[2] Bodrov was born in Khabarovsk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (now Russia).

His son, actor Sergei Bodrov, Jr. was killed in an avalanche in the mountains of the North Caucasus on 20 September 2002, while shooting a film titled The Messenger.

Bodrov's paternal grandmother was an ethnic Buryat, which influenced his decision to make the movie Mongol.

His mother was Tatar,[3] while his paternal grandfather was an ethnic Russian.

Bodrov currently has an apartment in Los Angeles and a ranch in Arizona.