One of the talented stars of the Film Academy for Talents, Nikolay Nikolov, has already appeared in a production by global company Disney, which recently officially entered the Bulgarian market. Nikolay says working with the company’s team is a real pleasure and hopes to have another chance to work for them. See what the talented actor says about his participation in "The Princess", which premieres in just a few days.
You are involved in Disney’s "The Princess". What is your role in the film, and how did you get into this production?
My role was to reproduce one of the lead actors’ blocking exactly, 1 to 1. I watched what he did, then had to do the same. When he rested, I worked, and vice versa. They positioned the cameras, camera A and camera B, using me, and arranged the lighting around me. In practice, I did the essential work that supported the actor, and we worked well together. In film terminology, this is called a "stand-in". The actor himself, Ed Stoppard, is a really cool, wonderful actor who has appeared in a great many films and has an exceptional sense of humour.
How did I come to be chosen for this Disney film?! Well, a casting call was announced for the role. I applied, and the selection was tough, with quite a lot of applicants. Initially, they were unsure which role to give me: the good character or the bad one. In the end, they chose me to be on the good side. I feel lucky and truly grateful, because I worked with people who are real professionals at what they do!
What is it like to work for Disney, which has recently officially entered the Bulgarian market?
I never believed working for Disney could happen to me. Filming for Disney feels like a dream come true when you’ve grown up with their films. I want to tell everyone reading this that nothing is impossible, and when you believe strongly and know what you want, things simply have to work out. They just do! It takes more patience and a strong belief in success!
Disney are simply wonderful and refine every shot down to the smallest detail. They rehearse the more difficult scenes for hours. They are a real inspiration to me!
What is the film’s story, and how long did filming take?
The story is like a fairy tale: a kingdom and a princess who is betrothed to a man she dislikes and does not want to marry. Her fiancé is a sociopath, vengeful and materialistic, interested only in wealth and personal gain. He wants to take the king’s throne.
To prevent her parents from helping her, he abducts her and locks her in a remote tower.
It turns out he has picked the wrong princess: she is beautiful but also a fighter, determined to save her family and protect her kingdom. There is a lot of action in the film, which really impressed me. It’s something you don’t see every day in a Disney film.
How did you work with the rest of the team? Tell us about the director and other actors. Who are they, and how did you work together?
The truth is, everyone on the team had a specific job and was responsible for it. Things happened very quickly because they work as one: professionals who treat each other with respect. I will always be happy to work with them again and again. I compared the director to Jet Li, jokingly of course. His name is Le-Van Kiet, and he was very creative during filming, as you will see in the finished production, which I would describe in one word: WOW!
The other actors were also quite famous: Dominic Cooper, Olga Kurylenko, Ed Stoppard and Alex Reid. To my surprise and delight, proven Bulgarian actors Lyubo Neykov and Ivo Arakov also took part.
During breaks between takes, Lyubo and I talked, laughed a lot and shared quite personal things about our lives. He gave me very valuable advice, for which I’m grateful!
How long ago was the film shot?
Filming began in early July 2021 and continued all summer, until the middle or end of September. We filmed every day, and everyone kept to the predetermined schedule for completing the shoot.
The film comes out on 1 July 2022, exactly 1 year after the production’s first filming day.
The film will be distributed in cinemas and on selected online platforms. I simply can’t wait to watch it, and I wish you an enjoyable viewing and lots of fun.
Are you expecting more invitations to appear in Disney productions?
Honestly, I very much hope to get another chance to be around these people and experience the magic of cinema. I feel wonderful when I’m surrounded by people like that. I feel I belong, and I believe that if I keep working hard, I will get my next chance at success!
What are you filming at the moment? What did you shoot most recently?
For the last 2 months, I’ve been appearing in music videos. The most recent one was a few days ago, and I hope it comes out very soon so we can all watch it, because the track is simply fantastic. And the performer is loved across Bulgaria. Filming was really cool!
I hope to appear in a series this summer. That is my biggest wish right now.
Thank you for the interview and your attention! It’s an honour!
