Contemporary Ukrainian Actors: From Local Film to International Projects

How actors from Ukraine are gradually breaking into international film projects.

In recent years, Ukrainian actors have traveled a path from a local presence in theater and film to roles in international series and movies. Careers built within Ukraine's cultural sphere have gradually moved beyond national borders and found a place in projects with international crews and global audiences.

Recent cases of Ukrainian stars appearing in foreign productions — read on in this DeTalks roundup.

Karyna Khymchuk

Before reaching the international stage, Karyna's acting career began with supporting roles, including in the film Kings of Rap, which became her entry point into the industry and cemented her interest in screen work.

The next stage was a lead role in Do You Love Me?, directed by Tonia Noiabrova. That role brought Khymchuk professional recognition, festival honors, and the Golden Dziga award.

After her success in Ukrainian film, Khymchuk appeared in the Dutch Netflix series Ferry, marking her move into the European television market.

The next stage of her career was tied to British cinema. Karyna appeared in Urchin, the directorial debut of Harris Dickinson, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

Yelyzaveta Tsilyk

Before her full film debut, Yelyzaveta was already actively performing in contemporary theater projects. In 2018, for instance, Tsilyk appeared in the play Hostages at the Mystetskyi Arsenal theater lab, and played Sandy in the play Asexual at Dykyi Theatre.

Yelyzaveta Tsilyk got her first screen role in Rhino, a feature film by director Oleg Sentsov. After that, the actress began systematically building a television career and later took on one of the key roles in the series Living With Wolves.

Tsilyk's next stage of development took her to international projects. The actress, for instance, joined the British series One Day, in which she played a supporting role. Her involvement in that project marked her first experience working on an international production.

Alina Smoliar

Alina Smoliar wanted to become an actress from an early age and consistently worked on her stagecraft while still in school. During that time, she attended theater studios and developed her visual thinking through drawing, which shaped her later approach to character and physicality. Smoliar got her first screen experience in 2012, appearing in an episode of the TV series A Sure Cure.

The next stage of Alina's career was tied to the American film industry. She trained professionally in Los Angeles, adapting to the Western industrial production model and steadily building her filmography in supporting roles. In 2019, for instance, Alina played Luz in the series Kill in the Blank and, the same year, played Hannah in the film Firstborn.

Alina later moved beyond supporting roles and played the lead, Jibaro — a golden mermaid-like siren — in an episode of the animated anthology series Love, Death & Robots. In that episode, she carried the central storyline.

Her character was the ninth standalone episode, existing as a complete, self-contained story within the anthology. The episode itself was honored with an Emmy Award.

Oleksandr Rudynskyi

While studying at the Karpenko-Kary Kyiv National University of Theatre, Cinema and Television, Rudynskyi combined his studies with practical work from the start, and after graduating, joined the company of the Ivan Franko National Drama Theatre, working across the classical and contemporary repertoire.

At the same time, the actor built a screen career in Ukraine. One of his first notable film roles was in The 11 Children of Morshyn, and broader recognition followed his lead role in the TV series First Swallows, and later in its sequel, First Swallows: Addicted, where Oleksandr again played the central character.

Before long, the actor began working with European casting directors and recording self-tapes in English. Rudynskyi went on to appear in the Franco-Italian western Django.

A key international project was his role in the Netflix series The Decameron. In that project, the actor played a charismatic bandit who appeared across several episodes, built on physical expressiveness and restrained facial acting.

His international professional recognition grew further after Rock Paper Scissors, in which Oleksandr Rudynskyi played the lead role. The film received a BAFTA nomination.

Zakhar Shadrin

Before establishing himself in international projects, the young actor trained at the Ukrainian Film School and worked in film and television. During this period, Zakhar appeared in the series Novenka and The Bobrynsky House, as well as in the war drama Sniper: The White Raven, where he established himself in dramatic roles.

The turning point in Shadrin's career was his role in the Apple TV+ series Little America. In the episode 'The Space Door,' he played DJ Maksym — a Ukrainian who, after a long period of immigration uncertainty, receives a US visa but faces the devastating consequences of breaking with his old life.

Thanks to his role in Little America, Zakhar Shadrin became the first Ukrainian actor ever nominated for an Emmy Award. Following that success, Shadrin expanded his filmography with international projects, including The Last Mercenary, the series Totems, and the film The Chapel.