https://www.thefocus.news/movies/oksana-shvets-movies/ | title = Oksana Shvets movies to watch in her honour as Ukrainian actress dies in Kyiv | date = 18 March 2022 | access-date = 20 March 2022}}

While best known for her work on the stage, she played in several films and television series. She appeared in the film Завтра буде завтра (Tomorrow Will Be Tomorrow).{{cite web | author = Малай, К. | url = https://news.obozrevatel.com/ukr/show/people/u-kievi-pid-chas-raketnogo-obstrilu-zaginula-zasluzhena-artistka-ukraini-oksana-shvets.htm | title = У Києві під час ракетного обстрілу загинула заслужена артистка України Оксана Швець | website = news.obozrevatel.com| date = 17 March 2022 | access-date = 18 March 2022}} Her first television series was Nasledniki (Heirs) in 1976, playing a minor role. In 2003, she appeared in an episode of Повернення Мухтара (Mukhtar Returns), an action-adventure series in Russian running for almost 20 years. She starred in all eight episodes of the Ukrainian series Таємниця Святого Патріка (The Mystery of Saint Patrick) in 2006. In 2013, she appeared in Russian-Ukrainian Дім з ліліями (House with Lilies), a TV series about fictional war hero Michail Govorov and his family from World War II to 2013, as the director of an orphanage.[https://yourlibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S101C1269066 House with the lilies - season 1] yourlibrary.bibliocommons.com

Death

On 17 March 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Shvets died in a shelling attack by Russian troops on a Kyiv residential building where she lived.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/ukrainian-actress-oksana-shvets-killed-russian-rocket-attack-1234981310/|title=Revered Ukrainian Actress Oksana Shvets Killed In Russian Rocket Attack|author=Tapp, Tom|date=17 March 2022|access-date=18 March 2022|work=Deadline Hollywood}}{{cite web | url = https://www.ukrinform.ru/rubric-culture/3432571-v-kieve-vo-vrema-raketnogo-obstrela-pogibla-zasluzennaa-artistka-ukrainy-oksana-svec.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220331114039/https://www.ukrinform.ru/rubric-culture/3432571-v-kieve-vo-vrema-raketnogo-obstrela-pogibla-zasluzennaa-artistka-ukrainy-oksana-svec.html | url-status = usurped | archive-date = 31 March 2022 | title = В Киеве во время ракетного обстрела погибла заслуженная артистка Украины Оксана Швец | publisher = ukrinform.ru | language = ru | access-date = 18 March 2022}}