Merle Talvik was born on June 6, 1954, in Tallinn, Estonia, to Herbert and Asta Talvik (née Tomson). She began her performing career in the mid-1970s, initially as part of an ensemble cast with the Viru Varietee, a variety show established at the Viru Hotel in Tallinn.
Talvik attended primary and secondary schools in Tallinn before enrolling at the Tallinn State Conservatory (now, the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre) in 1973, at the age of nineteen. She graduated in 1978 and began a year-long engagement as a stage actress at the Vanemuine theatre in Tartu.
Over the next twenty years, Talvik performed in over fifty stage roles with the Vanalinnastuudio in Tallinn. Her first significant film role was as Tonya in the 1977 Russian language film The Sun, the Sun Again, directed by Svetlana Druzhinina for Mosfilm.
In 1978, she appeared in her first Estonian film, Reigi õpetaja, directed by Jüri Müür. The following year, she had a starring role as Katrina Leet in the Arvo Kruusement-directed drama Karge meri, based on the 1938 novel of the same name by author August Gailit.
Talvik's other film roles include Daisy in the 1985 Ago-Endrik Kerge-directed Tallinnfilm musical-drama Savoy Ball and smaller roles in the 1980 Kaljo Kiisk-directed drama Metskannikesed; the 1987 Lembit Ulfsak-directed comedy-drama Keskea rõõmud; the 1990 Kaljo Kiisk-directed drama Regina, based on the 1978 novel Valikuvõimalus by Aimée Beekman; and in the 2009 Hannu Salonen-directed crime-drama Vasha.
In addition to her stage and film work, Talvik has frequently appeared on Estonian television. She has had recurring roles in several popular TV series, including Õnne 13, Nurjatud tüdrukud, and Kättemaksukontor, as well as the Kanal 2 comedy-drama series Naabriplika.
