Anton Lapenko

Anton Vyacheslavovich Lapenko, born on September 1, 1986, in Zelenograd, Moscow, USSR, is a distinguished actor in both film and theater in Russia.

Lapenko gained widespread recognition in 2019 for his comedic sketches on Instagram, which are uniquely styled to mimic retro VHS tapes. His engaging characters include a self-doubting engineer, a journalist hosting the show *The Mystery of the Hole*, and the quirky steamroller driver, Igor Katamaranov. By January 2020, his entertaining content had attracted a substantial following, with his channel amassing 1.5 million subscribers.

In December 2019, Lapenko launched the YouTube series *Within Lapenko*, a project that he not only created but also starred in, playing all the characters. Collaborating with comedian Aleksei Smirnov, who served as the screenwriter and director, the series draws inspiration from the narratives of his Instagram characters. It is characterized by a distinctive aesthetic reminiscent of late Soviet cinema, blending elements from the 1980s and 1990s into a unique universe.

Critics have praised Lapenko's work, with Egor Maksimov from *Maxim Online* describing the series as a parody of various Soviet television genres. Lapenko has been likened to legendary figures like Leonid Gaidai and the Monty Python troupe, celebrated for his distinctive absurdist humor that resonates with audiences today.