Maria Bakalova scored her first Golden Globe nomination for her audacious performance as Tutar in “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.” Bakalova is arguably the most acclaimed breakout star of 2020, which is all the more impressive because this role is not only her debut in a big American studio film, but it is also her first comedic foray as the young Bulgarian actress had to date only worked in theater and on screen in primarily dramatic roles in Europe.
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” is actor-comedian and Globe champ Sacha Baron Cohen‘s follow-up to his 2006 smash hit mockumentary “Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.” Bakalova co-stars Borat’s 15-year-old daughter, Tutar Sagdiyev, who accompanies her father to the U.S. as he offers her up to former Vice President Mike Pence. In a series of uproarious scenes mostly filmed in secret, Borat and Tutar uncover, often brutally, the hideous underbelly of the divided social and political climate in America. They return home as acclaimed Kazakh journalists after run-ins with right-wing media, the Conservative Political Action Conference, and most notoriously, twice-impeached former President Donald J. Trump‘s questionable personal attorney Rudy Giuliani.
SEE 2021 Golden Globes nominations list: Nominees for 78th annual ceremony
At the Globes, Bakalova competes in Best Film Comedy/Musical Actress, but she’s been campaigning elsewhere in supporting, racking up countless critics’ awards nominations and wins. Two weeks ago, she earned bids at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Critics Choice Awards in Best Supporting Actress. Momentum is clearly behind her for a run at an Oscar nomination next month, positioning her as a real contender against category rivals Kate Hudson (“Music”), Michelle Pfeiffer (“French Exit”), Rosamund Pike (“I Care a Lot”) and Anya Taylor-Joy (“Emma”). Of this group, Taylor-Joy also makes her Globes debut this year and has a second bid on TV side for “The Queen’s Gambit.” Hudson won 20 years ago for “Almost Famous,” Pike has been twice nominated before (for 2018’s “A Private War” and 2014’s “Gone Girl”), and Globe veteran Pfeiffer has an impressive seven previous Globe nominations, winning once for “The Fabulous Baker Boys” in 1990.
Bakalova has virtually swept the supporting field among critics groups as this awards season. So far, she has prevailed at the prestigious National Society of Film Critics and New York Film Critics, and has also scored with the Alliance of Film Journalists, and with Atlanta, Boston Online, Chicago, Chicago Indie, Florida, Houston, Indiana, London, Music City, New York Film Critics Online, North Dakota and Toronto film critics. The ingenue has also racked up nominations with Columbus, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, GALECA, Greater Western New York, Hawaii, Kansas City, North Texas, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, St. Louis and Washington DC film critics groups.
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” is also nominated for Best Comedy/Musical Film, as well as Best Film Comedy/Musical Actor for Baron Cohen. In addition to her Golden Globe, SAG and Critics Choice bids, Bakalova is also among the contenders longlisted by BAFTA for a nomination.
This article is a part of Gold Derby’s “Golden Globes nominee profile” series spotlighting the 2021 contenders in film and TV.
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