List of Famous people born in Azerbaijan
Garry Kasparov
Garry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion, writer, and political activist and commentator. From 1984 until his retirement in 2005, Kasparov was ranked world No. 1 for 255 months overall for his career. His peak rating of 2851, achieved in 1999, was the highest recorded until being surpassed by Magnus Carlsen in 2013. Kasparov also holds records for the most consecutive professional tournament victories (15) and Chess Oscars (11).
Vladimir Menshov
Vladimir Valentinovich Menshov is a Soviet and Russian actor and film director. He is noted for depicting the Russian everyman and working class life in his films.
Telman Ismailov
Telman Mardanovich Ismailov is an Azerbaijani-born businessman and entrepreneur of Mountain Jewish origin. Since Azerbaijan does not allow dual citizenship, he holds Russian-Turkish citizenship. He is the chairman of the Russian AST Group of companies, which is active in many countries. Until 2009, Ismailov owned the Europe's then-largest marketplace, Cherkizovsky Market, located in Moscow, Russia.
Larisa Dolina
Larisa Aleksandrovna Dolina is an Azerbaijani-born prominent Russian jazz and pop singer and an actress. She was awarded the Order of Honour in 2005.
Yevgeny Petrosyan
Yevgeny Vaganovich Petrosyan is a Soviet/Russian comedian of Armenian and Jewish descents. He was named in 2005 among the most influential figures in contemporary Russia, in a survey conducted by independent polling agency The Levada Centre. Popular since the days of the USSR, Petrosyan was the host of TV variety show Crooked Mirror.
Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev is the fourth and current president of Azerbaijan, serving in the post since 31 October 2003.
Isabel dos Santos
Isabel dos Santos is an Angolan businesswoman, Africa's richest woman (2013-2020) and the eldest child of Angola's former President José Eduardo dos Santos, who ruled the country from 1979 to 2017. In 2013, according to Forbes, her net worth had exceeded US$2 billion making her Africa's first female US dollar billionaire. Forbes described how dos Santos acquired her wealth by taking stakes in companies doing business in Angola, suggesting that her wealth comes almost entirely from her family's power and connections. In November 2015, the BBC named dos Santos as one of the 100 most influential women in the world.
Yuli Gusman
Yuli Solomonovich Gusman is a Soviet, Russian and Azerbaijani film director and actor. He is the founder and CEO of the prestigious Nika Award.
Polad Bulbuloghlu
Polad Bülbüloğlu is a Soviet and Azerbaijani singer, actor, politician, and diplomat. Bülbüloğlu became famous in the Soviet Union with composing jazz-influenced pop songs which has heavy Azeri folk feelings in Russian and Azerbaijani languages. He also sang his own songs. Three of his songs became Songs of the Year and he received numerous prestigious awards in the Soviet Union. Bülbüloğlu is a lyrical tenor.
Nesrin Cavadzade
Nesrin Cavadzade is a Turkish actress of Azerbaijani origin.She is known for her supporting role Tülay Sertkaya in TV series Bizim Hikaye.