Maria Bakalova’s meteoric rise to fame is one of the most inspiring stories of recent years. She began her acting career in small independent films in her home country of Bulgaria. Hollywood is not something she ambitioned because it is unrealistic.  No Bulgarian born actor had made it big in Hollywood and landed a lead role until she did. It all began with an open online audition for  the role of Tutar Sagdiyev, Borat’s daughter.