Rutanya Alda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rutanya Alda
|
|
|---|---|
| Born |
Rūta Skrastiņa
October 13, 1942 Riga, Reichskommissariat Ostland
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| Other names | Ruth Alda, Ruth Avots, Rutanya Skrastiņa |
| Alma mater | Northern Arizona University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Richard Bright
(m. 1977; died 2006) |
| Children | 1 |
Rutanya Alda, born Rūta Skrastiņa on October 13, 1942, is a talented Latvian-American actress. She started her acting journey in the late 1960s. Over the years, she has appeared in many well-known films. Some of her most famous roles include parts in The Deer Hunter (1978), Rocky II (1979), and Mommie Dearest (1981). She also played main characters in the horror movies Amityville II: The Possession and Girls Nite Out, both released in 1982.
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Her Early Life
Rutanya Alda was born Rūta Skrastiņa in Riga, which was then part of German-occupied Latvia. Her mother, Vera, was a businesswoman, and her father, Jānis Skrastiņš, was a poet.
After World War II, Rutanya, her grandmother, her mother, and her brother lived for seven years in a special camp for people who had lost their homes, called a displaced persons camp, in Allied-occupied Germany.
Moving to America
Later, her family moved to the United States. They lived for a short time in Chicago before finally settling down in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Her Education and Dream
Rutanya Alda went to Northern Arizona University. She earned a degree in economics there. However, her true passion was always acting. She once shared that she studied economics to make her mother happy. Her mother hoped she would become a doctor or a lawyer. But Rutanya knew from age five, after seeing her first play, that she wanted to be an actress. She never gave up on this dream.
Her Acting Career
Rutanya Alda trained as an actress in New York City with teachers like Barbara Loden and Paul Mann. Her career has lasted almost 50 years, and she has acted in over 100 different roles!
Famous Roles
She is perhaps best known for her roles in several memorable films:
- In The Deer Hunter, she played Angela, the wife of a character named Steven.
- In the popular cult classic film Mommie Dearest, she played Carol Ann, the loyal housekeeper.
- She also starred in Amityville II: The Possession.
For her work in Mommie Dearest and Amityville II: The Possession, she was nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award two years in a row (1982 and 1983). This award is given for less-than-stellar performances.
Awards and Other Work
Rutanya Alda has also won a Clio Award, which recognizes excellence in advertising. She is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the group that gives out the Oscars!
Besides movies, Alda has appeared in many TV shows. These include popular series like Cold Case and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. She also had a special role in the TV series Beauty and the Beast, which starred Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton. She has also done commercials and stage plays.
Recent Work
In 2009, she appeared in the film Stolen, playing an older version of Jessica Chastain's character. She also had a supporting role in the horror film Late Phases in 2014. From 2014 to 2016, Rutanya Alda was part of a web series called Old Dogs & New Tricks. Her most recent film, Land of the Mustaches, was released in 2024.
Her Family Life
Rutanya Alda was married to actor Richard Bright. They got married in 1977. Sadly, Richard Bright passed away in 2006 when he was hit by a bus in New York City. They had one son together, named Jeremy.
Selected Film and Television Roles
Here are some of the movies and TV shows Rutanya Alda has appeared in:
Movies
- 1968: Greetings as Linda
- 1970: Hi, Mom! as an audience member
- 1973: The Long Goodbye as Rutanya Sweet
- 1978: The Deer Hunter as Angela
- 1979: Rocky II as Doctor Cooper
- 1981: Mommie Dearest as Carol Ann
- 1982: Girls Nite Out as Barney / Katie Cavanaugh
- 1982: Amityville II: The Possession as Dolores Montelli
- 1987: Black Widow as Irene
- 1993: The Dark Half as Miriam Cowley
- 1994: The Ref as Linda
- 1997: Steel as Mrs. Hunt
- 2009: Stolen as Older Sally Ann
- 2014: Late Phases as Gloria Baker
Television Shows
- 1987: Spenser: For Hire
- 1988: Beauty and the Beast as Sarah / Mary
- 1990: Santa Barbara (5 episodes) as Mabel Beaufort
- 1991: Tales from the Crypt as Mildred
- 1992-2008: Law & Order (2 episodes)
- 2005: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as Faye Matthews
- 2006: Cold Case as Jenny
Web Series
- 2014–2016: Old Dogs & New Tricks as Barbara Fiere
See also
In Spanish: Rutanya Alda para niños
