Famous Russian Film & Theater Personalities

Andrei Tarkovsky was a Soviet and Russian writer, theatre director, filmmaker, and film theorist. Renowned for making movies that explored metaphysical and spiritual themes, Tarkovsky is often regarded as one of the most influential and greatest directors in the history of world cinema. The recipient of many prestigious awards, Andrei Tarkovsky's work continues to influence several filmmakers around the world.

Regarded as one of the first American movie stars, Yul Brynner became known for his performance as King Mongkut in the musical The King and I. He became identified with the role, so much so that he continued shaving his head after having shaved it for the role. A statue of Brynner was unveiled at Yul Brynner Park in 2012.

Danila Kozlovsky is a Russian actor best known for his portrayal of Max Andreev in the 2012 black comedy-drama film Soulless, for which he won the Golden Eagle Award in 2012. Also known for his good looks, Kozlovsky was named Man of the Year by GQ Russia in 2013. He was also regarded as a sex symbol for many years.

Legendary Soviet and Russian theatre-practitioner Konstantin Stanislavski, who played an instrumental role in promoting new Russian drama of his time, is best-known for co-founding the world-renowned Moscow Art Theatre and developing the Stanislavski's system of training and preparing actors. Sergeyevich was considered one of the prominent theatre directors of his day and also earned repute as a remarkable character actor.

Blue-eyed Russian child model Kristina Pimenova was already a star by age 10, having signed a deal with LA Models and worked for Armani and Benetton. Criticized for her “sexed-up” images on social media, she grew up to experiment with acting in films such as The Russian Bride.

Best known for his performances as Viktor Goraya in the series Years and Years and Stepan in the film Mr. Bean's Holiday, Russian-origin English actor Maxim Baldry also played Liam Donovan in the British series Hollyoaks. The London-born actor spent his youth in Moscow and Warsaw, before returning to London.

A Soviet cultural icon, singer Vladimir Vysotsky was known for his social commentary in his songs. In his early years, he quit engineering to study acting. He later ruled the stage as an actor, before stepping into music. He even distributed his recordings after being banned in the country.

Kristina Rihanoff is a Russian professional ballroom dancer, author, choreographer, and instructor. She achieved popularity after competing in the popular British television dance contest, Strictly Come Dancing. Also known for her philanthropic efforts, Kristina Rihanoff works closely with a children's charity named The Dot Com Foundation, which helps children handle challenging situations.

Svetlana Khodchenkova is a Russian actress best known for playing Irina in the 2016 film, Viking. She is also known for playing Vera in Bless the Woman, for which she received a nomination for Best Actress at the Nika Award. In 2008, she received the award for Best Actress at the Polish Film Festival for her performance in the movie Little Moscow.

Olesya Rulin is a Russian-American actress best known for acting in the High School Musical film franchise. Even though she was interested in the show business from a young age, she began her career as a nurse assistant. She eventually became an actress and found tremendous success with the release of the High School Musical films.

Eugene Mirman is a Russian-American actor, writer, and comedian. He is best known for his portrayal of Yvgeny Mirminsky in the American television series, Delocated. He is also known for his voice role in the animated TV sitcom, Bob's Burgers, in which he voices Gene Belcher. As a comedian, Eugene Mirman has performed in many festivals, including Just for Laughs.

Best known for playing detectives such as The Falcon and Sherlock Holmes, British actor Tom Conway also appeared in 2 Tarzan movies and a few Val Lewton cult horror movies. His performance in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents was appreciated by critics. He also voiced a role in 101 Dalmatians.

Timur Bekmambetov is a Russian-Kazakh screenwriter, film producer, director, and tech entrepreneur. He is best known for directing films like Night Watch and Wanted. He is also credited with pioneering Screenlife filmmaking. Timur Bekmambetov is also known for founding a production company called Baselevs.

Alla Nazimova was a Russian-American actress who had an extensive career on Broadway. She acted in the classic plays of playwrights like Ibsen, Chekhov, and Turgenev. She eventually moved on to films and had an equally successful stint in cinema as well. She was openly bisexual and had sexual relationships with women while being married to a man.

Aliona Vilani is a Russian-Kazakh dancer and TV personality best known for appearing as a professional dancer in the BBC series Strictly Come Dancing. She started training in different forms of dance as a child and joined the Kaiser Dance Academy. She later turned professional and appeared in several TV shows. She also performs in stage musicals. 

The son of Communist author Sergey Mikhalkov, Nikita Mikhalkov is best known for his Academy Award-winning direction in the movie Burnt by the Sun. He has also been a versatile actor and has been involved in Russian politics, too. He is also a 3-time winner of the State Prize of the Russian Federation.

