Skopje, 17 July 2026 (MIA)

Andreja RISTESKI

Actor Toni Naumovski, recipient of the 2026 “Meto Jovanovski” Award, notes that actors from the Balkans have to work significantly harder to compete on equal footing internationally, underscoring that securing any role requires clearing multiple rounds of auditions and thousands of competitors from around the globe.

Naumovski, who has lived and worked in New York for over two decades, tells MIA in an interview that actors from the region rarely start on a level playing field compared to their colleagues from major film industries.

“Anyone from the Balkans has to work three times as hard just to get an equal shot or an equal starting position. Usually, getting a role means going through seven or eight rounds of auditions – a marathon competing against thousands of brilliant colleagues from all over the world. Being a top professional is nonnegotionable, it is the very essence and purpose of being an artist,” says Naumovski.

Naumovski graduated in acting from the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts in Sofia and went on to hone his craft at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York. He has starred in series like The Blacklist, Blindspot, The Equalizer, FBI: Most Wanted, The Endgame, and The Night Agent. He also won several international best actor awards for his lead role in the Macedonian feature film Lena and Vladimir. 

Reflecting on receiving the “Meto Jovanovski” Award at the Balkan and Mediterranean Film Festival "Across the Lake", Naumovski says the recognition holds a special place in his career.

“It is immensely significant, especially because it’s my first acting award in Macedonia, and because it bears the name of Meto Jovanovski, a true master who was among the best in the world. His value and impact are, and always will be, a lasting cultural legacy for present and future generations,” says Naumovski.

According to Naumovski, the Festival sends a strong message that art should build bridges between people and cultures. “The essence of our existence as artists is to bring together, connect, and enlighten. The work is greater than any of our individual ambitions,” Naumovski stresses.

In the interview for MIA, Naumovski notes that even after almost 700 auditions and over 250 roles in theater, film, and television, he still feels like an “eternal student of life”, convinced that an actor must never stop learning, evolving, and exploring the depths of their craft. 

What does the 2026 “Meto Jovanovski” Award mean to you, and how do you view the creative legacy of an actor whose work represents an enduring value for present and future generations?

It is immensely significant, especially because it’s my first acting award in Macedonia, and because it bears the name of Meto Jovanovski, a true master who was among the best in the world. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to work with him, but I always enjoy and admire his masterful roles. His value and impact are, and always will be, a lasting cultural legacy for present and future generations. I am immensely grateful to the incredible Jani Bojadzi and the wonderful team behind the “Across the Lake” festival for this exceptional recognition.

What does it mean to you to receive this award at the “Across the Lake” festival which, with this year’s focus on Iranian cinema, further opens up a space for dialogue between diverse cinematic traditions?

I feel humbled, honored and privileged, motivated, deeply emotional and excited. The very name of the festival, “Across the Lake”, carries a metaphor of bridges – bridges that we, as artists, need to build. The essence of our existence as artists is to bring together, connect, and enlighten, regardless of where that “across” is and what lies on the other side, and to understand that the work is greater than any of our individual ambitions. I am thrilled and it’s no coincidence that I am receiving this award at this particular festival because my entire life I’ve been somewhere or from somewhere “across”. And also, my absolute favorite director is the Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi.

As one of the few actors from the region who consistently manage to capture the attention of the American market through multiple rounds of auditions, do you believe that an actor from the Balkans has to put in more effort to get noticed, or is the intense competition crucial, demanding that everyone become a top professional – a working actor?

Anyone from the Balkans has to work three times as hard just to get an equal shot or an equal starting position, this especially applies to us actors, with our appearance, speech, language, personality, etc., being under constant scrutiny. That’s why every achievement by our colleagues, from our country and region, carries a much greater value and significance. You really have to go through the wringer. Usually, getting a role means going through seven or eight rounds of auditions and a marathon with thousands of brilliant colleagues from all over the world. But being a top professional is nonnegotiable, it is the very essence and purpose of being an artist. Your dedication, self-improvement, ethics, discipline, energy, physical and mental condition, physical eloquence, intellect, and spirit must always be at a masterful level. Despite having gone through nearly 700 auditions and playing 253 roles across theater, film, and television, I remain tirelessly dedicated and with the same passion and curiosity of an eternal student of life.

Would you say you have realized your dream and what is the price a person must pay for their dreams? What have you gained and what have you lost on this path?

Yes, I realized my dream a long time ago, without having to sell my soul for it. The price and sacrifice are immeasurable – emotionally, physically, mentally. But the reward is priceless, and that reward is you yourself – with your lucidity, with your own signature, with the preparedness to play and swim in the deepest waters. It brings complete self-awareness and clarity about yourself and your surroundings. There are no losses, only gains, and ever higher dimensions of those gains. Everything is a process of shaping who you are as a person. 

You have played dozens of roles in various languages and productions. What is your approach when working in different contexts and how possible it is to set a clear boundary between the actor and the character? Do you manage to avoid taking your characters home with you, making sure they don’t become a part of your private life? And is it even possible to approach acting purely as a “craft” while still building a truly deep and multi-layered character?

Drawing a clear boundary between the actor and the character is a paradox. It is always a fine line. Because the character comes from the actor. I am the creator and the source of the character, which is sculpted through a long process of active analysis and multi-dimensional transformation. It is always a challenge to discover whether I drew the character in or if the character drew me, what I am learning from that journey at that exact moment, and which piece of the mosaic of my existence and its meaning is meant to be revealed. I am still looking for a way to make sure I don’t take my roles home and everywhere else with me, but I am increasingly finding a sense of balance and moderation. Perhaps it is possible to approach acting purely as a craft while still building a truly deep and multi-layered character, but personally, I haven’t yet found out how.

What message would you give to young Macedonian actors dreaming of an international career?

Strive for perfection. Be always prepared. Work on yourselves. Tirelessly improve yourselves. Speak the truth on stage, in front of the camera, and also on the street. Become a human polygraph. Nurture the light in you. Be what God made you to be – exceptional, not average. Be exactly who you are, because we need you, not an imitation. Your uniqueness is what matters most. We serve something greater than any of our individual ambitions: the work itself. No one owes us anything, we only owe it to ourselves to always be a better version of who we were a moment ago. Live in the questions, not the answers. Don’t live with the ghosts of the past, nor in the shadow of the future, simply be the moment. Create eternity with every breath. Be curious. Limitless. Nurture the child in you. Don’t be arrogant, nor falsely modest. Listen to everyone, but hear only a few. Don’t recycle yourself. Every role has a different source and its unique path of transformation. Play, don’t just act. Support one another and never sell out your humanity. I am always here for you, to protect you, to celebrate you, to admire you. You are wonderful. Dig deep, with your head in the stars and your feet on the ground, may everything you do and set out to do be blessed. 

Photo: Frosina Naskovikj