Khulan Chuluun

Khulan Chuluun, originally an aspiring military student in 2006, had her life transformed when she was spotted by casting director Guka Omarova while waiting for a visa at the Chinese embassy in Ulaanbaatar. At that time, filmmaker Sergei Bodrov and Omarova were searching for the perfect actress to portray Börte, the wife of Genghis Khan, just weeks before filming began. Taking a chance on Khulan, who had no prior acting experience, they cast her in the pivotal role in the movie "Mongol."

Following her breakthrough performance in 2007, Khulan expanded her career by stepping behind the camera as an assistant director on the 2009 Kazakh film "Lave," alongside notable works such as "The Old Man" (2012) and "Mech Pobedy" (2012). Her versatility as an actress continued to shine when she played the Queen of the Oirats in the 2017 television series "The Kazakh Khanate."

In addition to her work in film and television, Khulan also showcased her talents in a documentary for the Smithsonian Institution, where she took on the role of a Scythian Warrior. Her diverse contributions to the film industry highlight her dynamic range as both an actress and a director, solidifying her status as a prominent figure in Kazakh cinema.