Zahari Baharov
# Zahari Baharov

Zahari Emilov Baharov (Bulgarian: Захари Емилов Бахаров; born August 12, 1980) is a Bulgarian actor, best known for portraying the roles of Moth in Zift (2008), Ivo Andonov in the BNT series Undercover (2011–2016), and Loboda in the HBO series Game of Thrones (2015).

## Early life and education

Baharov was born on 12 August 1980 in Sofia. He was raised in the old part of the Ovcha Kupel district. His mother, Müjgan, is of ethnic Turkish origin; she is a philologist and hosts programmes in Turkish on the Bulgarian National Radio.

Baharov attended 18th Secondary School "William Gladstone". After graduating, he majored in acting at the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts. He has been acting at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre since 2003; his notable theater performances include King Lear (2006), Don Juan (2007), and The Cherry Orchard (2009).

## Career

Baharov's first major film role was in Zift (2008), directed by Javor Gardev. After the release of Zift, he quickly gained popularity and won several awards for his performance. In 2011, he starred in Love.net. The following year, he founded the production company Three Bears Entertainment alongside his colleagues and friends Vladimir Karamazov and Yulian Vergov. The company has produced three theatrical productions: Spinach with potatoes by Zoltan Egresi, Art by Yasmina Reza and Dakota by Jordi Galceran.

From 2011 to 2016, Baharov starred in the BNT 1 series Undercover as Ivo Andonov. His performance was positively received by critics, and his character's development was noted as one of the series' highlights. Between 2012 and 2020, he was the host of the television game show National Lottery on Nova. In 2015, Baharov had a one-episode role in the HBO series Game of Thrones, portraying the role of Loboda, the leader of a cannibal tribe.

## Personal life

Baharov is in a long-term relationship with Bulgarian journalist Diana Alexieva. They have two children: a son, Maxim (born 2010), and a daughter, Kaya (born 2013).

Baharov's younger brother, Yavor, is also an actor.

## Awards

Baharov is the recipient of several accolades, including two Askeers for Best Supporting Actor in King Lear (2006) and Three Days of Rain (2009), an Icarus for Best Supporting Actor in Don Juan (2007), Best Actor at the 2009 Bulgarian Cinema Awards and Best Actor at the 2009 International Film Festival Chungmuro, among more.

## Filmography

### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| - | - | - | - |
| 2003 | Air Marshal | Mohammed | |
| 2003 | Marines | Criminal | Direct-to-video |
| 2006 | The Rebel of L | Markucha | |
| 2008 | War, Inc. | Video Guy | |
| 2008 | Zift | Moth | |
| 2008 | Train | Croupier | |
| 2009 | Command Performance | Mikhail Kapista | |
| 2009 | Universal Soldier: Regeneration | Commander Topov | |
| 2009 | Double Identity | Alexander | |
| 2010 | The Glass River | Shepherd Metodi | |
| 2010 | The Way Back | Interrogator | |
| 2011 | Cold Fusion | Ivo Petchev | Credited as Zahari Emilov |
| 2011 | Love.net | Andrey Bogatev | |
| 2011 | Operation Shmenti Capelli | Tatko | |
| 2012 | El Gringo | Officer Bell | |
| 2012 | I Am You | Lachezarov | |
| 2013 | Enemies Closer | Saul | |
| 2014 | The Monuments Men | Major Elya | |
| 2017 | Heights | Ivan | |
| 2019 | Uyut | Sabin Palamarkov | |
| 2021 | South Wind 2: Speed Up | Kiril |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| - | - | - | - |
| 2003 | Marines | Criminal | Television film |
| 2004 | Nature Unleashed: Avalanche | Hans | Television film |
| 2005 | Locusts: The 8th Plague | Street Preacher | Television film |
| 2006 | Joe Petrosino | Guapo alto | Television film |
| 2011–2016 | Pod Prikritie | Ivo Andonov | Main role; 60 episodes |
| 2012–2020 | National Lottery | Himself (host) | |
| 2015 | Game of Thrones | Loboda | Episode: "Hardhome" |
| 2017 | Le Bureau des Légendes | Alexei Klebnikov | 4 episodes |
| 2017 | Genius | Russian General | Episode: ''Einstein: Chapter Six'' |
| 2019 | Father's Day | Dimo | 6 episodes |
| 2019 | Baptiste | Nicolae | 5 episodes |

### Theater

| Role | Title | Playwright | Notes |
| - | - | - | - |
| Chance Wayne | Sweet Bird of Youth | Tennessee Williams | Dramatic Theatre Plovdiv |
| Treplev | The Seagull | Chehov | |
| Voynitsev | Platonov | | Dramatic Theatre Haskovo |
| Capulets | Romeo and Juliet | Shakespeare | Ivan Vazov National Theatre |
| Stoyan Popov | Road of Roses and Thorns | Ina Bozhidarova | Ivan Vazov National Theatre |
| Seaton | Macbeth | Shakespeare | Ivan Vazov National Theatre |
| Duncan | Macbett | Eugene Ionesco | Ivan Vazov National Theatre |
| Popcheto | Exiles | Ivan Vazov | Ivan Vazov National Theatre |
| Vasko | Day Off | Kamen Donev | Ivan Vazov National Theatre |
| Brides | No Trifling with Love | Alfred de Musset | Ivan Vazov National Theatre |
| The Fool | King Lear | Shakespeare | Ivan Vazov National Theatre |
| Sganarel | Don Juan | Moliere | Ivan Vazov National Theatre |
| | The Old Woman from Calcutta | Sketches by Hanoch Levin; Bulgarian version by Joseph Benatov | Theatre 199 |
| Slavi from "Banishora" | Chamkoriq | Milen Ruskov | Theatre 199 |
