Born in Gorky in the Soviet Union in 1978, Natalya Kudryashova studied acting at the Nizhegorodsky Theatre School before taking a directing course with Anatoly Vasiliev at the School of Dramatic Art in Moscow. Since 2001, she has appeared as an actress in numerous theatre productions in Moscow. Kudrashova received the Best Actress Award for her role in The Man Who Surprises Everyone at Venice Horizons 2018. Her feature film Pioneer Heroes (2015) was screened at the Berlinale and the Goteborg Film Festival.