 Chulyukin was born in Moscow to a Bolshoi Theatre director.His mother studied under the famous actor Mikhail Astangov (born Ruzhnikov), and Chulyukin bore a striking resemblance to him which led to speculations inside the artistic circles; according to Chulyukin's first wife Natalya Kustinskaya, this topic was tabooed inside his family.He studied for an artist at the Central Children's Theatre and headed the amateur theatre at the Moscow Factory of Cinematographic Equipment.