Maria Bakalova, known for her roles in Creature Commandos and Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm, recently opened up about her transformation into Ivana Trump in The Apprentice. The actress expressed excitement over her co-stars, Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong, who both received Academy Award nominations for their performances portraying Donald Trump and Roy Cohn, respectively, in the film that chronicles Trump’s ascent to power.
In a recent interview with MovieWeb while promoting her new project, O Horizon, Bakalova shared her enthusiasm: “I couldn’t be more excited that the movie is going to be released again, because we had only a very small theatrical run […] At the end of the day, I feel it’s a very important film. It’s a dive into the individuality of the system, and that’s something we need to explore. It’s educational in a lot of ways.” She noted her happiness for Stan’s nomination, stating, “He deserves that recognition. And Jeremy as well. Both of them are incredible actors.”
When asked about the challenge of stepping into the shoes of Ivana Trump, Bakalova responded, “I mean, not really, because I’m not really a method actor. I try to find things that I recognize in myself. I try to build characters, people that are different from me, because I’m afraid that otherwise I’ll kind of keep playing myself.” Thus, she mentioned that the process of shaking off the character of Ivana did not pose a significant challenge for her.
Bakalova also reminisced about her journey during the premiere of Bodies Bodies Bodies, which eventually led her to headline the indie film O Horizon. She emphasized her strong bond with O Horizon writer and director Madeleine Rotzler, stating, “I’m happy to say that Madeleine is one of my dear friends and I want to keep working with her for the rest of my life.” During the shoot of The Apprentice, Bakalova conveyed her feelings to Rotzler, saying, “We’re about to wrap this movie and I love my team and I love my director, but God, I miss you so much.”
In this latest project, Maria Bakalova continues to prove herself as a stellar leading lady. O Horizon tells the story of a neuroscientist, played by Bakalova, who is mourning the loss of her father and grappling with the effects of her research on an experimental monkey subjected to various stimuli. The film also features David Strathairn, who plays her father, and promises a thought-provoking experience as Bakalova’s character engages with new technology that allows her to converse with him.
Currently, O Horizon is making waves at film festivals across the nation, including its recent screening at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The film is produced by Mark Gill, with Paul Nelson and Audrey Tommassini serving as co-producers. With the buzz surrounding both The Apprentice and O Horizon, it will be exciting to see what the future holds for Bakalova and her collaborations with talented filmmakers like Madeleine Rotzler.
