Olga Kalmykova was accepted to the Leningrad State Academy Theater of Drama named after Pushkin in 1972. She debuted in an episodic role of Glasha in L. Shein’s play “A Grave Accusation” (1973). She played her first major roles in the modern soviet dramas: Tamara (“Hoar-frost on the Stacks” by L.Moiseyev, 1973),  Anyuta (“The Hurricane” by A. Sofronov, 1975), Polya Vikhrova (“Invitation to Life” by L. Leonov, 1976), Tanya (“A Non-weeping Willow” by M. Alexeyeva, 1977), etc. Her characters were typical, recognizable, as if cut of from the modern life stream. But one could see a willful and purposeful nature behind the seeming simplicity and naivet? of her heroines. Her characters attributed with expressive and well noticed features, Olga Kalmykova managed to create exact social and psychological types. In the years of her work at the Alexandrinsky Theater, Olga Kalmykova played more than 70 roles. The viewers know Olga Kalmykova by her work in the television and cinema. She played in such films as “Krosh’s Vacations”(1970), “Babushka” (2004), “Piter FM” (2005), the popular series “The Slaughter Force” and “Streets of Broken Street Lights,” etc.

At present, Olga Kalmykova is engaged in the performance Ksenia. The History of Love by V. Levanov (Director Valery Fokin, 2009). She is engaged in the group scenes of W.Shakespeare's Hamlet (Director Valery Fokin, 2010)