Oleg Ivanovich Yankovskiy (February 23, 1944 – May 20, 2009) was one of the most celebrated and influential Soviet and Russian actors of the late 20th century. His career took off both on stage, primarily at the Lenkom Theatre in Moscow under the direction of Mark Zakharov, and on the big screen. He gained international recognition for his collaborations with director Andrei Tarkovsky in the films *The Mirror* (1975) and *Nostalgia* (1983), in which he portrayed the tormented protagonist. In his homeland, he was iconic for his roles in Mark Zakharov's films such as *An Ordinary Miracle* (1978) and *That Same Munchausen* (1979), and in Roman Balayan's *Flights in Dreams and in Reality* (1983), a film symbolic of a generation. Praised for his ability to embody intellectual, complex, and charismatic characters, Yankovskiy left an indelible mark on cinema and theatre. For his artistic contributions, he was awarded numerous accolades, including the title of People's Artist of the USSR in 1991, the highest honor for an artist, and several State Prizes of the Russian Federation.