Today we’d like to introduce you to Bozhidar Krastev.
Hi Bozhidar, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria—a place where stories often live in the silences between people, in the cracked sidewalks of small towns, in the way the seasons quietly teach you patience. I started acting when I was nine and not because someone told me to, but because something inside me simply knew.
It might sound cliché, but ever since I can remember, all I’ve ever wanted to do was tell stories and leave something behind, something that lingers in people’s hearts, even after the curtain falls. Acting felt like instinct. I still remember the first time I stood on stage and how suddenly, it felt like I was finally allowed to exist. Fully. Freely. I felt alive. I felt like I had a purpose.
I was incredibly lucky to be mentored by two of the best actors in my town—Stoyan Sardanov and Ivan Papazova. They believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. They gave me wings, and more importantly, they showed me how to use them. The rehearsals were long, sometimes exhausting, but when summer came and we finally got to share our work—the plays we had poured our hearts into for months—everything clicked into place.
I saw it in people’s eyes. After the final bow, after the applause, something shifted in them—there was hope, there was softness, there was life. Those moments, those transformations, are what made me fall in love with this art over and over again. They gave me the strength to keep going.
As I grew older, that hunger only deepened. I didn’t want to just act, I wanted to live truthfully on stage, to understand the anatomy of a feeling, to stretch far beyond my borders. That journey is what led me to Los Angeles.
So, at 19, just after high school, I packed my bags and came here, excited and ready for a new life. I began my training at the Lee Strasberg Institute, and I can honestly say it changed me forever. It wasn’t just about learning the craft—it was about discovering me. My fears, my voice, my soul.
I will forever be grateful for the incredible teachers who guided us, cared for us, and believed in us—especially in the moments we didn’t yet believe in ourselves.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has been anything but easy. Moving to a new country at 19, leaving behind my family, my language, and everything familiar—was both terrifying and liberating. There were moments when I felt completely lost, questioning what I was doing and if I even belonged. The homesickness hit hard. Bulgaria’s culture is so different from life in LA, and I definitely needed time to adjust.
But I’ve been incredibly lucky. My family has supported every step I’ve taken, because I like to think they’ve always been dreamers themselves. They are incredibly brave.
And then… there are the people I’ve met along the way. Some of the most beautiful souls who’ve become my chosen family. Honestly, I don’t know how I would’ve made it without them. I’ll say it again, I’m the luckiest boy. The friends I’ve made here are some of the best people in the world. We support each other and we are honest with each other. We laugh, we cry, we fight and we dance together. We create. Life is just soooo sweet with them and at times it feels like we live in a fairytale.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m an actor and director, currently based in Los Angeles. My work is deeply rooted in emotional truth, and I’m always chasing stories that touch the soul and linger in the heart.
As I mentioned earlier, my journey began on stage when I was just nine years old. Since then, I’ve had the joy of performing in over ten stage productions back home in Bulgaria, some of my most formative years. I’ve played everything from tortured poets to mischievous teens, but what mattered most was how each character helped me discover a new part of myself. That stage became my home, my playground, my teacher. Some of the plays I’ve performed in include Waiting for Godot, Obituaries, and Chekhov Stories.
Since moving to LA, I’ve continued to deepen my craft. I trained at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, where I dove into method acting and the psychology of character. That experience didn’t just shape me as an actor—it shaped me as a human being. It taught me how to bring my full, unfiltered self to the work. I also had the chance to perform in Really, Really, which premiered at the Marilyn Monroe Theatre—an intense, dynamic piece that pushed me in new directions.
I’ve also had the pleasure of working in several short films that were meaningful to me, including Romeo and Julian and The Moment In Time Where It All Made Sense. Each of them brought something new, whether it was a challenge, a spark of recognition, or the joy of playing a part in a story that needed to be told.
Beyond acting, I’ve worked as an assistant director on several stage productions, as well as on a short film, which gave me the unique gift of stepping behind the camera. That experience taught me about the quiet strength of collaboration and the power of vision when shared by a team.
One of the projects I’m most proud of is my short film Hummingbird, which I wrote and directed. It had a few screenings and was my little experiment with life and cinema. The film explores themes of intimacy, identity, and the silent spaces between people. It was raw, vulnerable, and deeply personal. Seeing it come to life and witnessing how it resonated with others—was one of the most affirming experiences I’ve had as an artist.
What sets me apart, I believe, is my devotion to emotional honesty. I care deeply about every role I take on and every story I help shape. Whether I’m acting, directing, or assisting someone else’s vision, I give my full heart. I’m not afraid to go to the messy, tender, complex places, because that’s where the truth lives. And for me, that’s where the magic begins.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was a quiet and gentle kid—at least that’s how I remember it, though my mom swears I was a little savage. I was always out playing with the neighborhood kids or chatting away with my mom’s friends like I was one of them. I was endlessly curious. I wanted to know everything about everything.
My great-grandma was a kindergarten teacher, and before I even turned six, she had already taught me how to read and count. I became obsessed with reading and not just the books at home, but the words on billboards, signs, and posters around town. I needed to know what they said. I needed to understand the world.
My mom, signed me up for just about every activity under the sun: painting, horseback riding, swimming, soccer, you name it, I’ve probably tried it. But nothing ever quite clicked… until acting. That was the one thing I asked for. And the one thing that truly stuck.
Acting classes felt like magic. I finally found a space where I could express myself fully, be completely present, and most importantly—have fun.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bozhidar23/
