Gurban Ismayilov was born in Agjabadi. After graduating from the 8th grade, he came to Baku and acquired the profession of a copywriter at vocational school No. 3 (1975). During his studies at the vocational school, he enrolled in the drama club. He performed in the troupe of the "Damga" Satirical Folk Theater operating in the House of Cultural Workers located in the building of "Azernashr". He began working as a stage machinist at the Young Spectator Theater.

He studied at the Drama and Film Acting Faculty of the Azerbaijan State Institute of Arts (1981-1985). In the final year of the institute, he worked at the "Tedris" Theater, then at the Youth Theater (1989-2009), for several months at the Miniature Theater operating under "Azkonsert", and at the "Nasimi" folklore theater on a farm account. Since 2009, he has been an actor at the Azerbaijan State Young Spectator Theater, head of the Araz Theater-Studio.

He starred in the role of Salambay in the TV series “Studenti International” (2006, director Olga Perunovskaya / Russia), as a driver in the film “Raami” (2007, director Babek Shirinsifat / Iran), as Alipaşa in the TV series “We Declare War on You” (2010, director Igor Kholodkov / Russia), and as a veteran in the film “Ali and Nino” (2015, director Asif Kapadia / Great Britain).

He was awarded the “Best actor” award in the “I Experimental Theater Festival” nomination for his role as the second immigrant in the play “Emigrants” (1995, Baku), the “Humay” award for the role of a blind father in the play “I Came, Girls” (War) (2014), and the “Best Actor” award at the 13th Eurasian International Film Festival (2017) for his role in the film “Pomegranate Garden”. He was awarded the "Artist" medal established by the Union of Theater Workers of Azerbaijan (2021).

He is an Honored Artist (2012), People's Artist (2018).