Maria Shtofa

Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, Maria landed her first major role in 2018 in the feature film Rhino, directed by Oleg Sentsov. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival, won multiple awards across various international festivals, and was later acquired by Netflix. Following this, she spent two years performing at the National Theatre in Kyiv before securing a leading role in the war drama Myrnyi 21, directed by Akhtem Seitablaev. Since 2022, Maria has focused on developing her career across Europe and the UK. Recent credits include the highly anticipated Amazon series Blade Runner 2099, where she plays the role of Instructor Farah. She also starred in the Polish feature film People, directed by Filip Hillesland and Maciej Slesicki, earning a nomination for Best Acting. Most recently, she wrapped filming on the feature 7 Days in February, directed by Tatjana Moutchnik, in which she plays the lead role of Marina. On stage, she made her London theatre debut in the production Borsh: The taste of home. Maria holds a BA in Acting and, in 2024, completed the Advanced Acting Course with Giles Foreman in London. She is also trained in rhythmic gymnastics and dance.