Three Great Things is Talkhouse’s series in which artists tell us about three things they absolutely love. To mark the June 12 theatrical release of the new sci-fi drama O Horizon, starring Maria Bakalova, David Strathairn, Adam Pally, Maggie Grace and Paulina Porizkova, Oscar-nominated actress Bakalova – best known for playing Borat’s daughter in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm – shared some of the things she loves most in life. — N.D.
My Dog Monty Cosmo
I have a new dog who is only four months old and his name is Monty Cosmo. I've always wanted to have a puppy, and I had a dog for a little bit, about 10 years ago, but he passed away suddenly.
I found Monty Cosmo at a time when I needed a little more love in my life. I reached out straight away, picked him up a few days later, and he’s been my life ever since. He recently had his first flight, from Los Angeles to Bulgaria (via Poland), which lasted 16 hours, but he was totally fine. Afterward, he was just running around! It’s an incredible thing that a creature so small has so much energy and trust and belief in a human being. I love him completely, and I would never change him for anything or anyone.
He is a toy poodle and he weighs three pounds. And he is my son. His full name is Sir Montgomery Cosmo, but he only answers to Monty. I wanted to name him Cosmo, but he didn't answer to that name immediately, so I started trying a few other names. The only one he answered to was Monty, so that's why he became Monty Cosmo. I want him to live forever. To be fully honest, if one day I have to say goodbye to him, I will definitely use a tool like in O Horizon to reconnect with him, to hear his voice, to see his little face and his cute paws.
Watching Movies
I love watching movies. It’s my way of escaping reality, exploring reality and human nature, and also understanding and empathizing with people more. I try never to be judgmental about the choices people make, because we don't always know the forces that have influenced someone. So it's an interesting exploration to have the chance to watch movies and just try to take in the characters’ stories.
Watching movies goes hand in hand with listening to music, reading literature and experiencing painting and visual art as well. That is one of the ways we make sense of the world, connect to it, and learn more about ourselves. And also exploring the way we connect with people, the way we don't connect with people, what brings us closer and what separates us even more. Thank God art exists!
Lars von Trier is the reason why I fell in love with cinema, and he is definitely the director that has influenced me the most. He said once that there are more images in darkness and evil than in lighter topics, which I cannot disagree with. And it's always fascinating to search for answers. As an actor, that's why I choose to portray complex characters and gravitate toward stories of people who are somehow broken or on the edge, someone who has to overcome great pain like Abby in O Horizon.
When I was young, I watched Hollywood blockbusters and rom coms like Titanic and Pretty Woman. I was dreaming about Western cinema, without knowing the language, and so I started studying theatre. My teacher said, “It's never going to happen. You don't speak the language. Even if you speak perfect English, you're Slavic, so you will never have a chance to be a part of something set in the Western world. It’s better to go to some film festivals, as there are a lot of co-productions happening. Maybe you will be a part of a co-production with Greece or Denmark.” That same year, I saw two Danish films, A Royal Affair and The Hunt, both starring Mads Mikkelsen. I completely fell in love with that type of filmmaking, which made me dig into what was happening in Copenhagen. When I learned about Thomas Vinterberg, that led me to The Celebration and the whole Dogme 95 the manifesto, and then to Lars von Trier: The Idiots. Europa, Europa, Breaking the Waves. The film that really taught me to think deeply and feel empathy was Lars von Trier’s Dancer in the Dark. It’s objectively one of the most depressing films ever made, but also one of the most honest explorations about trust, belief and betrayal. There are specific images that I will never be able to erase. It perfectly captures human nature, that sometimes can be vicious and takes you to your physical and emotional end. It completely changed my life.
People
The third thing I love is people. I’ve always preferred to lead with trust rather than suspicion. I tend to believe what people share with me. I dare to open up my heart and my mind quite quickly, because I believe that what you give to the world eventually finds its way back to you. And if you give something nice to someone, in nature, nothing is lost. And because I believe in that, I love people. Sure, I might disagree with them, I might judge some of their decisions sometimes, but I will always try to understand them and have empathy for them. I think we are sometimes very critical of ourselves and we have reason to be that way, because only if you criticize yourself can you find a way to evolve. But I think we should love one another more. I think we're all capable of love, and at the end of the day, the beauty of life is to love and to be loved.
