Borat 2 star Maria Bakalova voices support for Ukraine at Critics Choice Awards
Maria Bakalova shared her message to the people of Ukraine at the 2022 Critics Choice Awards on Sunday: "We see you, we stand with you, and our hearts are with you."
A year after winning Best Supporting Actress for her role as Tutar in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Bakalova returned to the awards show to present the Best Supporting Actor category.
"As we gather here tonight, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the bravery of the people of Ukraine, who are defending their right to independence and democracy," Bakalova said.
The 25-year-old actress shared that her home city in Bulgaria is "a few hundred miles" from the invaded country.
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"I truly hope that we will come together and usher in a new era of cultural and artistic exchange between Eastern Europe and Hollywood," Bakalova said, "Which has been a foundational force of creativity in the 21st century."
Bakalova wasn't the only one to bring up the devastation in Ukraine. Hannah Waddingham and Billy Crystal brought up the tragedies in their acceptance speeches, and actors Jeremy Strong and Murray Bartlett donned Ukrainian flag pins.
Bakalova's on-screen father Sacha Baron Cohen also stated his support for Ukraine, recently tweeting his opposition to the airing of Russian state-run TV on social media.
When Bakalova spoke with EW last March, she highlighted the importance of effecting real change in her work.
"Through all of the silliness, we can show some issues that aren't quite right," Bakalova told EW. "It's supposed to make us think and act, not only react."
After her successful first English-speaking role in Borat 2, Bakalova is set to continue her comedy career in Judd Apatow's The Bubble and Dean Craig's The Honeymoon.
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