Biography

Irena Tyshyna (birth name Iryna Viktorovna Tyshyna) was born in Crimea, Ukraine. From the age of 5 she studied music - piano, singing and later conducting. She left home to continue with her studies when she was only 14 years old. Despite her young age, Irena was offered a place at the State Higher College of Music in Nikolaev, Ukraine - an institution with excellent standards and high in demand. Each year they would only accept 6 pupils per class, so the competition was fierce.

Irena began taking interest in acting when she moved to Odessa, whilst studying conducting and singing at the State Academy of Music. It was in Odessa when Irena was first spotted by an agent from the local model agency and was offered a job as a model. After graduating the Academy of Music with distinction, one year earlier and with two majors - Conducting and Singing - Irena moved to London, UK to further her music and acting career.

Irena's first English language film debut was in 2005 in a film "Happy?" (director Paul Duane), where she played a girlfriend of a notorious Sebastian Horsley, a "self-styled Soho dandy, author and artist".

Since launching her very successful modelling career, Irena was photographed by Paul Wetherell, David Eustace, Ian Derry, Dirk Rees, Robert Wyatt and became the face of Holland & Holland gun makers, Cleave Jewellery, Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson cosmetic companies.

Irena's versatile look landed her roles in films "Russian Doll" - starring as a ruthless mastermind Anna in this short drama (2010) and playing an English rose in Rosamunde Pilcher adaptation "Unknown Heart" (2013).
- IMDb mini biography by: A.Nonimous