Oleg Evgenyevich Menshikov was born on November 8, 1960, in Serpukhov, USSR, now in Russia. His father, a military engineer, and his mother, a doctor, instilled in him a strong foundation for his future endeavors. During his childhood, he attended music school, where he honed his skills on the piano and violin.
As he grew older, Menshikov pursued his passion for the performing arts by enrolling in the Mikhail Shchepkin Higher Theatre School in Moscow. His television debut came in the form of the 1980 movie "Zhdu i nadeyus."
In the early 1990s, Menshikov ventured abroad, taking the stage at London's prestigious Globe Theatre. His performance as Sergei Yesenin in "When She Danced" earned him the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Menshikov's most iconic role to date is that of Mitya in the Oscar-winning historical film "Burnt by the Sun" (1994). He went on to star in a series of internationally co-produced movies, including "The Barber of Siberia" (1998) and "East/West" (1999).
The actor also demonstrated his versatility by taking on adaptations of Russian literature, such as "Statskiy sovetnik" (2005) and "Doktor Zhivago" (2006). In 2005, he tied the knot with actress Anastasia Chernova.
Menshikov revisited his iconic role as Mitya in the sequels "Burnt by the Sun 2" (2010) and "Utomlennye solntsem 2: Tsitadel" (2011). Since 2012, he has served as the artistic director of the Yermolova Theatre in Moscow.
