Biography[]
Svetlana Kirilenko (born 1964) (Russian: Светла́на Кириленко) is the maternal cousin of Tony's ex-Comare Irina and is the manager of a home care nursing business. Irina has stated in the past that they have a sister-like rivalry, as Svetlana has a very committed boyfriend, an American fiance named Bill who works for the New York Mets, whereas Irina does not have a fiance or boyfriend. At age nine, Svetlana developed osteosarcoma in[1] her leg which was amputated soon afterwards. She was first hired as Livia Soprano's nurse since Janice had left town. When Livia dies, Tony allows Svetlana to remain at Livia's until she can get settled. However, when Janice asks the whereabouts of Livia's phonograph records, Svetlana informs Janice that Livia bequeathed the records to her. In revenge, Janice steals Svetlana's prosthetic leg. Svetlana then sends the Russian mob after Janice as a counterattack. Although Svetlana regains her prosthetic leg, this would ultimately embroil Tony in the matter as Mafia law demands that anyone who harms the women in his family must be avenged, and this was a petty matter Janice need not have instigated. Ultimately Tony resolves the issue through his ally Slava.
Svetlana resurfaces as Uncle Junior's nurse after he suffers a fall at the courthouse. One afternoon while Uncle Junior is asleep, Tony has sex with Svetlana but they are caught by Junior's nurse, Branca. Irina soon finds out about this and informs Carmela about the affair, prompting Carmela's violent confrontation of Tony and their ultimate separation.
At one point, Svetlana pointed out the differences in Russian and American society bluntly in that Americans tend to get bent out of shape when misfortune comes, or that "you have everything but expect nothing bad to ever happen in your life", which was antithetical to her native Russia, where many misfortunes have happened and they try to relish the few occasions something good happens in their lives. Tony admires Svetlana for her toughness of spirit and her refusal to allow her disability and misfortune to get in the way of her ambitions. Arguably, Svetlana is the most psychologically balanced of all Tony's extramarital affairs.
Appearances[]
- Played by: Alla Kliouka Schaffer
- Appears in: "The Knight in White Satin Armor", "Proshai, Livushka", "Fortunate Son", "Whoever Did This", "The Strong, Silent Type", "Calling All Cars", "Whitecaps"
- ↑ Sopranos, season 4 episode 11, "Calling All Cars" at 30:45 Tony mentions some kind of "ossocarma" disease (probably referring to Osteosarcoma, cancer of the bone which most commonly occurs in children and young adults).
