A nine-year-old was once dubbed the "most beautiful girl in the world," but what has happened in her life since?
With her striking blue eyes and flowing blonde hair, Kristina Pimenova caught the internet’s attention early.
Now 19, Kristina is pursuing her dream of becoming an actress while still working as a model. She’s studied at a prestigious drama school and recently took the stage in a production of Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment.
But the attention that once made her a viral sensation still lingers — and so does the criticism that first surrounded her modeling photos.
Her mother, Glikeriya Pimenova — herself a former model — was at the center of it all. After posting childhood photos of Kristina on social media, she faced backlash from critics who accused her of sexualising her daughter.
In a 2014 interview with MailOnline, Glikeriya pushed back hard: “I do not accept those accusations about the sexualisation of my child. I am certain in my mind all her photographs are absolutely innocent.
"I have never asked her to take this or that pose, and in fact I must say she does not especially like it when I am photographing her, so I do it quickly and when she doesn't notice.”
She added: “You must think like a pedophile in order to see something sexual in these pictures, so it is time for you to see a doctor.”
Despite the online uproar, Kristina’s modeling career soared. She landed major campaigns with Vogue, Armani, Burberry, and more before the age of 10. Her image went global, and by the time she was nine, her Facebook page had over 2.1 million likes.
Speaking to Avant School via the Daily Mail, Kristina herself opened up about how she started in the industry: “Modelling happened naturally for me when I was younger, I was just like, ‘let’s try this,’ I didn’t even know what it was.
"I was just playing around; it was like a game. For me, it was a big part of my childhood. It turned into making friends, travelling, so it was just really natural.”
And while modeling brought her global attention, acting has become her real passion. In a casting interview at 17, Kristina said acting appealed to her because it allowed her to “be anything I want for a while.”
Now, at 19, she’s performing in classic plays and expanding her career into films like The Russian Bride, Secret Neighbour, and Creators: The Past.
Off-screen, Kristina shares her life with over 2.4 million followers on Instagram. From behind-the-scenes shots to concerts — including meeting K-pop royalty Blackpink — she offers a glimpse into her life beyond the spotlight.