Irina Gorbachyova was born in the city of Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR. As a child she studied vocals and choreography. In 2006-2010 she studied at the Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute, in Rodion Yuryevich Ovchinnikov's course. During her studies Irina was involved in productions at the Vakhtangov Theatre. After graduating she took part in the trainee troupe of the Pyotr Fomenko Workshop and in Oleg Tabakov's studio as a guest actress in the production of "Faryatyev's Fantasies". In 2008 she first appeared in film in a small role in director Roman Prygunov's debut film "Indigo". In 2010, for her role in Vera Storozheva's film "Compensation", she was awarded the prize for best female role at the 1st Transbaikal Film Festival. She took part in a documentary film about the Pyotr Fomenko Theatre, made for the TV channel "Russia-Kultura". In April 2016 she was nominated for the prestigious Russian award "Golden Mask" in the category "Best Female Role" for the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream". In 2016 she received the "Woman of the Year 2016" award according to GQ magazine.

On 5 December 2016 Irina Gorbacheva received the "Theatregoer's Star" in the category "Best Supporting Female Role" for the role of Elena in the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream", staged by Ivan Popovski at the Pyotr Fomenko Workshop. She is also known for her short videos on Instagram, where her sketch gags and instant improvisations attracted 1.7 million followers. She created the dance project "I Dance Around Moscow", aimed at finding inner freedom through dancing in the streets and parks of the city, helping people become more open, active and self-confident. "What is most important for me in the project... Probably to switch off this constantly working brain, this box with the idea of us, which we essentially are not, and deep down do not want to be! Almost every person wants to dance where they feel like it, to meet a smile in response, and what's more... how rarely we have come to hold each other in our arms, to shake a hand firmly, to wave to people we meet, and simply to fool around... The project is not only dances, but rather even 'dance therapy'"