JULIAN KOSTOV
In
HBOMX
series
season 3
THE WHITE lotus
Interview by Laasaya Gadiyaram
With a background in both sports and performing arts, Kostov has made a name for himself in
the entertainment industry through his dynamic performances and dedication to his craft. Hiswork has spanned nationality and language, and he hones his skills on this season of The White Lotus. We discuss his career journey, his character’s complexities, and his integration into the ensemble cast.
LG: Congratulations on The White Lotus! How has the process been so far?
JK: Thank you! It’s been a non-stop rollercoaster of emotions that I haven’t really had a chance to stop and process. I came back from the LA premiere straight to the Bulgarian premiere of The White Lotus. Max organized a Q&A and a huge reception for me back home. Everyone was super excited and very proud. The only time I’ve yet been able to express the magnitude of what’s going on in my heart was the next day when my friend, a television talk show host, had the best surprise for me waiting in their studio. They played a video interview with Aimee Lou Wood, Michelle Monaghan, Carrie Coon, and Leslie Bibb who were so generous and said the nicest things. I broke down crying on live television. I think in this field, and probably across any profession, it means the most to have your peers’ recognition, love and respect. To have experienced it in such a pure way was a gift I will cherish forever! Thank you, girls!
LG: Mike White has said that this season of White Lotus is the culmination of the show’s creative efforts since its inception. How have you seen this reflected in the season so far?
JK: I agree with Mike. This is the best season by far in that I think he really has nailed the format and the formula. I think it helps that there are 8 episodes to expand this weekend of chaos to truly come to a big bang. There’s so many levels on which you can watch and absorb the show. You
could dissect any piece of dialogue or a single look or smile, like with Walton Goggins or Leslie Bibb, and write an essay about it. You can also watch the show casually and still not be able to keep your eyes away. It really puts a mirror to society and creates a discourse like no other series. I’ve ever seen.
LG: What has been your favorite part of working on the show?
JK: Thailand! Living in The Four Seasons in Samui. The sense of camaraderie that living and working together built. The feeling of belonging you get on set. A lot of that is due to Mike and casting director Meredith Tucker who I think instinctually ended up choosing a similar type of souls and bound them together on this adventure. We were all constantly pinching ourselves and saying “we’re creating modern day mythology.”
LG: Your previous work pertains to action and fantasy, whereas The White Lotus is a satirical drama. How have your previous roles informed your work on The White Lotus?
JK: I’ve had the opportunity to work across pretty much all genres before and in the last few years my team and I have been making an intentional charge at comedy too, which I think is the most difficult thing to nail down. It’s hard to even say to yourself “you’re funny” and own it. It’s very vulnerable and scary. It requires a natural ability to an extent but also you need to put in the work to hone those skills and understand the formula writers use to create beats for you to hit. A lot of it comes through a deeper layer of truth mixed with timing and tone. Then again, Mike White is not your ordinary writer. He has completely broken down the established rules of how you write comedy and satire. And really, nothing specifically prepares you for acting in The White Lotus. It’s your whole life, it’s your essence, you are beckoned to bring your uniqueness to your character and your performance, similarly to what Mike has done creating it. I believe the more your art resembles you, the better it is, the more true it becomes and therefore resonates with the truth of the audience. And even though we play characters that are not us, that are deeply flawed and sometimes downright wrong and bad, as actors we always come from a place of love and understanding for them as us. Otherwise it becomes a stereotype or a caricature. Short answer is that it takes your life’s work to get to where you are at any given present moment and to do the work you are tasked to do. It is important to remember that we are not our achievements or position in society, we are the work we have done and the people we help or change along the way that makes us.
Suit & Hooded top : Kenzo
Sneakers: Jimmy Choo
LG: The White Lotus is known for its satire and complex social themes. How does your character fit into the story?
JK: He’s unapologetically himself, has no shame whatsoever, will get what he wants, without caring who he hurts. He is guilt-free, in fact he will try to make you believe that he is helping you, that he is doing you a favor. You remember that song by Shaggy – Wasn’t Me? That’s his mentality in a nutshell. We all know these kinds of people. I think what makes him interesting is that he is also very charming, fun, and let’s face it—hot! Not talking about me, of course, talking about Aleksei. Haha! I think he fits right into this web of manipulation, cheating, lying, greed, love, lust and passion that is at the heart of the modern day Gomorra epitomized in the behaviors of the characters dwelling in the world of The White Lotus.
