Oleg Valerianovich Basilashvili was born on September 26, 1934, in Moscow, USSR. His father, Valerian Basilashvili, was a director of the Moscow Polytechnical College, and his mother, Irina Ilyinskaya, was a teacher of linguistics.
His father fabricated a story about his grandfather being a Colonel in the Imperial Army of Tsar Nicholas II, marrying a Polish lady, and settling down as a policeman. However, in reality, Basilashvili's maternal grandfather was a Russian Orthodox priest and architect who participated in the construction of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow.
During World War II, young Oleg Basilashvili was evacuated from Moscow to the Transcaucasian republic of Georgia, where he attended a primary school and lived with his paternal grandfather until the end of the war.
In 1956, Basilashvili graduated from the Acting School of the Moscow Art Theatre and made his film debut as a young groom in 'Nevesta' (The Bride, 1956) by director Grigori Nikulin, based on a story by Anton Chekhov. He joined the troupe at the Bolshoi Drama Theatre (BDT) in St. Petersburg under the leadership of director Georgi Tovstonogov and has been a permanent member of the troupe since 1959.
Basilashvili's most memorable stage works were in 'Goreot Uma' by Aleksandr Griboyedov, 'Uncle Vanya' by Anton Chekhov, 'Kholstomer' based on a story by Lev Tolstoy, 'Na Dne' by Maxim Gorky, and other classic plays, directed by Georgi Tovstonogov at the BDT in St. Petersburg.
Oleg Basilashvili has collaborated with film director Eldar Ryazanov in popular films such as 'Sluzhebny Roman' (1977),'Vokzal Dlya Dvoikh' (1982),'Nebesa obetovannye' (1991),and 'Predskazanie' (1993). He has also worked with director Georgiy Daneliya in the film 'Autumn Marathon' (1979),which became a Soviet classic.
In 2005, Basilashvili made a comeback with an impressive performance in the role of Woland in 'Master i Margarita' (2005),an adaptation of the eponymous novel of Mikhail A. Bulgakov by director Vladimir Bortko.
Oleg Basilashvili received the title of People's Artist of the USSR and was awarded the State Prize of the Soviet Union. He was decorated by the Russian government and was a representative of Leningrad (St. Petersburg) in 1990. He quit politics after 2000 and focused on his acting career.
Basilashvili is currently residing in St. Petersburg, Russia, with his second wife, Galina Mshanskaya, who is a popular TV show hostess.
