Julian Kostov

Julian Kostov emerged as a Bulgarian actor-filmmaker reshaping global casting norms. Born 25 August 1989, he is a Virgo [F1, enrichments.zodiacWestern], a sign associated with precision and service — traits he channels into both acting and production work. As an actor, he performs in film, television, and theatre, bringing depth to complex characters across genres.

Kostov's breakthrough came through Shadow and Bone (2021) and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023), where he voiced antagonist Vladimir Makarov. In 2025, he starred as Marek in the West End production of Till the Stars Come Down at Theatre Royal Haymarket, transferred from the Royal National Theatre—a milestone as the first Bulgarian actor in a West End lead. That same year, he appeared in the action-comedy Fight or Flight alongside Josh Hartnett.

In 2026, he received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series as part of The White Lotus cast. His filmography spans The Toxic Avenger (2023), The Last Front (2024), and Another Mother's Son (2017), with an upcoming Netflix feature, The Boy in the Iron Box, produced by Guillermo del Toro.

Beyond acting, Kostov founded JupiterLights Media and co-founded Five Oceans with Academy Award-nominee Maria Bakalova. As a producer and director, he has delivered award-winning projects, including Triumph, Bulgaria's submission for the 97th Academy Awards. He is a vocal advocate for greater representation of Slavic and Balkan actors and the normalization of foreign accents in entertainment.