Maria Bakalova to Sign for SWAU!
SWAU is proud to announce an exclusive first-time autograph signing with Maria Bakalova!
Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Maria Bakalova is a star on the rise. Named one of Variety’s 10 Actors to Watch, Maria is best known for her breakout performance as ‘Tutar’ in BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM, for which she became the first Bulgarian to receive an Academy Award Best Supporting Actress Nomination, a Golden Globe Award Best Actress Nomination and a SAG Award Best Supporting Actress Nomination. She is also the recipient of the 2021 Broadcast Film Critics Best Supporting Actress Award and the 2021 Gold Derby Breakthrough Performer Award.
Maria can most recently be heard voicing fan-favorite “Cosmo the Spacedog” in the final installment of Marvel’s GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. She starred opposite Amandla Stenberg, Rachel Sennot, and Pete Davidson in A24’s hit horror comedy BODIES BODIES BODIES, which was nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards. She also starred opposite Pedro Pascal in Judd Apatow’s star-studded Netflix feature THE BUBBLE and in the independent feature THE HONEYMOON, the latter of which she also produced.
Maria recently appeared in Sofia Coppola’s independent feature FAIRYLAND, which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. This past year she also shot Jerry Seinfeld’s star-studded Netflix feature UNFROSTED, the independent feature O HORIZON, Hala Matar’s independent feature ELECTRA, Peter Valchanov and Kristina Grozeva’s independent feature TRIUMPH, and Martin Campbell’s independent feature DIRTY ANGELS. Her upcoming filming schedule also includes Rebekah Fortune’s LEARNING TO BREATHE UNDERWATER; Mikael Salomon’s spy thriller BIRD’S EYE for Aloe Entertainment; Tim Sutton’s FLOODPLAIN opposite Ben Foster and Justice Smith for Topic Studios; Kieron Hawkes’ independent feature BRANDED, based on the New Yorker article “The Brand” by New York Times bestselling author David Grann; Cassandra Brooksbank’s action comedy MY MASTERPIECE for Balboa Studios; and Paul Feig’s UNTITLED SPY COMEDY opposite Sebastian Stan for Paramount.
She began her career in Bulgaria with a series of short films and studied at the National School of Arts in Burgas, majoring in acting for drama theater. She later studied at the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia. Her earlier films include THE FATHER, where Maria plays the critical role of the mother 'Valentina', which won the Grand Prix Crystal Globe award at the renowned 54th Karlovy Vary Film Festival. Her most recent Bulgarian-language film WOMEN DO CRY premiered at Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for both Un Certain Regard Award and the Queer Palm. For her starring performance, Maria won “Best Leading Actress” at the Bulgarian Film Academy Awards. Both films received outstanding reviews by major US and European film critic publications including The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, lndieWire, CineEuropa, and Screen Daily.
