Bentley viral-sensation model ‘proud to be Russian’

The luxury brand’s recent commercial has prompted a global wave of parodies

Russian model Alla Burletova, who starred in a recent Bentley commercial that became a viral sensation, spoke to online outlet Mash and revealed she has been elated that her performance sparked a global response – and that she was actually “proud to be Russian.”

The ASMR video-style commercial, commissioned by a Russian car dealership and released mid-summer, features Burletova exploring a luxury Bentley car. The model is seen running over the car’s grille with her nails, turning its engine on, using turn signals, and placing a glass into the cup holder.

The video promptly went viral, with #bentleygirl hashtag spreading like a wildfire across TikTok and yielding numerous parodies. The spin-off video commonly featured less-than-luxury cars, including old dilapidated jalopies and even armored military vehicles, while tiktokers who shot them parodied the model’s moves with not-so-glamorous activities, such as drinking vodka.

The model said she was happy to receive such internet-wide fame and was particularly proud that the original video was apparently widely watched overseas.

“I’m Russian and I’m proud of it, and now I’m somehow getting a worldwide reach. That’s cool,” Burletova told Mash, adding that she is now considering pursuing an acting career, which has been her “childhood dream.”