Marin Yanev graduated from the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria, in the class of Metodi Andonov in 1967. He worked at the Varna Drama Theatre, the Plovdiv Drama Theatre, and the New Theatre "Tears and Laughter". Among his theatre roles: Nausikles in Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors", McMurphy in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by D. Wasserman. Since 1985 he has been in the company of the National Theatre "Ivan Vazov", where his leading roles include: Heinrich in "The Fireplace" by Margarita Minkova, the Lord in "The Church of Wolves" by Petar Atanasov, Bubnov in "The Lower Depths" by Maxim Gorky, the Doctor in Shakespeare's "Macbeth", Professor Santana in "Ghosts in Naples" by Eduardo De Filippo, Preskovich in "Santa Claus Is a Stinker" by Josiane Balasko, the Messenger from Corinth in Sophocles' "Oedipus Rex", the Artist in "Macbeth" by Eugène Ionesco, Spiridon in "Day Off" by Kamen Donev, La Farre in Shakespeare's "King Lear", Olivares in "Doomed Souls" by Dimitar Dimov, Anuchkin in "The Marriage" by Nikolai Gogol, the Teacher in "The Peach Thief".

Marin Yanev is a recipient of the "Asker 1998" award for Best Supporting Actor for the film "The Church of Wolves" and the award of the Union of Bulgarian Artists for Best Actor for his role as McMurphy in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". He appeared in classic Bulgarian films such as "The Goat Horn", "A Tree Without Roots", "Where Do You Live?" His last performance was in the film "Buffer Zone".