Chulpan Khamatova is an internationally celebrated Russian actress who left Russia at the start of the war and now resides in Latvia. Her work in theater and film has earned her critical acclaim, devoted audiences, and numerous prestigious awards. A versatile performer known for her emotional depth and chameleonic range, she has starred in over 30 major theatrical productions across Europe, collaborating with visionary directors such as Robert Lepage, Thomas Ostermeier, Kirill Serebrennikov, Rimas Tuminas, Dmitry Krymov and Alvis Hermanis. Among her most acclaimed stage roles are Margarita in The Master and Margarita, Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra, Maria in Maria Stuart, Katarina in The Taming of the Shrew, and multiple characters in ensemble works such as Shukshin’s Stories, Postskriptum, and Decameron. Her performances in Iranian Conference, Gorbachev, Ivanov, Healing, and Poor Lisa further solidified her as a leading force in contemporary European theater, gracing stages from the Theater of Nations to the New Riga Theater and Berlin’s Deutsche Theater.

On screen, Khamatova gained international prominence as Lara in the multi-award-winning Good Bye Lenin! and has since worked with esteemed directors including Wolfgang Becker, Ralph Fiennes, Vadim Abdrashitov, Alexander Proshkin, and Kirill Serebrennikov. Her film and television highlights include The White Crow, Doctor Zhivago, Children of the Arbat, Petrov’s Flu, Zuleykha Opens Her Eyes, Paper Soldier, Mayakovsky, Quiet Life, and Foreign Body. She has portrayed a striking range of roles — from historical icons to contemporary figures — in productions spanning Germany, France, England, Italy, and beyond. Notably, her performance as Liza in Doktor Liza and as Lilya Brik in Mayakovsky were met with wide critical acclaim.

She is a recipient of numerous accolades including the Golden Mask, Nika, Golden Eagle, and Teffi Awards, and was named Best Actress at Latvia’s Spēlmaņu Nakts and Poland’s Kontakt Festival in 2023. She has also served on the juries of the Venice Film Festival and as Jury President at Kinotavr. Beyond the arts, Khamatova is the founder of the Podari Zhizn (Gift of Life) foundation, which has provided critical medical aid to over 90,000 children facing life-threatening illnesses. She currently resides in Latvia. Her dedication to both her craft and humanitarian work has made her one of the most revered and influential artists in Eastern European performance culture.