Initially a talented football player, Russian actor Alexander Petrov switched to theater after an injury. Known for his roles in films such as Attraction, Invasion, and the Gogol franchise, he also played the lead in the Russian Netflix criminal drama Fartsa. He has also won prestigious awards, such as the Golden Eagle.

Konstantin Yurievich Khabensky, PAR, counted among the most acclaimed actors in Russia, gained international attention playing protagonist, Anton Gorodetsky in the film Night Watch and its sequel Day Watch. As a theatre actor Khabensky remained part of Saint Petersburg Lensoviet Theatre and is presently associated with Moscow Art Theatre. The Russian war-drama film Sobibor marked the directorial debut of Khabensky.

Soviet and Russian stage and film actor, director, writer and producer Vladimir Mashkov gained-attention of Western audiences performing in the blockbuster-hit American films Behind Enemy Lines and Mission: Impossible–Ghost Protocol. He directed and starred in the Russian drama film Daddy that entered into the 26th Moscow International Film Festival. Mashkov publicly supports Vladimir Putin and Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Best known for his role of Styr in the iconic fantasy series Game of Thrones, Russian actor Yuri Kolokolnikov also played Gennadi Bystrov in the spy series The Americans. While he initially aspired to become an actor in Hollywood, he returned to Moscow after he failed to make a breakthrough in the US.

Popular Russian actor Aleksei Serebryakov made his acting debut at age 13. His performance in Accidental Waltz won him a Locarno Film Festival award, while the drama Leviathan won him an IFFI award. He later moved to Canada, stating he was unhappy with the political situation in Russia.

Andrei Konchalovsky is a Russian filmmaker. Renowned for his versatility, Konchalovsky has worked on telefilms, motion pictures, stage productions, and documentaries. Over the years, Andrei Konchalovsky's films have won numerous prestigious awards, such as Golden Eagle Awards and Nika Awards. 

Armenian-origin American film and TV actor Akim Tamiroff is best remembered for his Academy Award-nominated performances in The General Died at Dawn and For Whom the Bell Tolls. Considered the first big Armenian-American star, he also appeared in several series, such as Naked City and Tales of the Vikings.

Russian actor Pasha D. Lychnikoff started his career in the Moscow stage circuit before moving to the US. Apart from appearing in series such as NYPD Blue and The Big Bang Theory, and movies such as Chernobyl Diaries, he also played lead roles in HBO’s Deadwood and in the Russian series Fizruk.

Markus Dupree is a Russian porn actor and director. The recipient of the prestigious AVN Award for Male Performer of the Year, Dupree is considered an influential figure in the porn industry. He has received more than three dozen industry award nominations so far.

Dziga Vertov was a Soviet documentary filmmaker and cinema theorist. His theories and filming practices had a significant impact on the cinéma vérité style of documentary filmmaking. Dziga Vertov's independent and exploratory style of filmmaking inspired and influenced numerous filmmakers including Guy Debord.

Pati Behrs was a Russian-American actress and prima ballerina. In addition to being a celebrity, Pati Behrs was also an animal rights advocate who worked closely with the California-based non-profit corporation, Actors and Others for Animals. She presented Actors and Others with her famous baby grand piano, which was later sold to help animals in need.

Vera Glagoleva was a Russian and Soviet film director and actress. She is best remembered for playing important roles in romantic comedies and melodramas. Some of her best known films include To Marry a Captain, Do Not Shoot at White Swans, and Poor Sasha. In 2011, Vera Glagoleva was honored with the People's Artist of Russia award.

Starting his career with the Moscow Art Theatre in Russia, actor Michael Chekhova later moved to the US, making a successful career in Hollywood. His role of Dr. Alex in Spellbound earned him an Academy Award nomination. He also had his own drama studio, where he taught acting by mingling movement and imagination.

Russian actor and former mixed martial artist Oleg Taktarov is known for winning the UFC 6 tournament. Other accomplishments of Taktarov as an MMA fighter include becoming one of the ten UFC Viewer's Choice Awardees during UFC 45, and winning the 1994 Iron Gladiators Competition. As an actor, Taktarov has performed in hit films like Bad Boys II and Predators.   

Sergey Lazarev is a Russian singer, actor, and dancer. He is best known for his contribution to the success of the pop duo, Smash. Lazarev has represented Russia twice in the Eurovision Song Contest, finishing third on both occasions. As an actor, Sergey Lazarev is involved in the Russian theatre scene.