Daniel Olbrychsky is a famous theater and film actor. He was born in Lovic in 1945, February 27. Olbrychsky from 1963 to 1964 was associated mainly with the Youth Theater TVP. Strange as it may seem, he did not finish his studies at the Warsaw State Higher Theater School, as in his first year he made his film debut in the film “Wounded in the Forest” by Janusz Nasfeter (1964). Today, few people remember that it was this picture that opened Olbrykhsky, who at the time of participation in the filming was 19 years old. Below you can see how Daniel Olbrychsky looked in his youth. The photo was taken in 1967.
Youthful roles
Ashes (1965) is the next film to push this debut into the shadows. It also starred Daniel Olbrychsky. In his youth, the role of Rafal Olbromsky played in the film by Andrzej Wajda , one of the main ones in the film, was the beginning of a collaboration that continued for many years. Olbrykhsky was replaced by an acting education internship in the Wajda team.
20-year-old Daniel Olbrychsky attracted attention primarily due to his natural charm. The face of this young man expressed an original personality and inner strength. Despite the fact that the actor lacked skill, Olbrychsky created a memorable image in this film, after which he received several offers from various directors. He played with Janusz Morgenstern in the films "Yovita" and "Then there will be silence", with Juliana Dzedzina in the film "Boxer".
1969 in the life of an actor
The actor in 1969 returned to cooperation with Vaida. Daniel Olbrychsky took part in the films "All for Sale" and "Fly Hunt". "Everything for Sale" - a picture that was a tribute to Zbigniew Tsibulsky, who died tragically. Olbrykhsky appeared in the film as an actor.
Tadeusz Sobolevsky noted that he took the place of the deceased in this film, as if taking his role. Subsequently, Daniel Olbrykhsky, whose biography interests us, became truly an idol. But he was not like Tsibulsky. He did not try to copy it. In 1969, the actor began to collaborate with another director who played a significant role in his career, Jerzy Hoffmann. The great triumph of Daniel Olbrykhsky was the role of Tugai-beevich in the film of Henryk Sienkiewicz "Pan Volodyevsky". His hero is cruel and merciless, but capable of making romantic sacrifices. After 30 years, he also participated in the film epic “Hoffmann's Fire and Sword”, playing the role of Tugai-beevich’s father. Daniel Olbrykhsky, whose photographs are presented in the article, as you may have noticed, is a very interesting person.
1970 in the career of Olbrykhsky
The year 1970 brought this actor roles in several Wajda films that are completely different from the previous ones. A big surprise for him was the proposal to participate in "Landscape after the Battle" - a picture created by the work of T. Borovsky. The actor could not imagine himself in the role of a cold observer. But he managed to perfectly convey the character of a life-losing, depressed person trying to return to life after Auschwitz’s nightmare.
It was also difficult for Daniel Olbrykhsky to play the role of an internally burned out person who despaired after the death of his wife in the film "Bereznyak", created based on the work of Y. Ivashkevich. The actor proved with these two works that the range of his capabilities and talent is much wider than anticipated.
He also demonstrated a psychologically soulful, focused acting in a film called Family Life. After a not very successful performance in the 1971 film "Pilate and the Others" (directed by Wajda), the actor played an excellent role as the groom in Wajda's next film, released in 1972 ("The Wedding").
Role Kmitsitsa
The role of Kmitsitsa ("Flood"), proposed by Hoffmann Olbrichsky, provoked almost a nationwide discussion. In this image, few expected to see him. Having played in the "Flood", this actor created an image that went far beyond the costumed film. The hero turned out to be true and convincing in his contradictions - the actor managed to make a thinking character out of badass and warriors.
Flood and Promised Land
The actor after the premiere of "The Flood" again praised by critics. This film has gained immense popularity. He was even nominated for an Oscar. Did not leave Olbrykhsky luck. Once again, after filming The Flood, he played in Wajda's 1974 film The Promised Land. In this picture, the actor played the role of Borovetsky, a young gentry, a hero deprived of human feelings, ready for any meanness for the sake of a career. Daniel Olbrykhsky demonstrated accuracy and skill in this role, although, as he himself admitted, he played “against himself”, because at the beginning of his career he wanted to embody noble and straightforward heroes.
"Young ladies from Vilko"
The 1970s in the career of Olbrychsky were marked by another magnificent work. This is the role of Victor Ruben in the 1979 film "The Young Lady of Vilco" (directed by Wajda). A picture was taken based on the work of Ivashkevich. This role is considered by many to be the best in Olbrychsky’s career. He created the image of a hero who experiences a feeling of imperfection. The picture was also nominated for an Oscar.
