Julian Kostov

Julian Kostov (; born 25 August 1989) is a Bulgarian actor, filmmaker, talent manager, and former professional swimmer. On television, he is known for his recurring roles in the Sky One series A Discovery of Witches (2018), the Epix series Berlin Station (2018–2019), and the Netflix series Shadow and Bone (2021–present). Early life and education Kostov was born on 25 August 1989 in Varna, Bulgaria. At the age of 12, Kostov became a pentathlon champion for his age group. He was a 10-time National Swimming Champion from 2005 to 2009. In 2008, he earned the Master of Sport title in Swimming. Kostov holds over 60 medals as a professional swimmer, including a bronze medal at the 2007 Balkan Games. He attended the Spanish-language Frederic Joliot-Curie School in Varna, before entering post-secondary studies at Tilburg University, where he majored in international business. After two years in the Netherlands, Kostov decided to move to the United Kingdom and pursue a career in acting, inspired by Heath Ledger's performance in The Dark Knight. He transferred to Cardiff Metropolitan University to finish his studies, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Business Studies in 2011. He was admitted to the National Youth Theatre that same year. Kostov began auditioning for agents, eventually signing with one. He later switched to a different agent and landed a Gillette commercial. During that period, he also took classes at Anthony Meindl's Actor Workshop in London. Career Kostov began his acting career in Bulgarian and British productions, including a two-episode guest arc on 24: Live Another Day in 2014. In 2016, he had minor roles in the films Ben-Hur and London Has Fallen. He began doing motion capture and voice acting for video games.