Why Maria Bakalova refuses to leave L.A. as other stars exit: “I just fell in love”

Maria Bakalova is officially branding herself a Cali Girl.

The Bulgarian-born actress, known for having played Tutar, Sacha Baron Cohen's character's daughter, in 2020's Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, sat down for an exclusive interview with People on May 20, 2025, where she reflected on what's keeping her from leaving California.

The actress, who currently stars in the psychological thriller Electra, told the outlet of how she came to love the City of Angels.

"I was lucky to meet the type of people, even in the heart of the entertainment industry in Hollywood, in Los Angeles, who were interested in global topics or the environment or connected to politics," she said. "I met a lot of people younger than me who are way much more outspoken about life in general than I knew before. I just fell in love with the place. And I fell in love with the people who live here."

Maria Bakalova's career since she moved to LA explored

Maria Bakalova told the outlet that initially, she didn't plan on relocating to America. Instead, she was looking to move to Denmark, seeing as how she was a fan of Danish theater. Bakalova herself was trained in the art of theater, singing, and playing the flute, from the age of 12.

"I thought I could move to Copenhagen, learn the language and work there and pretty much stay connected in films in Europe, with directors like Lars Von Trier. Then a magical thing happened, and I was introduced to Sacha Baron Cohen," she told the outlet.

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm was filmed in 2019 in Los Angeles, and by the following year, Maria Bakalova realised she was in love with California.

"Then the rest of it, as they say, is history. I was also lucky to meet people who are dedicated to their jobs in different areas from mine. I have friends who are doing wine-tasting. I have friends who are making jewelry. I have friends who are lawyers," she added.

In Electra, a psychological thriller, the actress plays the role of a secretive party girl cum performance artist named Francesca who plays with the minds of visitors at an Italian villa.

Speaking with UPI earlier this month, Maria Bakalova reflected on how acting makes her feel, noting that playing characters "always gave me the freedom to be bolder, to be more outspoken, to be more daring to do stuff, to say stuff."

She added, "I actually live a happier life, a healthier life, a better day if I'm shooting something or if I'm rehearsing something."

Maria Bakalova also stars in A24's Bodies Bodies Bodies, a horror comedy film written by Kristen Roupenian and directed by Halina Reijn. It features a star-studded lineup, including renowned comedian Pete Davidson, Shiva Baby’s Rachel Sennott, Industry’s Myha-la Herrold, Lee Pace, and Chase Sui Wonders, among others.

Bodies Bodies Bodies is currently available to stream on iPlayer, where it will remain until June 15.

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