Biography

Maria Valcheva Bakalova (/bəˈkɑːləvə/ bə-KAH-lə-və; born 4 June 1996) is a Bulgarian actress. She has received various accolades, including a Critics' Choice Movie Award and nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Golden Globe Award. Born and raised in Burgas, Bakalova began her career in Bulgarian cinema while attending the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts. She mostly portrayed dramatic roles in films such as Transgression (2017), The Father (2019), Last Call (2020), and Women Do Cry (2021). She rose to prominence after starring in the 2020 mockumentary film Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, which earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.