Maria Bakalova

Maria Bakalova is a Bulgarian actress who shot to international fame with her scene-stealing performance in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020), earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Born on June 4, 1996, in Burgas, Bulgaria, Bakalova developed a passion for acting at a young age and studied at the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia, one of Bulgaria’s most prestigious performing arts institutions.

Before her Hollywood breakthrough, Bakalova built a solid career in Bulgarian cinema. She appeared in several Bulgarian films, including Transgression (2018) and Last Call (2019), earning recognition within the European film community. Her talent caught the attention of international casting directors, and she went through an extensive, secretive audition process before landing the role of Tutar Sagdiyev, Borat’s daughter, in the 2020 sequel. Her ability to maintain the illusion of the character during real-world prank sequences was remarkable and demonstrated extraordinary improvisational skill.

The success of Borat 2 opened doors to major Hollywood projects. Bakalova appeared in Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022), the A24 horror-comedy that became a cult hit, and joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Cosmo the Spacedog (voice and motion capture) in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023). She also starred in the critically acclaimed film The Apprentice (2024), portraying Ivana Trump opposite Sebastian Stan.

With her Oscar nomination, Marvel involvement, and growing list of prestigious film credits, Bakalova has established herself as one of the most versatile young actresses working today. Her estimated net worth of $3 million reflects a career that has rapidly ascended from Bulgarian cinema to the global stage, with many more opportunities ahead.