Maria Avdjuško (also transliterated as Maria Avdjushko; born 9 May 1968) is an

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

n actress, film producer, director and screenwriter. Avdjuško is the daughter of Russian actor Viktor Avdyushko and Estonian actress Liina Orlova, who is of Russian and Estonian descent. She was born and raised in

Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...

. In 1990 she graduated from

Tallinn State Conservatory The Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (''Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia'') began as a mixed choir of the Estonia Society Musical Department (EMD) on the eve of World War I. The assembly of the Estonia Society created the Tallinn Higher Musi ...

's performing arts department. From 1992 until 2014, she was an actress in

Estonian Drama Theatre The Estonian Drama Theatre () is a theatre in Tallinn, Estonia. It has the role of a national theatre for Estonia. The Estonia Theatre is located next door. History The building that houses the Estonian Drama Theatre was originally built for the ...

Selected filmography

* 1985 ''Puud olid...'' (feature film; role: Paabu) * 1990 ''

Ainult hulludele ehk halastajaõde ''Ainult hulludele ehk halastajaõde'' (also known as ''Halastajaõde'') is a 1990 Estonian drama film directed by Arvo Iho. Awards: * 1991: Monstra Internationale del Film d'Auttore (San Remo, Italy), best actress award: Margarita Terekhova * 1 ...

'' (feature film; role: Eva) * 1991 '' Rahu tänav'' (feature film; role: Lilka) * 1991 ''Ankur'' (feature film; role: Annabel) * 1991 ''Surmatants'' (feature film; role: Hildegard) * 1992 '' Hotell E'' (animated film; role Mary) * 1994 ''Ameerika mäed'' (feature film; role Ruth) * 2004 '' Täna öösel me ei maga'' (feature film; role: Evelin) * 2011 '' Surnuaiavahi tütar'' (feature film; role: Maria) * 2015 ''

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free France, Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command First Army (France), French Army B, part of the Sixt ...

'' (feature film; co-producer) * 2015 ''Üheotsapilet'' (television series) * 2015 ''

The Fencer ''The Fencer'' (, is a 2015 biographical drama film about the life of Endel Nelis, an accomplished Estonian fencer and coach. It was directed by Klaus Härö and written by Anna Heinämaa. Filming began in Estonia in late February 2014. Th ...

'' (feature film; role: Leningrad official) * 2015 ''Unditund'' (documentary film; director and producer) * 2016 ''Meeskond'' (documentary film; producer) * 2017 ''Merivälja'' (television series; role: Margit) * 2018 ''Koma'' (documentary film; director and producer) * 2018 ''Paha lugu: Nõiutud'' (feature film; director) * 2018 '' Seltsimees laps'' (feature film; role: Makajeva) * 2018 ''Tuliliilia'' (feature film; director) * 2020 ''Salmonid. 25 aastat hiljem'' (feature film) * 2023 '' Nähtamatu võitlus'' (feature film) * 2023 ''Tume paradiis'' (feature film)

Roles in theatre

References

Living people 1968 births Estonian film actresses Estonian stage actresses Estonian television actresses 20th-century Estonian actresses 21st-century Estonian actresses Estonian film directors Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre alumni Actresses from Tallinn Estonian people of Russian descent {{Estonia-actor-stub