Biography

Julian Kostov is a multilingual Bulgarian actor, director, and producer based in London. He made history as the first Bulgarian actor to star on stage in London’s West End, earning critical acclaim for his performance in the 5-star National Theatre production Till the Stars Come Down (2025). In 2026 he became only the second Bulgarian actor to receive an 'Actor Award' nomination by SAG AFTRA, recognized for his work as part of The White Lotus ensemble. He is known for his native-level American accent and his detailed dialect and language work, portraying characters from over 10 nationalities.

Kostov first received critical acclaim 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 the blockbuster remake 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 Toxic Avenger reboot, Aaron Hunter in Fight or Flight, and multiple voice roles in James Gunn’s DC Universe animated series Creature Commandos.

As the founder of JupiterLights Media and co-founder of Five Oceans with Oscar nominee Maria Bakalova, Julian has produced multiple award-winning feature films, TV series, and short films. He produced and starred in Triumph (TIFF, LFF), Bulgaria’s official submission for the 2025 Academy Awards. A passionate advocate for equal representation of Slavic and Balkan artists in the entertainment industry, he works to challenge harmful 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.

Julian was a national swimming champion of Bulgaria with over 50 medals in his athletic career.
- IMDb mini biography by: Justin Schwimmer

I've always listened to my instinct when it comes to anything in my life including my career. I have had turned down incredible opportunities, even when I was struggling for money because I didn't entirely believe in them. I think that it's imperative that I don't let my vision and direction be compromised by the temptations of fame and easy money and stay true to why I became an actor in the first place. Trusting my gut to take the harder choices has always been rewarding, not always immediately or in distinctly visible ways, but it all makes sense to me over time when I look back.

"Another Mother's Son" follows the moving true story of Louisa Gould and Bill, a Russian POW and their lives during the Nazi occupation of Jersey. It's a film about courage, sacrifice, endurance, kindness and the colorful nature of the human spirit. I remember when I was reading the script, it reminded me of "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl, in that they both describe the war as a grey matter, specifically when it comes to the nature of the oppressed and the oppressors and how hunger and torment can get one to doubt their most sacred beliefs. It proved to be extremely interesting to put myself in those shoes to a small extent. It was extraordinary how much it changed me psychologically when I was keeping myself hungry. It made me very emotional, vulnerable, on edge. I felt frail, weak, in danger - it really does make a difference in how you behave, think and interact.