It should open up discussions on how things can be better."
Briarcliff Entertainment
Sparking those kinds of conversations is part of what Bakalova loves about being an artist.
But at first, becoming a movie star felt like a far-fetched childhood dream.
Maria Bakalova in ‘The Apprentice’.Briarcliff Entertainment
“I’d never done improv beforeBorat.
I was just thrown into this world of comedy,” she says.
“But I do believe it was helpful to work with Sacha.
Maria Bakalova and Sacha Baron Cohen in ‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm’.Amazon Studios
And I love him; he’s my forever hero.”
And I know I can trust him, so I jump after him," she says.
So it was wonderful."
Sebastian Stan and Maria Bakalova in ‘The Apprentice’.Briarcliff Entertainment
“Maria was extremely prepared.
We had a lot of trust,” Stan agrees.
“This is a thing I don’t understand.
Maria Bakalova in ‘The Apprentice’.Briarcliff Entertainment
And it’s important because it changes your mentality.
you’re able to have everything, and then you’re able to lose absolutely everything.
Going through that changes your way of thinking and the way you approach life.”
Maria Bakalova in ‘The Apprentice’ Ivana Trump in 1988.Briarcliff Entertainment; Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty
She adds of Ivana, “I understand her in a lot of ways.
Finding ways to relate to her character was crucial for Bakalova’s process.
And I wanted to play her with respect and dignity.”
“Maria’s job was quite difficult,” Abbasi notes.
The more she learned, the more she saw herself in the late socialite and businesswoman.
“She was born in communist Slovakia.
I know how much it takes.”
Abbasi recognized Bakalova’s dedication to proving herself the first time they met.
She tried to sell me Ivana on the spot."
Bakalova adds, “I was volumizing my hair for two hours before going.
I was like, this is so awkward, but it’s worth it.”
“I was like, that was actually better,” Abbasi recalls.
“So, actually, we went back to her version.”
“Maybe that’s not right, but if you have to do it, you just do it.
You do it for the sake of art.”
Then she comes in here and holds her own, and these are all totally different things."
Whether she’s playing a telekinetic dog inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol.
“The better the competition, the better you become,” she says of working in Hollywood.
“I like that because it makes me do better.
It’s important to keep going and become a better version of yourself every year.”
