The Undeniable International Appeal of Vanesa Dimitrova

Vanesa Dimitrova exemplifies what it means to be an international star in modern times. The Bulgarian born actress has been in both TV and film productions in numerous locales across the planet. She possesses the talent that is a requirement for professionals but her secret power is her universal cultural appeal; being multilingual definitely magnifies the opportunities she is offered. Film, TV, and streaming programming has ushered in the era of global entertainment and actors like Dimitrova are the next incarnation of celebrity actors. More and more productions feature incredible actors who possess the ability to switch languages immediately while being equally comfortable in a spectrum of genres. Vanesa’s resume checks all of these boxes and hints that there is even more to be revealed in her upcoming roles. Internationally lauded TV series’, award-winning films, these and more are found in the resume of this transfixing actress who has been referred to repeatedly as Marilyn Monroe-esque…with perhaps a dash of Bond girl for mystery.

Much of the non US world became aware of Dimitrova with her appearance as Rayna Ivanova on the multi-nominated (from the Monte-Carlo TV Festival) hit television series Undercover. This Action/Crime/Drama aired in Bulgaria, Germany, Russia, Uruguay, Poland, and numerous other parts of the world (dubbed in numerous languages including English). Undercover made its way to the US via Netflix in 2014. During the show’s five seasons, it gained a worldwide following which made an international star out of Vanesa. Undercover is a modern crime series which depicts the reality of the underground world in Bulgaria. It’s a story in the tradition of all the compelling “undercover government agent attempting to infiltrate the mafia” scenarios. Rayna is a young and attractive assistant who has an affair with one of the show’s main characters. In spite of her character’s less than enviable decisions, Dimitrova was a magnet for fans of the show. Dimitar Mitovski (producer of Undercover and the Cannes Film Festival nominated film Rabbit Troubles) remarks, “Vanesa is a truly gifted actress. Her hyper-sensitivity helped her portray the character Rayna flawlessly. She continually brings excellence to her work.”

Director/writer Fahad Olayan (whose resume includes the Primetime Emmy nominated “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman” and many others) admired Vanesa’s work and tagged her for his TV Drama series The Truth. The recipient of a “Best TV series” award from the King of Saudi Arabia’s Son, the show’s plot depicts a Saudi doctor who immigrates to the US to seek a better life for himself and his family. When terrorists kidnap his wife and children, they attempt to force this peaceful man to do horrific acts. He manages to foil their plans and thus becomes a hero but not without a price. Vanesa describes her character noting, “Amal is a truly powerful, strong-willed, and resilient woman. Protecting her younger brother is what motivates her throughout the whole journey. Shooting The Truth was definitely not an easy job. A few weeks before the shoot, I distanced myself from social life, leaving my mind open to dive into playing Amal. My character, alongside her father and brother, gets kidnapped. The depth of the scenes required full concentration. My knowledge in Hypnotherapy definitely helped me connect to the character on a deeper level and empathize with her.”

America got its first real exposure to Vanesa in the comedy/horror film Lake Placid vs. Anaconda (airing on SYFY). The story is a crossover of the Anaconda and Lake Placid franchises and revels in every bit of its guilty pleasure glory. The plot mixes monsters, scientists, and old fashioned small town fear in a comedic/frightening cocktail. There’s a long tradition in scary movies of sorority girls who meet with an early demise. Vanesa was amused and honored to enter into this pantheon with her appearance as Cassie in Lake Placid vs. Anaconda. Eager, dutiful, and sacrificial (literally), Cassie is a member of Delta Gamma who is always prepared to serve its leader Tiffani. Sadly, this honorable character trait leads to Cassie’s violent end. You’ll have to watch for yourself to see exactly how but the use of CGI is prominent and its integration is actually much more physically demanding than one might think according to Vanesa. Cassie’s death scene was most certainly well worth the technology and sweat required.

Her experiences working in productions all across the planet have gained legions of fans for Dimitrova but she notes that they have taught her personally about how gifted so many of her fellow artist are. From studying the Meisner Technique with Tom Radcliffe in London (during her early days) to her first big hit TV series (Undercover) in Bulgaria, working with Saudi Arabia’s Fahad Olayan and as a part of a true Hollywood production in Lake Placid vs. Anaconda, the actress communicates her respect for professional of the film and TV industry all over the world. Dimitrova relates, “It warms my heart to see the true power we possess as actors and creators. There isn’t a single job in the world except for acting that gives voice to the voiceless. Actors are incredibly sensitive beings, able to bring life to a character. I think that living in today’s world of technology is extremely challenging. People are hungry for connection but don’t know how to get it. I consider myself incredibly lucky and honored to be able to live my dream of being an actor. I get to give life to my emotions while serving a higher purpose. A purpose of uniting the world by having people realize that we are all equal, that we are all the same. There is no race or cultural difference that could get in between the Love shared by two people.”

kkingme2003@yahoo.com

Written by

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade