Ilona Smejkalová studied Theory and History of Literature, Theatre and Film at the Faculty of Arts, Palacký University Olomouc. As a theatre dramaturg, she has worked with Horácké Theatre Jihlava and Kladno City Theatre; she later served as head dramaturg of the drama company at National Theatre Brno (NdB Drama), based at the Mahen Theatre. She has also collaborated long-term with the Studio Ypsilon Theatre, Divadlo v Dlouhé (Theatre in Dlouhá Street), and the theatre ensemble of people experiencing homelessness Ježek a Čížek. Since the 2015/2016 season, she has been part of the dramaturgy team of National Theatre Drama in Prague. She has taught, and as a screenwriter contributed to programmes for Czech Television—including Vytunelovaný muzikál, Divadlo žije!, Divadlo Na zábradlí – Od Vyskočila k Mikuláškovi, and Nejkrásnější pohádky—to series for TV Prima, and to audio series for Audiotéka; her series Agent won Audiokniha roku (Audiobook of the Year) 2021. As an external editor, she contributes in-depth interviews with figures from culture, science and sport to the Thursday magazines of the Deník daily.