Irina Rozanova is a renowned Soviet and Russian theater and film actress, proudly holding the title of People's Artist of the Russian Federation. Her journey in the world of acting began at a tender age of six months, when her family relocated to Ryazan, where her parents performed on the stage of the Ryazan Drama Theater. As a result, Irina essentially grew up within the walls of a theater, making it only natural for her to follow in her parents' footsteps and pursue a career in acting.
As a child, Irina made her debut on the theater stage at the tender age of six, and her passion for acting only intensified as she grew older. She studied music at a music school, but didn't complete her education, despite being prophesied a bright future by her instructors. Irina's first attempt to enroll in a theater university was unsuccessful, as she failed to impress during the audition, particularly with the renowned Yuriy Solomin at the Shchepkinskiy School.
Undeterred, Irina returned to her hometown of Ryazan and spent some time working in the costume department. Thanks to her mother's connections, Irina managed to secure a spot at the prestigious GITIS (State Institute of Theatrical Arts) in Moscow, where she studied under the guidance of Oskar Remez. From her second year, Irina began working in parallel with her studies at the Mayakovskiy Theater, where she continued to perform until receiving her diploma in 1988.
After graduating from GITIS, Irina went on to work with the Chelovek theater studio until 1990, before joining the theater on Malaya Bronnaya from 1991 to 1998. Her tenure at the Lenkom Theater lasted from 1998 to 1999. Throughout her illustrious career, Irina has had the privilege of working with some of the most renowned theaters and directors in Russia.
Irina's film career, which began in 1985, saw her make her screen debut in the television film Podruzhka moya (1985). However, it was her role in the now cult Soviet film Intergirl (1989) directed by Pyotr Todorovskiy that brought her widespread recognition. Irina's portrayal of Sima-Gulliver in this film has become iconic, and her subsequent collaboration with the same director on Encore, Once More Encore! (1992) further solidified her status as a talented and versatile actress.
