In parallel, he graduated from the acting department Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (workshop of Yevgeny Kindinov).

Natalia Pogonicheva) and received the prize for best actor at the film festival VGIK.

Merzlikin supported the pro-Russian separatist movement during the war in Donbas, referring to secessionist fighters as "heroes.

"[5] In May 2015 Merzlikin visited the separatist-controlled Donetsk People's Republic, where he and other Russian actors presented film "The Brest Fortress".

The actor publicly voiced his support for Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.