When Elena Petrova first stood in front of the camera, she was not yet 18. At the end of the eighth grade she was chosen for the film “Border“, and only a year later she got a role in “The Goat's Horn“. Thus began the journey of the actress, who will turn 51 on November 1, 2026.
“This in no way gave me reason to think that I would be involved in theater, I would be an actress and I would fall in love with cinema forever“, Petrova told the Bulgarian National Radio in 2025.
From “The Goat's Horn“ to Boryana Kasabova
The role of Maria in “The Goat's Horn“ placed her among the young faces of Bulgarian cinema. For her performance, she received an award for leading actress at the Moscow Film Festival. She then appeared in the films “Journey to Jerusalem“ and “Villa Rosa“, as well as in the series “The Hunt for Wolves“ and “Us, Ours and Yours“.
The greatest television popularity came with the image of Boryana Kasabova in “Glass House“. The series began in 2010, and the role turned Elena Petrova into one of the most recognizable faces on Bulgarian television. The actress herself later described this period as a time when people recognized her almost everywhere.
“There was no place I wouldn't go - a street, a restaurant, almost everywhere all the doors opened. And yes, it's very pleasant, but you have to be careful because it carries responsibility“, she told the Bulgarian National Radio.
Love and family outside the spotlight
Petrova's personal life remained far from publicity for a long time. In 2006, she married Greek businessman Aristotelis Fotilas. The two have twins - Isabella and Alexander, and in 2008 the family first appeared together on a television show.
Years later, the actress spoke of motherhood as the most difficult and most real experience of her life. “I adore my children endlessly. In fact, they know that they always come first“, she told Nova TV.
Petrova also connects her family with her public work. In 2020, she was introduced as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in Bulgaria. In her public appearances, she talks about parenting, child aggression and the need for children to be heard and supported.
Life without constant media noise
Off stage, Elena Petrova chooses a more restrained public image. She told the Bulgarian National Radio that she does not use “Facebook“ and does not read comments on social networks. “I live much better this way. I do not think that everyone should be a media person“, the actress says.
However, she does not distance herself from the profession. In 2024, she starred in the film “It is never just sex“, and in 2025 she appeared on stage in the Spanish comedy “Adios, Mr. Minister“ by Jordi Galceran. Thus, at 51, Elena Petrova continues to divide her time between theater, cinema, family and the causes she takes personally.
Sources: btv.bg, bnrnews.bg, 24chasa.bg