Trivia

After having two supporting roles in big blockbuster hits "Witness" and "Die Hard," Godunov seemed destined for stardom. But he turned down just about every other role that came his way. Most of the work either pigeonholed him as a ballet dancer or as a villain like in "Die Hard." He mostly was reduced to appearing in direct-to-video clunkers. He seemed to be making something of a comeback up until the time of his death.

Lived with Jacqueline Bisset from 1981 to 1988.

Despite his tall stature, piercing stare and adonis presence, he was quite a shy and insecure man.

Godunov's ashes were released into the Pacific. His mother, brother, niece and nephew, who still live in Latvia, did not attend his service.

He danced with the American Ballet Theater which was at the time being run by his childhood friend and former classmate Mikhail Baryshnikov until Baryshnikov forced him out in 1982. Godunov was crushed and betrayed. He eventually bounced back and started his own dance troupe (which he danced in). But many of his closest friends said, "After that, he never put himself into ballet completely."

While on tour with the Bolshoi Ballet in New York, Godunov asked for political asylum, unleashing an international incident. The KGB had Godunov's wife, Bolshoi soloist, Ludmila Vlasova, on a plane to Moscow, but the flight was stopped before take off at Kennedy Airport as the State Department attempted to determine whether it was Ludmila's choice to go. After 73 hours, it was determined it was, and the plane was allowed to take off. Godunov spent a year trying to get her back, but in the end, there was just no way to get her out. The two of them divorced in 1982. (23 de agosto de 1979)

Concerned friends sent a nurse to Godunov's home, who found him dead. It was estimated that he had been dead for at least a couple of days. (18 de mayo de 1995)

He danced as a principal with the ABT for almost three years until longtime friend and rival Mikhail Baryshnikov booted him out. He was making $5,500 a week at the time. After that, their relationship was pretty much severed. He remarked that it reminded him "of Russian behavior. Nobody prepared me...it smells like Russia."

Died five days before ex-lover Elizabeth Montgomery.

Subject of the Silver-medal winning dance documentry: "Godunov: The World to Dance In."

The New York Times described Godunov as a "Pre-Raphaelite angel posing as a punk-rock idol".

Godunov died shortly before the theatrical release of Duro de Matar 3: La Venganza (1995), the second sequel to his most well-known film, "Die Hard" (1988).