Maria Smolnikova was born in the city of Sverdlovsk (nowadays Yekaterinburg) on December 17, 1987.
She studied at an experimental school in Yekaterinburg. As a youth Maria played in the Young Spectator Theater in her home city of Yekaterinburg and dreamed of entering the Russian University of Theatre Arts (GITIS) in Moscow.
However her first two attempts failed and only after te third time Maria was admitted to an experimental course under the leadership of Evgeny Kamenkovich and Dmitry Krymov.The would-be famous actress graduated from the university in 2011.
Maria Smolnikova works in School of Drama Art theater headed by Dmitry Krymov. She gained universal acclaim and fame with her role in Fyodor Bondarchuk's movie Stalingrad (2013).

Filmography

• Daughter (2012)
• God has Plans (2012)
• Melisenda (2012)
• Stalingrad (2013)
• Kuprin (TV series) (2014)
• Fort Ross: Looking for Aventures (2014)
• No Witnesses (2015)

Awards

• Natalya Gundareva Prize to  the Best Actress in the Audience Choice Contest at the 10th Moscow National Film Festival for the leading female role in the feature film The Daughter (2012)

• Best Actress Prize at the 10th all-Russian film festival Long Live Cinema of Russia! in St. Petersburg for her role in the feature film The Daughter (2012).
• Golden Mask in the nomination The Best Actress for her role in the stage play Oh, Late Love! (2016)