Hryhorii Ihorovych Baklanov (born 31 August 1994) is a Ukrainian stage, film and television actor. He is best known for playing Lavrin Kaidash in the STB comedy series Catch Kaidash (2020), a modern adaptation of Ivan Nechuy-Levytsky's novel The Kaidash Family. Since 2016 he has been a member of the company of the New Drama Theatre on Pechersk in Kyiv. He was named an Honored Artist of Ukraine in 2025.
Early life and education Baklanov was born on 31 August 1994 in Odesa. He attended a children's theatre school in his home city before moving to Kyiv to study acting. In 2016 he graduated from the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University, where he trained in the class of Yurii Vysotskyi.
Career
Theatre While still a student, Baklanov performed with the Kyiv Academic Young Spectator's Theatre on Lypky (2014–2016) and the Kyiv Academic Theatre of Drama and Comedy on the Left Bank of the Dnipro (2014–2015). In 2016 he joined the New Drama Theatre on Pechersk. At the New Drama Theatre he played Claudius in a 2019 production of Shakespeare's Hamlet, directed by Olha Larina and Denys Martynov. The performance earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 2020 Kyiv Pectoral theatre awards. In 2015 he received a best acting award at the GATS International Theatre Festival in Beijing for his work in Romeo and Juliet and Zabava.
Film and television Baklanov made his screen debut in 2013 and spent much of the following decade in supporting and episodic roles in Ukrainian television series, including Department 44 (2015), Bad Good Cop (2016), Doctor Kovalchuk (2017) and Ambulance (2019). He appeared in the feature films My Granny Fanny Kaplan (2016), Noble Vagabonds (2018) and Cherkasy (2020).
In May 2019 the adventure fantasy film The Hellish Banner, or Cossack Christmas, in which he plays Semen, was presented at the 48th Molodist Kyiv International Film Festival.
His breakthrough came with Catch Kaidash, produced by StarLightMedia and premiered on STB in March 2020, in which he played the lead role of Lavrin Kaidash. Later television work includes Worst Friend (2020), the family saga Saga (2020), Love and Flame (2025), and a lead role alongside Dmytro Vivchariuk in the 2+2 series Taxi for a Cop.
Voice work Baklanov voiced a number of characters in the Ukrainian-language version of the video game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl (2024). Initially hired for only a few characters, he was repeatedly asked back by developer GSC Game World and ultimately recorded entire groups of non-player characters, including members of the Ward faction and bandits, as well as crowd dialogue.
Personal life In 2021 Baklanov married actress Anastasiia Tsymbalaru, his partner of several years. The couple announced their divorce in March 2024, after about ten years together.
Theatre credits Year Title Role Theatre Notes 2019 Hamlet Claudius New Drama Theatre on Pechersk Dir. Olha Larina, Denys Martynov
Filmography Film Year Title Original title Role Notes 2013 The Meeting Liosha Short film 2016 My Granny Fanny Kaplan White Army soldier 2018 Noble Vagabonds Sinitsyn 11 Children from Morshyn Guard 2020 The Hellish Banner, or Cossack Christmas Semen Cherkasy Kok's assistant
Television Year Title Original title Role Notes 2013 Sashka Convoy guard 2014 Mongrel Lyalya Mykola Personal File Alokhin, witness Dreams Artem 2015 Immortelle Ihor Volodymyrska, 15 Touring criminal Department 44 Dmytro 2016 Lace of Fate Episode Bad Good Cop Oleh Somov, student The Foundling Pavlo, detective 2017 Defectives Episode The Major and Magic Thug Upside Down Sasha Oncoming Lane Kyrylo Doctor Kovalchuk Ihor The Ruby Ring Reporter Line of Light Hlib Dubovyk Dawn Will Come Illia Rainbow in the Sky Episode 2018 Voice from the Past Denys Solomon's Decision Mykhailo Stranger Relatives Police officer Daddies Episode 2018–2020 Nothing Happens Twice Hlib Sterzhakov 2019 Ambulance Taras, paramedic The Missing Bride Nazar Live with Wolves Valera 2020 Catch Kaidash Lavrin Kaidash Lead role Worst Friend Pavlo Saga Oleksandr Kozak (aged 18–33) 2025 Love and Flame Sviatoslav Moroz Taxi for a Cop Lead role
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2024 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Various characters Ukrainian voice
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2015 GATS International Theatre Festival (Beijing) Best Acting Romeo and Juliet, Zabava 2020 Kyiv Pectoral Best Supporting Actor Hamlet 2025 State honours of Ukraine Honored Artist of Ukraine —
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