Ilka Zafirova was born on April 8, 1941 in Sofia, Bulgaria. She graduated in "acting" in National Academy for Theatre and Film Art, Sofia, Bulgaria in the class of Professor Moise Beniesh in 1966 and the same year she joined the Drama Theatre in Veliko Tarnovo .

In1968-1969, she was in the troupe of Plovdiv Drama Theater. Twice, in 1970-1971 and in 1974-1975, she played in Pazardzhik Drama Theater. After 1977 she settled in Theatre "Sofia" until 1990, when she has passed to the troupe of the Little City Theatre "Off the Channel" .