Emigration
Further work of this actor is as follows. He played in the films "Kung Fu", "Knight" and "Inspection on the spot" (the first picture was released in 1979, the other two in 1980). After the declaration of martial law in 1980, Daniel Olbrykhsky left the country for political reasons. His filmography in subsequent years is therefore represented mainly by works in the paintings of various Western directors.
Return to Polish cinema
In 1985, the actor returned to Polish cinema. He starred in the film by Peter Shulkin "Ha, ha. Glory to the heroes." In it, Daniel played a prisoner sent to an alien planet. Olbrykhsky also appeared in Vitold Leshchinsky's Toporiade and in the film “I Against” by A. Tshos-Rastavetsky. In the last picture, he played the head of the center for help to drug addicts.
Three years later, the actor starred in the third part of "The Decalogue" by K. Kieslowski. After that - in the “Priority of feelings” (1993). In 1995, films with his participation appeared, such as The Lark and The Story of the Master Twardowski.
Continued cooperation with Vaida
In 1999, Olbrykhsky returned to cooperation with Vaida. He played Hervasia in Pan Tadeusz. Three years later, the actor starred in the film "Revenge" of the same director. Again he meets with Hoffmann in the aforementioned film "Fire and Sword", as well as in another film ("An Old Tradition"), in which he embodied the role of Piastun. Olbrykhsky also starred in such films as Persona Non Grata (2005) and Weekend Stories (1997).
Foreign cinema
Daniel Olbrychsky already in the early 1970s played in 3 films of Miklos Yancho, a Hungarian director. But only in 1979 he began his overseas career with the role of Jan Bronsky in the film "Tin Drum", awarded with an Oscar and the Golden Palm Branch. The actor in the following years travels to Europe, starring in German, French, Italian films, as well as Russian (after 1990).
In 1981, he got the main role in the picture of L. Zafranovich "The Fall of Italy", as well as in the film by Code Lelouch "One and the other." The next work was the 1982 picture "Trout" (directed by Joseph Losey).
In 1984, the actor was noted in the film R. Dembo "Diagonal of an elephant." Later, a number of roles were played by Daniel Olbrychsky. Films in which he participated - "The Unbearable Lightness of Being", "At the Jeweler's Shop", "Nocturne", "Steps of Love", "Red Orchestra", "Siberian Barber". In total, in more than 100 films, foreign and Polish, this artist starred.
The actor’s partners on the set were such great artists as Michel Piccoli, Marina Vladi, Isabelle Huper, Hannah Shigula, Leslie Karon, Simone Signoret and Burt Lancaster.
Theatrical work
Theater has a special place in the life of Olbrykhsky. He performed in 1969 at the Teatr Powszechny, and somewhat later at the National Theater in Warsaw. There Olbrykhsky played 450 times the main role in Shakespeare's play Hamlet. This actor in France made an adaptation of Gone With the Wind, where he played the role of Ratt Butler. Olbrykhsky also worked with Khanushkevich on the works of A. Fredro, participated in the performances of "Three by Three" (Papkin), "Husband and Wife" (Gustav-Wenceslas).
In the 1990s, he appeared in Lapitsky's Revenge as Chashnik. The actor also continued to play the classics staged by Hanushkevich on the stage of the National Theater in Warsaw. In 2006, in a performance prepared on the occasion of the 60th anniversary, he played in the play of Shakespeare by King Lear directed by Andrei Konchalovsky. These are only his main theatrical roles.
Now tell a little about the family of the actor.
Daniel Olbrychsky: personal life
He has three children from different women: Victor, Veronica and Rafal. Rafal (a child from Monica Dzenisevich) - guitarist, composer, actor, has already participated in six films. For almost 20 years, Daniel Olbrychsky was married to the daughter of Andrzej Lapitsky, a Polish actor, Suzanne Lapitsky. From her, his daughter Veronica was born to him.
The youngest son, Victor, was born from Barbara Sukova, a German actress. During an affair with her, the actor was married to Suzanne, loved two women at the same time, and could not leave any of them.
Daniel Olbrychsky lives near Warsaw. He raises two grandchildren, the sons of his firstborn, Rafal. The actor is surrounded by cats, as well as the Yorkshire Terrier. He prefers forest and silence to large cities.