Honored Artist of the RSFSR (31.07.1970). People's Artist of Russia (29.12.1994).

In 1962 she graduated from the A.V. Lunacharsky State Institute of Theatre Arts (Adyghe studio). In 1960 she was accepted into the troupe of the Moscow Theatre for Young Spectators in the travesty role. One of her best roles was in the play "My Brother Plays the Clarinet". In 1977 she moved to the troupe of the Sovremennik Theatre, to director Galina Volchek. The actress began appearing in films in 1973, and already her debut role in the film "I'm Looking for a Man" was noted with prizes at international film festivals in Varna and Locarno. Liya Akhedzhakova appeared in films by many prominent directors; her acting even in episodes always attracted the attention of viewers - it is enough to mention the roles in Alexei German's film "Twenty Days Without War" and Vladimir Menshov's melodrama "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears" - however, her talent as a sharply characteristic actress, inclined toward grotesque and tragicomic roles, manifested itself most vividly in the films of director Eldar Ryazanov, with whom she first met in 1975 on the shooting of "The Irony of Fate". For the role of the secretary Verochka she, along with other creators of "Office Romance", was awarded the State Prize of the RSFSR named after the Vasilyev brothers. According to Eldar Ryazanov himself, the role of Elena Malaeva in "The Garage" was written by him together with Emil Braginsky specifically "for" Akhedzhakova.

For her role in Ryazanov's tragicomedy "Promised Heaven", recognized as film of the year, she was named best actress of 1991 according to a poll by the magazine "Soviet Screen".