ACTOR · BORN 1949 · DIED 1995
Alexander Godunov
- Born
- 28 November 1949
- Died
- 18 May 1995
14 archived facts 3 topics 1 source Last reviewed Sep 2026
All facts (14)
- #001
Alexander Godunov lived with the famous English actress Jacqueline Bisset from 1981 to 1988. The long-term relationship gave him both emotional and social support during his early years in Hollywood. Bisset was an international star at the time, known for films such as 'The Deep' and 'Rich and Famous'. The couple's relationship witnessed the ups and downs of Godunov's career, and their separation was seen as a reflection of the difficulties in his personal life.
- #002
After drawing attention with supporting roles in box-office hits such as 'Witness' (1985) and 'Die Hard' (1988), Godunov was regarded as one of Hollywood's new star prospects. However, his rejection of most of the roles offered to him prevented his career from progressing as expected. A large share of those roles either typecast him as a ballet dancer or confined him to villain characters, as in 'Die Hard'. As a result, Godunov was mostly forced to take roles in low-budget, direct-to-video productions. In the period before his death, he was observed to be making an effort at a comeback.
- #003
With his tall stature, sharp gaze and striking physical presence, Godunov stood out as a charismatic figure on stage and screen. Yet, in contrast to this appearance, he was quite shy and insecure in his private life. This contradiction was an intriguing detail for those who wanted to understand the depths of his artistic personality. Those close to him have said that this withdrawn manner influenced the way he coped with the difficulties of his dance and acting career.
- #004
After Godunov's death, his ashes were released into the Pacific Ocean. His mother, brother, nephew and nephew's wife, who continued to live in Latvia, did not attend the funeral. This was interpreted as a sign of the distance between him and his family and of the rupture created by his departure from the Soviet Union. Godunov's defection to the United States had already weakened his ties with his family, and this estrangement continued after his death.
- #005
While dancing with American Ballet Theatre (ABT), Godunov worked with his childhood friend and former classmate Mikhail Baryshnikov, who was then directing the company. However, his removal from the company by Baryshnikov in 1982 shook Godunov deeply and left him feeling betrayed. After this event, Godunov tried to survive by founding his own dance company. Yet, according to close friends, the experience caused him to lose his commitment to ballet entirely, and he was never again able to devote himself fully to the art.
- #006
In 1979, while touring New York with the Bolshoi Ballet, Godunov requested political asylum, causing an international crisis. The incident became a major diplomatic event reflecting the tensions of the Cold War era. The KGB put Godunov's wife, Bolshoi soloist Ludmila Vlasova, on a plane to take her to Moscow, but the aircraft was stopped at Kennedy Airport before takeoff. The US State Department tried to determine whether Vlasova's decision to leave was her own or made under pressure. After 73 hours of negotiations, it was concluded that Vlasova was leaving of her own free will and the plane was allowed to depart. Godunov spent a year trying to win his wife back, but these efforts came to nothing.
- #007
When Godunov's close friends could not reach him, they grew worried and sent a nurse to his home. The nurse found Godunov dead in his home, and examinations estimated that he had died at least several days earlier. The tragic event was attributed to his struggle with alcohol addiction. Godunov's lonely death laid bare the difficulties in his personal life despite his glittering Hollywood career.
- #008
Godunov served as a principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre (ABT) for about three years, earning as much as 5,500 dollars a week during that time. However, his removal from the company by his longtime friend and rival Mikhail Baryshnikov all but severed the relationship between them. Godunov described the situation as 'Russian behavior' and voiced his frustration with the words, 'Nobody prepared me... It smells like Russia.' This event was one of the turning points in his dance career and influenced his move toward acting in the following years.
- #009
Godunov's life and dance career were the subject of a documentary titled 'Godunov: The World to Dance In'. The documentary dealt with the art and personal struggles of Godunov, who held an important place in the dance world. It won a silver medal at an international dance film competition, proving how valuable Godunov's artistic legacy was. The production revealed his influence on the dance stage and the transformation he underwent after leaving the Soviet Union.
- #010
Godunov died just five days before his former girlfriend, the famous actress Elizabeth Montgomery. Montgomery was a television star known for her role in the series 'Bewitched' and had a brief relationship with Godunov in the mid-1980s. Their deaths in the same week were regarded in Hollywood circles as a coincidence. The event received wide coverage in the media after Godunov's death and increased interest in the relationships in his personal life.
- #011
The New York Times described Godunov as 'a pre-Raphaelite angel posing like a punk-rock idol', emphasizing that he had both an elegant and a rebellious image. The description summed up the stage persona that combined the noble bearing of his classical ballet training with rock-star aesthetics. These words showed how contradictory and compelling his artistic identity was. With this characterization, Godunov carved out a distinctive place for himself in both his dance and acting careers.
- #012
Godunov died shortly before the release of 'Die Hard with a Vengeance' (1995), the second sequel to his best-known film, 'Die Hard' (1988). The film was a continuation of the 'Die Hard' series, one of his most important productions in Hollywood, and Godunov's death came up during the film's promotional period. Godunov's absence from this sequel reflected the uncertainty of the final period of his career. His death was regarded as a loss for 'Die Hard' fans and the film world.
- #013
While dancing with American Ballet Theatre (ABT), Godunov replaced Patrick Bissell, who had been fired for drug addiction and unprofessional behavior. Bissell and his partner Gelsey Kirkland had been removed from the company by Godunov's longtime collaborator Mikhail Baryshnikov. In this new role, Godunov was partnered with the famous ballerina Susan Jaffe. The change was part of ABT's casting arrangements at the time and strengthened Godunov's position in the company.
- #014
Godunov was known to smoke Marlboro cigarettes. The habit was seen as part of his tough and rebellious image. Cigarettes held an important place in the lives of many artists at the time, and Godunov was known for the habit as well. However, the negative effects of this habit on his health may have played a role in his early death.
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