Biography

Born in Bulgaria, Lyuben Stoyanov Kanev is the firstborn son of veterinary doctors Stoyan Lyubenov Kanev and Darinka Hristova Kaneva. He is a versatile actor with a career spanning both stage and screen. He holds an MA in Classical Acting from the prestigious Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London (2024), and a BA in Acting from the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria (2010).

Kanev is best known for his screen performances in Undercover (2016) and All Inclusive (2020).

He made his stage debut as Torvald Helmer in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House. His theatrical repertoire includes leading roles such as Marcus Junius Brutus in Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Shelley Levene in Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet, Jim Hawkins in Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, Kasimir in Kasimir und Karoline by Ödön von Horváth, and Ben in The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter.

Awards:

• Best Actor of the Year, National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts Award (Sofia, Bulgaria), 2010
• Best Actor in a Shakespearean Performance, GATS International Theatre Festival Award (Beijing, China), 2009

In 2013, Kanev expanded his artistic pursuits to include playwriting and directing. His independent theatre career began with two original works: Stop - The Devil is Pleading Guilty (2014) and The Forgotten (2018).
- IMDb mini biography by: Hristo Kanev