LG: How does this role differ from your previous roles?
JK: Being a Bulgarian actor in the West, nothing is given to you. You don’t get many interesting central roles in my casting bracket. I’ve had to earn all my breaks, work hard to learn foreign languages and accents to match my physical, ethnic appearance to as many nationalities I could play: Russian, Spanish, Italian, Polish etc… I have a natural linguistic talent that I am very grateful for because I know it’s rare. That has allowed me to learn American and British accents so as to have wider opportunities. But the majority of my foreign colleagues are stuck waiting for a good part to come around every blue moon. The industry has changed since with the rise of a few Slavic actors like my producing partner, Maria Bakalova. There’s a shift in the industry now I think with the Russian actors who broke through with ‘Anora’. Those roles and the roles that
Mike created in The White Lotus are probably the first in recent history where an Eastern European male character has been portrayed to be “sexy”, “charming”, “fun”, vs. a cold blooded killer, drug-dealer pimp or someone trying to destroy America and change the world order. This humanizes us as people and I’m grateful that I am at the forefront of it. So… it was my first time flexing that acting muscle, acknowledging that part of my humanity on screen, and similarly to comedy, sexuality is one other thing that is really scary to tap into in a real way. You’re literally and figuratively naked, putting yourself out there.
LG: Your work has defied nationality and borders. How has the international nature of your work impacted your approach to acting?
JK: It’s how I always dreamt of it. After ten years abroad, acting in so many accents and languages, I actually got to act in my own Bulgarian language for the first time in 2022 with the movie Triumph that just came out in cinemas here. Maria Bakalova and I produced and starred in it and it had its premiere at Toronto International Film Fest. It was the Bulgarian Oscar submission this year. I was very nervous if I could even act in Bulgarian because I had never done it, but it turns out my fears were unsubstantiated. I think the international nature of my body of work has made me a better actor because it’s a great honor and responsibility to represent a person that comes from another place. Not just because of the nerdy aspect of the level of attention to detail to language that I dedicate but because I empathize with where they come from and break down my own limits and inherited beliefs or biases about that nationality. And of course for me the best part about a job is traveling to a new place, experiencing the
culture, the music, the food, meeting the local people, working with them, becoming friends with people from all over the world. It’s like having an extended family all over.
Jacket , Trousers, Shirt , bow tie: Junya Watanabe
Ring : Giovanni Raspini
Ankle boots : Jimmy Choo
Jacket : Diesel
LG: The White Lotus features an exciting and dynamic cast. What have you learned from your co-stars?
JK: It reaffirmed my belief that the higher you get in your career, the more humble and open you become. Sometimes it’s not the case, you get people with huge egos, but not on our set. Everywhere was such a class act and truly a family.
LG: What role does your character play in this season?
JK: Aleksei brings a chaos of temptation and danger when you piece it all together. I’m really excited for the ending.
LG: The White Lotus has a unique blend of humor and drama. Was it difficult to balance those tones in your performance?
JK: To be honest, you’re nervous when preparing it but as you arrive on set, Mike and David Bernad, our producer, the crew, the cast just make it so natural and easy to bring out the best of you. And the writing is so on point that you really just have to trust the material and, of course, when you have someone like Carrie Coon opposite you for example all you need is to listen, receive and send it back. That’s really the trick to acting but you need all the above ingredients to make something special.
LG: What do you hope audiences take away from this season?
JK: I think there’s a mental health crisis deepened by the political and social culture wars that is well addressed through the theme of spirituality in this season. We’re living in a world that idolizes vanity, in an aesthetic hypocrisy, lacking soul and real democracy. If this seems to rhyme
it’s because it’s from a song I wrote a few years ago called Groundhog Day… check it out ha ha.
LG: What type of project would you like to work on next?
JK: I think I want to be an East London gangsta next. Or a Jedi in Star Wars. Or would love to try a rom com—it’s the one genre I’ve never really been considered for. Maybe I’ll have to write it.