Maria Valcheva Bakalova (born June 4, 1996) is a Bulgarian actress known for her breakthrough in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020), which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Born in Burgas, she trained at the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts and began her career in Bulgarian cinema, appearing in dramatic films like Transgression (2017), The Father (2019), Last Call (2020), and Women Do Cry (2021). She has since starred in Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022), The Apprentice (2024), and voiced Cosmo the Spacedog in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) and a role in the DC series Creature Commandos (2024). Her accolades include a Critics’ Choice Award and nominations for the Academy, BAFTA, SAG, and Golden Globe Awards.
