Maria Bakalova is a Bulgarian actress who gained international recognition after her portrayal of Tutar Sagdiyev in the American mockumentary Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020). She has also appeared in several Bulgarian films such as Beyond the Line (2018), Last Call (2020) and The Father (2020).
Wiki/Biography
Maria Bakalova was born on Tuesday, June 4, 1996 in Burgas, Bulgaria (24 years old in 2020). Maria Bakalova is a trained singer and flutist. She started studying the flute at the age of six. In an interview, she said,
I started singing when I was 5 or 6, and then I started playing the flute. But then, I wanted to explore more. I wanted to escape. Because in acting, you can be anything. You can do anything. You can live on Mars.
She studied at the Burgas State Art School, majoring in acting and minoring in flute, and then attended the theater arts course at the Krastiņš Sarafov State Academy of Theater and Film Arts in Sofia.
Maria Bakalova with her father as a child
appearance
Height (approximate): 5′ 5″
Hair color: Black
Eye color: Black
Family and Race
Parents and siblings
Maria Bakalova’s mother’s name was Rumiana Bakalova.
Maria Bakalova and her father
Maria Bakalova and her mother
Relationships, husbands and children
We know very little about her relationships.
Profession
television
In 2015, Maria Bakalova made her debut in the Bulgarian television series Tipichno.
Movie
In 2017, she made her debut in the Bulgarian film XIIa, playing the role of Milena.
Maria Bakalova, XIIa (2017)
Later, in 2018, she starred in the Bulgarian film Crossing the Line (2018), playing the role of Yana, a young girl who falls in love with an older man. Maria received much praise for her role as Yana, for which she won the Best Actress Award at the Toronto Alternative Film Festival (2018).
In 2020, she starred in the film Last Call, playing the role of Alexandra. The plot of the film Last Call revolves around a girl who must be saved from suicide by the power of love. Later, in 2020, she rose to fame with the American mockumentary Borat Sequel, in which she played the role of Tutar Sagdiyev, a 15-year-old girl who travels to the United States with her father Borat, who tries to give Tutar as a ceremonial gift to Vice President Mike Pence to restore the honor of Kazakhstan. Maria Bakalova won several honors such as Breakthrough Star of the Year and Best Supporting Actress for her role as Tutar Sagdiyev.
Awards/Honors
- Won the Best Actress Award at the Alternative Film Festival (2018) for the film “Transgression”
- Won the Boston Online Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress (2020)
- Won the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress (2020)
- Won the Florida Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress (2020)
- Won the Indiana Film Journalists Association Award for Best Supporting Actress (2020)
- Won the Indiana Film Journalists Association Award (2020) Breakthrough Award (2020)
- Won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress (2020)
Favorite things
- Actresses: Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman
- OTT/web series: Dark (2017), Money Heist (2017), Outlaws (2020)
Facts/Trivia
- Maria Bakalova Alba Baptista smokes occasionally.
- Mariah has posted several photos on her Instagram account showing her drinking regularly.
- Maria was a bibliophile as a child and loved reading. In an interview, she said,
I was very disciplined as a kid. I read a lot. When I was about 15 or 16, I got into Dostoyevsky.
- She has also starred in several Bulgarian short films such as Kalinka (2018), Due to Unforeseen Circumstances (2019), Dream Girl (2019), and others.
- Maria Bakalova has various tattoos on her body, including on her hip, left arm, and on each ankle.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education