Ivan Andreevich Urgant is a Russian television host, presenter, actor, musician and producer. His best known roles in film are Boris in the Yolki series and as Danila in Lucky Trouble. Since 2012 he has hosted Evening Urgant, a late-night talk show. According to the 2008 and 2011 surveys, Urgant is Russia's most popular TV presenter.
Biography
Early life
Ivan Urgant was born in Leningrad into a family of actors, the son of Andrei Urgant and Valeriya Kiseleva. His paternal grandparents were actors Nina Urgant and Lev Milinder. Estonian surname Urgant comes from Nina's father, Nikolai Andreyevich Urgant, a NKVD Major from Luga and a son of Räpina-born Hindrik Urgand. About a year after Ivan's birth the family separated. After his parents broke up, he lived with his mother and stepfather - Leningrad actor Dmitri Ladygin. Ivan studied at the Leningrad Children's Music School No. 18, at the Gymnasium at the State Russian Museum. He graduated from Saint Petersburg State Theatre Arts Academy. After receiving his acting education, Ivan did not engage in theater as the main profession. He worked as a waiter, bartender, and then as a host in nightly shows in clubs. In 2018, it was reported he had taken Israeli citizenship.
Career
In 1999, Urgant managed to get a job at the St. Petersburg radio stations. In addition, he appeared on television, was the host of the programPetersburg Courier on Channel 5. Later, he was moved to Moscow and continued his career on the radio - first on Russian Radio, and then on "Hit-FM." In May 2001, Ivan first appeared on Moscow television, on the television channel MTV Russia. He received an invitation to a casting at a time when Olga Shelest and Anton Komolov were looking for a couple of hosts to team up with on the show Cheerful Morning. Since 2002, after the departure of the original team of VJs of "MTV Russia", he began to host the programs Total Show and Expresso. From 2003 to 2005 he was involved in a number of TV projects on the Russia-1: he was the host of TV show People's Artist and Pyramid. He has been working on Channel One since 2005. At the moment, Ivan is a TV presenter in the programs Gusto, Evening Urgant and Prozhektorperiskhilton. Also he often conducts award ceremonies. Starting from 2006, Urgant has appeared with Vladimir Posner in the travel documentary series titled Travels of Pozner and Urgant. In 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2016, Urgant was awarded TEFI. On 16 May 2009, he presented the finale of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest with former Russian Eurovision participant Alsou. In December 2017, Urgant was one of the hosts of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Team Draw Show, with Gary Lineker and Maria Komandnaya.
Ivan Urgant plays guitar, piano and drums. In the late 1990s he acted under the pseudonym Vnuk. In 2011 Ivan renewed his own singing career and now is acting under the pseudonym Grisha Urgant.
