**Donatas Banionis (1924-2014)** was a prominent Lithuanian actor. His film career made him an iconic figure in Soviet and international cinema.

He is universally known for his portrayal of Kris Kelvin in Andrei Tarkovsky's *Solaris* (1972), a role that solidified his global fame and his ability to embody complex and tormented characters. Among his other significant works are Konrad Wolf's *Goya – Or the Ungovernable Realm of the Mind* (1971), where he portrayed the famous painter, and Vytautas Žalakevičius's *Nobody Wanted to Die* (1966).

Banionis excelled at portraying enigmatic intellectuals, introspective figures, or men of action with a profound inner resonance. His acting style was characterized by an intense sobriety, expressive facial expressions, and a profound gravitas, which lent great depth to his characters.