Aleksey Shaynin (often spelled Alexey Sheynin) was born on December 18, 1947, in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), Russia. He is a distinguished Soviet and Russian stage and film actor, as well as a dedicated drama teacher, who was honored as a People's Artist of the Russian Federation in 1999. Since 1970, he has been a pillar of the Yermolova Theatre in Moscow, where he has performed in countless classic and contemporary plays. While deeply rooted in theatre, Shaynin gained widespread recognition for his screen roles in projects such as the television film The Ataman's Error (1978) and more recently in the long-running family saga Always Say "Always" (2003–2012). As of 2025, he remains an influential figure in the Russian arts, continuing his work on stage and serving as a professor at the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts (GITIS), where he helps shape the next generation of actors.