Biography

Ilia Volok trained at the Moscow Art Theatre School under Russian actor Aleksandr Kalyagin and is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio. He has appeared in over 150 films, television shows, and video games. He is known for his work on Gemini Man opposite Will Smith for director Ang Lee, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull directed by Steven Spielberg; Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol with Tom Cruise; Air Force One opposite Harrison Ford directed by Wolfgang Peterson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button opposite Brad Pitt, directed by David Fincher, Water For Elephants opposite Reese Witherspoon, Swordfish opposite John Travolta and Hugh Jackman and The Immigrant opposite Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix and Jermey Renner directed by James Grey, .

Additionally, he has guest starred in major television including "The Punisher", "Magnum PI", "McGuyver", "Counterpart", "Shameless", "NCIS" and "NCIS: New Orleans", "Criminal Minds", "The Americans", "Baskets", recurring roles on Michael Bay's series "The Last Ship" and "Scandal" and an episode at the height of 'Friends" in which reference was made to the Air Force One without mentioning him as one of its actors.

The character Vladimir Kamarivsky in the Electronic Arts video game Battlefield 3 is modeled after and voiced by Volok.

His life took an unexpected turn when after being a professional athlete, 3rd place at the world championship in rowing, he left to pursue acting at one of the most prestigious acting colleges, the Moscow Art Theatre School. To the complete surprise of his friends and relatives, he passed a rigorous competition (200 hundred contestants per one spot) and was accepted to study under the direction of one of the top stars of Russian theatre and cinema - Alexandr Kalyagin. Upon graduation he was invited to work in several top theatre companies the Moscow Art Theatre being one of them. But once again he changed the direction of his life, and with $300.00 in his pocket, without any knowledge of English, he came to America to pursue his dream of being a working as Hollywood actor.

He was working at a cemetery as a funeral service attendant where he enjoyed quiet surroundings and fresh air, later he was promoted to selling cemetery plots. Volok got his acting break in the movie Hail Ceaser, opposite Samuel Jackson, Robert Downey Jr. and Michael Anthony Hall. Volok also appeared in Oliver Stone's U-Turn, The Soloist, Abduction, GI Joe 2 and Pawn Sacrifice.

Ilia often performs on stage. His Theater credits include: "The Awful Grace of God" at The Actors Company, "The Revisionist" at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing arts, co-starred opposite Tony award winner Deanna Dunagan, "Who Killed Comrade Rabbit" at the Blank Theater), co writer and producer, "Vivien" at the Actor's Circle, co-produced, the one man show "Diary of a Madman", Just a Song at Twilight at Write Act Repertory, Cat's Paw at the Actor's Studio, "Ferdinand" at Promanade Playhouse, "Cassat & Degas" at The Hudson Theater, "Destiny's Calling" at the Stella Adler Theater, "Chekhov in Yalta" at Theater 40) and "Fakov in America" at the American Renegade Theater. His one-man show Diary of A Madman won the LA Weekly Theater Award for Best Solo Performance. Ilia is a Faculty of the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in Los Angeles. Volok is represented at Endorse Management Group.
- IMDb mini biography by: Endorse PR