Nikolai Grinko (1920 – 1989) was a Soviet actor, renowned for his prolific collaboration with director Andrei Tarkovsky, which made him one of the most recognizable faces of Soviet art-house cinema.

Grinko played memorable roles in almost all of Tarkovsky's masterpieces, including the Father in *Ivan's Childhood* (1962), Daniil Chyorny in *Andrei Rublev* (1966), Burton in *Solaris* (1972), the Film Man in *The Mirror* (1975), and the Writer in *Stalker* (1979).

He was known for his ability to embody intellectual, contemplative, and deeply morally upright characters, often understated figures who were nonetheless of crucial narrative importance. His acting, characterized by a restrained naturalness and a powerful screen presence, allowed him to imbue his roles with great dignity and complexity, even when secondary. Outside of Tarkovsky's cinema, he appeared in numerous other films, but it is his work with the Russian master that defines his artistic legacy.