Biography

Alexander Petrov was born in a small town Pereslavl-Zalesskiy, Russia. During school years he played for the national football team. After leaving school he entered the University of Pereslavl the Faculty of Economics. During his studies he took part in cultural events of the city: KVN (Game show - Club of Funny and Inventive People), Student Council, a theatre studio «Anterpise» under Veronika Ivanenko's direction. At the Theatre Festival in the town Pohvistnevo (Samarskiy region) he met the teachers from Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS) at workshops.

After the Festival he left the University of Pereslavl and moved to Moscow to become a student of GITIS (Theatre Academy), the class of Leonid Heifetz in 2008. Since the second year he has begun acting in films. His first role was in TV-show «Voices» directed by Nana Jorjadze, an Oscar nominee in 1997. His first leading role that brought him first success was in TV-series Poka tsvetet paporotnik (directed by Evgeniy Bedarev) in 2012. While studying in GITIS he starred in 10 films.

Right after graduating from GITIS he was accepted to the Moscow Theater «Et Cetera» under Alexander Kalyagin's direction. He played Graziano in Shylock («The Merchant of Venice») on the touring stage of Riga Russian Drama Theater. Five months after, he was invited to Ermolova's Moscow Theater run by Oleg Menshikov to rehearse Hamlet directed by Valeriy Sarkisov, premiered in December, 2013. «Hamlet» has been the most sold-out performance in the theater ever since.

In the end of 2014, the head of Moscow Pushkin Theater - Evgeniy Pisarev and director Vladimir Mirzoyev offered him a role of Lopakhin in «Cherry Orchard» by Chekhov.

In 2015 he played the lead in Fartsa TV-series - one of the first Russian TV-series ever streamed on Netflix. Also he played a charming police officer Grisha Izmailov in TV-series Politseyskiy s Rublyovki v Beskudnikovo (2017) (directed by Ilya Kulikov) viewed by millions and got him famous nationally.

In November 2016 he created his first one-man dramatic show TOBEBORNAGAIN that was always a sold out show until its closure.

In 2017 he starred in Prityazhenie by Fedor Bondarchuk which had an outstanding success in Russia (box office - more than 18 million USD). The film was released worldwide. Gogol' (2017), where he also played the lead - russian famous writer Nikolay Gogol, became the first TV-series in the world screened in cinemas. It won an award at the festival of the Indie Gathering International Film Festival and was awarded at the Accolade Global Film Competition in the «Award of Excellence» category.

In 2017 he starred in his first international movie - «Anna» - a film by Luc Besson, released in 2019.

During the next few years he starred in a number of movies that topped the box office in Russia and were released worldwide.

In summer 2020 during the world pandemic he starred in his second international project «Man of god» filmed in Greece.

Prizes and Awards:

• Event of the Year of The Hollywood Reporter Magazine 2015 - Audience Award for Achievements in Film and Television Industry
• GQ Magazine Man of the Year Awards 2018 - Actor of the Year
• Golden Eagle Awards 2019 (winner) - Best TV Actor - Drama Series («Sparta»)
• Event of the Year of The Hollywood Reporter Magazine - Best Actor («Text»)
• Golden Eagle Awards 2020 (winner) - Best Actor - Motion Picture («Text»)

- IMDb mini biography by: Ekaterina Kornilova

ALEXANDER PETROV was born in the historic town of Pereslavl-Zalessky, Russia. His journey into acting began at the Theatre Festival in Pokhvistnevo, where a series of transformative workshops led by teachers from the prestigious Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS) inspired him to pursue the craft professionally.

Shortly after, Petrov left the University of Pereslavl and moved to Moscow, where he was accepted into GITIS, studying under the renowned Leonid Heifetz. While still a student, he began working steadily in film and television, landing his first role in the TV series "VOICES", directed by Academy Award nominee Nana Jorjadze. His breakout came in 2012 with the lead in the hit series "WHILE THE FERN IS BLOOMING" (Poka Tsvetet Paporotnik), earning him national recognition. By the time he graduated, he had already appeared in ten films.

Petrov's momentum continued with key roles in Netflix's "FARTSA" and the long-running hit "POLITSEYSKIY S RUBLYOVKI". In 2016, he debuted his one-man show "TO BE BORN AGAIN", which played to sold-out audiences throughout its run. in addition, he can be seen in 2023's "THE PALACE" by director Roman Polanski.

In 2017, he headlined two major box office successes: Fedor Bondarchuk's sci-fi blockbuster "ATTRACTION" and the critically acclaimed "GOGOL" series-the first TV series in the world to premiere in cinemas. Gogol earned accolades at the Indie Gathering International Film Festival and the Accolade Global Film Competition.

Petrov has since made the leap to international cinema, starring in Lionsgate's "ANNA" opposite Cillian Murphy and Luke Evans, and in "MAN OF GOD" from director Yelena Popovic. Today, he is one of Russia's most sought-after actors, with a dynamic screen presence and a growing global profile.
- IMDb mini biography by: Luminary Partners