Ilya Shakunov

He was born in Leningrad. While still in school, he began training at the studio of the renowned actor Igor Gorbachev.

After finishing school, he enrolled at the First Leningrad Medical Institute but later transferred to LETI (Leningrad Electrotechnical Institute) to study automation and computer engineering.

However, Ilya eventually dropped out of both institutes and passed the entrance exams for LGITMiK (Leningrad State Institute of Theatre, Music and Cinema)—now known as SPbGATI (St. Petersburg State Academy of Theatre Arts).

At the theatre institute, he studied under Veniamin Filshtinsky. By his fourth year, he was already playing the role of Chatsky in the production of *Woe from Wit* at the A. A. Bryantsev Theatre for Young Spectators in St. Petersburg.

In 1996, after graduating, he joined the troupe of the A. A. Bryantsev Theatre for Young Spectators in St. Petersburg, where he worked as an actor until 2007.

From January 2002 to December 2003, he served as president of the talent agency at the “Brat” production center.