A movie based on Donald Trump’s life was always a matter of when, not if, and lo and behold, here it is. The Apprentice will be directed by the acclaimed director of Border, Ali Abbasi. The production for the upcoming film seems to kicking as the main cast of the movie was announced recently, consisting of names like Sebastian Stan in the lead role, Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn, and Maria Bakalova will be taking on the role of Ivana Trump. Out of all the actors mentioned, Maria has a rather short but critically acclaimed resume. Here’s everything we know about her.
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The early life of Maria Bakalova
Similar to many of her peers, Bakalova harbored dreams of acting since she was a child. At the tender age of 6, the Bulgarian actress had already started taking singing and flute lessons. Her passion for the creative arts carried over into her adult life, when she decided to enroll in the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts in the capital city of her home country, Sofia.
It didn’t take long for the actress to start auditioning as soon as she was done with her studies. In fact, Maria recorded her audition tape for the Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020) on her cell phone at a party after graduating from her university. As many would know, the then-23-year-old ended up landing the role in the award-winning mockumentary.
Maria Bakalova’s many firsts
The 27-year-old has been nothing short of a trailblazer when it comes to her career accolades. Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat Subsequent Moviefilm gave Maria her first-ever Oscar nomination, but this wasn’t only a first for her, but also for a Bulgarian actress or actor. And it doesn’t end there, she’s also the first ever from her country to ever get nominated for a Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics Choice Awards, and many more. One of the most viral moments of the actress came on the set of her film, The Bubble when the director Judd Apatow absurdly cut a scene in between to tell a confused Bakalova that she had been nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 2021 Oscars.
Meanwhile, she has been appearing in critically acclaimed hit movies, from Bodies Bodies Bodies to Guardians of the Galaxy. And with her next role being that of the controversial Ivana Trump in The Apprentice, the actress is all set to make waves once again alongside some big hitters of the industry.
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