Biography

Julian Kostov is a multilingual Bulgarian actor, director, and producer based in London. He made history as the first Bulgarian actor to perform on the West End stage, earning critical acclaim for his performance in the five-star National Theatre production Till the Stars Come Down (2025). In 2026 he became only the second Bulgarian actor nominated for the Actor Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA, recognized for his work as part of the ensemble of The White Lotus. Known for his native-level American accent and meticulous dialect work, Kostov has portrayed characters from more than ten nationalities across film, television, and video games.

Kostov first gained critical attention for his performance in the period drama Another Mother’s Son (2017). He stars as Aleksei in Season 3 of HBO’s The White Lotus and is widely recognized for his role as Fedyor Kaminsky in Netflix’s Shadow and Bone. He also portrayed the iconic villain Vladimir Makarov in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, one of the most successful video game franchises of all time. His recent screen work includes Budd Berserk in the reboot of The Toxic Avenger, Aaron Hunter in Fight or Flight, and multiple voice roles in Creature Commandos, part of the DC Universe created by James Gunn.

As the founder of JupiterLights Media and co-founder of Five Oceans alongside Oscar nominee Maria Bakalova, Kostov has produced multiple award-winning films and television projects. He produced and starred in Triumph (TIFF, LFF), Bulgaria’s official submission for the 2025 Academy Awards. A passionate advocate for greater representation of Slavic and Balkan artists in international film and television, he works to challenge long-standing stereotypes and normalize foreign accents on screen. In recognition of his cultural impact across Europe, he was named a European Young Leader (EYL) in 2023.

Born in Varna, Bulgaria, Kostov was a national swimming champion with more than 50 medals during his athletic career.