LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� When it comes to acting, considers herself to be a person of extremes.
鈥淐inema is supposed to be provoking. It鈥檚 not supposed to be, I think, something that is somewhere in the middle,鈥� the Oscar-nominated actor said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.
If a movie doesn鈥檛 make you feel something, she said, 鈥渨hat was really the point?鈥�
Bakalova both stars in her latest project, 鈥淭he Honeymoon,鈥� and worked as a producer, something she said she hopes to do more of in the future.
鈥淭he more I grow up, the more I want to spend time behind the camera,鈥� she said, citing a need for more women to direct and write.
鈥淭he Honeymoon,鈥� now available to rent on streaming, is a comedy replete with extremes.
The drug-and-toilet-humor-filled comedy may seem like a long way off from her initial dream of acting in the kinds of films made in the led by Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg. The Bulgarian actress was so captivated by Danish cinema that she convinced her parents to take her to Copenhagen in an effort to get whatever job she could at von Trier鈥檚 production company.
But she realized different genres can achieve similar ends after her breakout role in 鈥淏orat Subsequent Moviefilm,鈥� a project she praised for its ability to effect change.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a social experiment that can show people鈥檚 true colors. And at the end of the day, that should be the most important part because art can influence people,鈥� she said.
Although her role in 鈥淏orat鈥� opened her up to the potential and importance of a variety of genres, Bakalova said she still believes actors should be discerning about what parts they accept.
鈥淒on鈥檛 be too picky,鈥� she cautioned, but said actors have a responsibility to select roles that are 鈥渨orthy of your attention and people鈥檚 attention because you鈥檙e not doing this art just for yourself.鈥� She believes the secret to longevity in Hollywood is to never settle into one genre or character.
When she thinks back on her time making 鈥淏orat,鈥� Bakalova said the with Rudy Giuliani felt like the most precarious of Sacha Baron Cohen鈥檚 antics, calling it a 鈥渟cary situation.鈥�
鈥淚 absolutely had no way to communicate with Sacha,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what was going to happen.鈥�
Bakalova, who had never acted in an English-language film prior to 鈥淏orat,鈥� had a busy year in 2022. In addition to 鈥淭he Honeymoon,鈥� she starred in and Judd Apatow鈥檚 鈥淭he Bubble.鈥� She will make her Marvel debut in 2023 with 鈥淕uardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.鈥�
Aside from acting, one of Bakalova鈥檚 goals at some point is to meet fellow flutist Lizzo.
鈥淚f I just ever have a chance to be next to her, at least look at her, that鈥檚 going to be the best day of my life," she said.
Krysta Fauria, The Associated Press
