Rising Stars: Meet Gabriela Bulka

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriela Bulka.

Hi Gabriela, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been in the arts since I was a kid, in the theatre, but mostly training and dancing in a ballet school. After graduating high school and shortly after receiving my diploma as a Professional Dancer and Choreographer, I started auditioning. We have a few National Drama Schools in Poland, but only a handful become the chosen people. I wasn’t the one and heard many no’s before hearing any yes’es. I come from an Eastern European country with old values and points of view in certain matters – what I mean by that is it’s necessary to get a degree, a “real life job” degree (whatever that means). With that in mind, I started (and spoiler alert – graduated) Law School.

However, during my third year of Law, while interning in a Law Office, I was very overwhelmed and miserable, I felt I was missing something. I needed a break and I flew to New York City for a three months acting program, promising my mom I would come back and take all my civil and criminal law exams in Fall. And within my first weeks in the City of Dreams, I knew I was missing the arts, acting and theatre. And those three months turned into over three years. I graduated from a famous The Lee Strasberg Theatre&Film Institute with a Two Year Conservatory Certificate and started working in the industry soon after.

Breaking into industry in the city where every other person dreams about Broadway is extremely hard for anybody, let alone for a non-American with a slight Eastern European accent. But NYC is so vibrant and inspiring that every day seems like a new work, as Shakespeare wrote “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players”. With that in mind, I started writing, creating and collaborating with my fellow International and American actor friends instead of waiting around for a phone to call.

I produced my first Off-Broadway Show in November last year with RJ Theatre Company. It was a premiere of a New Play by Emma Tadmor (“Charlie” at Theatre Lab), which I also movement directed. In May 2023, I worked on an adaptation of “Hamlet” (“Hamlet Split Apart” at The Flea), again producing and movement directing. The word has spread about my newfound passion to producing and I have been invited to produce my first short film, “Cortado” starring Juan Teisaire (Awards- Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, Best of the Fest at the Strasberg International Film Festival) and to co-produce 18th New York Polish Film Festival. My next project is a Play by an Argentinian Writer featuring a multicultural cast which is set to premiere later this year in New York.

Here my journey makes a full circle – I will start MFA program this August and join Clarence Brown Theatre Company.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being an artist is, I believe, the most rocky road possible, but at the same time the most rewarding. I also believe you can’t choose to be an artist, it chooses you, and no matter how hard you’d try to do other things, you will always go back to what’s in your soul. As I mentioned, I heard many no’s before hearing any “yes”. And you never know what factor made them choose the other actor. Maybe it’s my height, maybe my hair, maybe my accent… or maybe none of these and it wasn’t for me. On the latest, I’ve been working really hard, but in the meantime, while brushing up on my American accent, I learnt to use my Eastern European background to my advantage, the industry became more open to diversity and international casting. My heritage is what makes me different and interesting (and it’s actually what landed me a place at a MFA program this year)…

I still do struggle with auditioning, and I constantly remind myself not to take it too personally and that every audition is an opportunity to perform. I am so excited for any of my friends when they book a gig because we are all in this together. Today it’s them; tomorrow, it’s going to be me.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
To keep my artistic spirits up, I started creating my own work, found out producing brings me a lot of joy and satisfaction. I collaborate on projects that interest me and have something to say. I think that’s what theatre or film is about. About starting a conversation, touching the matters that are important, as well as making this one person in the audience say “I know this feeling. I am not alone”.

What I specialise in? Well as a producer I say: “Things impossible I do immediately, for miracles I need some time”. That’s how my Eastern European toughness and assertiveness manifests itself.

As an actor I say, “You didn’t want me, your loss”. Of course, that’s a joke, but in every joke there’s a seed of truth. I now appreciate my individuality and value my foreignness.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
For starters, my mom, I would have not be where I am now without her constant support. She believed in me when I didn’t, and she never let me give up. She also has never pushed me to do anything else.

And then incredible faculty and staff at The Strasberg Institute, list is too long but I’d like to mention Bill Hopkins, who boosted my confidence and taught me that things I disliked about myself are my assets.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gabrielabulka.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ga_bulka/
• Other: https://www.rjtheatrecompany.com/

Image Credits
1. Personal picture – Andrea Mortini 2. F36 Productions – Thoughts Short Film DoP Eren Gedikoglu 3. Personal Archive – RJ Theatre Company Closing Night of Hamlet Split Apart 4. NYPFF – New York Polish Film Festival with Ryszard Horowitz 5. RJ Theatre Company – Opening Night of Charlie 6. F36 Productions – Thoughts Short Film DoP Eren Gedikoglu 7. Jade Lockwood – BTS of Cortado Short Film also picture 8. in the picture lead actor Juan Teisaire