Meet Bozhidar Krastev | Actor and filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bozhidar Krastev and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bozhidar, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk is something very scary. I believe that I live my life very safely, but looking back now, it doesn’t seem like that. Coming to Los Angeles was a huge risk for me. I came without knowing anybody and only with the address of where I was staying. But the funny thing here is that I was not scared. I am originally from a small country—Bulgaria, one of the most beautiful places on this planet. I had never left even the country without my parents, so moving my whole life to a new continent, as you can probably imagine by now, was a huge thing. I remember that I didn’t even question twice whether I should move to Los Angeles or not. I felt like I owed it to the kid in me, to this big dreamer who always believed in the impossible.

After making such a huge risk and seeing how beautiful life could be—even if at times it feels scary and blurry—I believe that taking risks is the biggest gift one can give themselves. There’s this great saying that goes: fortune favors the brave. I find it so beautiful. To risk something is to trust life, to believe that if you start falling, it will catch you. I wish people took more risks—not only in their careers but also in their personal lives. I have seen so many people waste love stories or lose people they adore with their whole hearts, just because they were too scared or not entirely sure. It’s always better to try and fail than not try at all. And besides, you can never really fail if you think about it. Life is an experiment, and one should always have fun with everything they do. Risk and love.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The path of an artist is to rediscover themselves and life, every single day.
That’s one of the most important lessons I’ve learned so far.
When I first came to Los Angeles to study acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, one of our teachers gave us a very unexpected assignment:
 “Now, for homework… go out there and live life.”
Those words struck me deeply. Something shifted. I began to observe more closely—to truly pay attention to the world around me. The conversations I was having, the ones I was overhearing by accident, the way people moved, spoke, or even stayed silent. I realized that living life is the most essential part of being an artist.
I draw inspiration from everyday life, from people’s relationships, their tenderness, their chaos. Even from things as simple and beautiful as the way the wind moves through leaves. Maybe this is the real lesson: to be an artist is, first and foremost, to be a human being who chooses to live with eyes wide open.
I came to Los Angeles to pursue my passion for acting, but somewhere along the way, I gave myself permission to discover other passions, too.
I fell in love with photography.
 There’s something so beautiful about how a single photograph can tell so much story and emotion, With every picture I take, I try to show how I see the world through my eyes. And just as exciting is witnessing how people respond to that view—what it makes them feel, what it awakens in them.
Filmmaking also became a love of mine. Being behind the camera is pure magic. The process fascinates me endlessly. Not long ago, someone told me:
“This is Hollywood. In filmmaking, everything is possible.” 
How freeing. How true.
As an actor, I’m most drawn to stories that reflect the human experience—stories that make people see themselves in the characters. I hope that through the stories I help people feel a little less alone. Or maybe they see something they didn’t know was possible.
Right now, I’m in a play for the 2025 LA Fringe Festival, and this project is incredibly special to me.
 It’s an intimate story about love, loss, and the weight of caring for someone you can’t save.
I play Pasha, a young Bulgarian dancer whose relationship with a terminally ill man proves the quiet resilience of love in the face of despair.
 No matter how much I talk about it—it’s a story that needs to be seen, to be felt.
We’ll be performing from June 7 to June 29 at the Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre, and if you get the chance to join us, I would love to have you there.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Los Angeles is a city that offers everything.
From the magical Chateau Marmont to the towering Hollywood sign, from the Walk of Fame to the golden beaches of Malibu.
When I first arrived, the thing that fascinated me most was the Hollywood sign. I had dreamt of seeing it my whole life. I remember walking along the Walk of Fame for the first time, surrounded by the names of actors I’ve admired since childhood. It felt surreal, like I had already achieved one of my dreams just by standing there.
And then, completely by accident ,I looked up and saw the Hollywood sign. I wasn’t even searching for it. I froze. It was even more beautiful in real life than I ever imagined.
If someone were visiting LA for the first time, I think I’d take them there first to see the sign, to feel the magic. 
Then we’d head to Silverlake, a place very dear to my heart. I have so much love for this neighborhood—for its spirit, its love, its people. We’d grab burgers at Window—one of the best in town, and then maybe end the night at bar Stella, a place where stories are born over candlelight and cocktails.
Honestly, just walking around Silverlake is an experience in itself. Every street has its own character, its own rhythm.
If they love movies, I’d make sure to take them to the Vista Theatre, in my opinion, the most beautiful cinema in LA. It was love at first sight. The whole place is filled with dreamers, loners, lovers, and strangers, all united by their love for magic.
After that, we’d head west—Manhattan Beach. The ocean there is so blue, and we have to stay for the sunset. It’s more than gorgeous—it’s otherworldly. The dolphins are so lucky.
We’d also make our way to Malibu, to walk barefoot on the sand and just… be.
Everywhere you go in LA feels like falling in love for the first time—thrilling, unpredictable, and full of possibility. 
Just being in Los Angeles is enough.
This is where the magic happens.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I once read a quote that stayed with me:
“Everything I am is stitched from stories, moments, and people who have shaped me.”

The person I am, and the person I am becoming, is a beautiful mixture of everyone I’ve ever loved. Everyone I’ve shared a meal with, a profound conversation, or even just a brief exchange at the store or a bus stop. People are fascinating—so complicated, yet so simple. Every day, I learn something new from them, and for that, I’m deeply grateful.

My family are the first people I will always be infinitely thankful for. They’ve supported me since the day I was born, always encouraging me to believe that my dreams are possible. Not once did anyone in my family tell me I couldn’t do something—and I will never stop being grateful for that kind of faith and love.

After my family comes my chosen family: my friends.
I’ve been incredibly lucky, every person I call a friend feels like family to me. My friends in Bulgaria are some of the kindest, funniest, and warmest people I’ve ever known. We never lie to each other and I believe that’s a crucial factor in a friendship.
When I moved to LA, I wasn’t sure I’d find friends like the ones I had back home. But fate had something else in store. I met people here who made LA feel like home. Across the ocean, I found another family—and I’ll be forever grateful.
Together, we chase our dreams. We laugh, we cry, we face life head-on. We wake up and fall asleep side by side.

LA is a massive city—millions of people—but even with all the possible connections I could make, I wouldn’t trade the ones I’ve found for anything in the world.
Lily, Sophie , and Liza—thank you. Thank you for showing me love. Thank you for reminding me how joyful, fun, and playful life can be.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bozhidar23/

Other: This is the link for the tickets: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/11876?tab=tickets

Image Credits
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