Daniel Marcel Olbrychski (Polish pronunciation: [ˈdaɲɛl ˈmart͡sɛl ɔlˈbrɨxskʲi]; born 27 February 1945) is a Polish film and theatre actor who is widely considered one of the greatest Polish actors of his generation.[2] He appeared in 180 films and TV productions and is best known for leading roles in several Andrzej Wajda movies including The Promised Land and also known for playing a defector and spymaster Vassily Orlov alongside Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie in the movie Salt.

Daniel Olbrychski
Obrychski in 2019
Born (1945-02-27) 27 February 1945 (age 79)
Łowicz, Poland
OccupationActor
Years active1964–present
Spouses
Monika Dzienisiewicz-Olbrychska
(m. 1967; div. 1977)
Zuzanna Łapicka
(m. 1978; div. 1988)
Krystyna Demska
(m. 2003)
Children3[1]
Signature

Life and career

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Olbrychski (left) with Andrzej Wajda (centre), 1973

Olbrychski was born in 1945 in Łowicz, Poland to father Franciszek and mother Klementyna (née Sołonowicz). He had an older brother, Krzysztof (1939–2017), who was a physicist.[3] He attended the Stefan Batory Gymnasium and Lyceum in Warsaw.[4] He has been practicing boxing since his youth, he also trained fencing, badminton and judo.[5]

In 1965, he played the character of Rafał Olbromski, his first major film role in Andrzej Wajda's film The Ashes.[6]

In 1971 he won the award for Best Actor at the 7th Moscow International Film Festival for his role in The Birch Wood.[7]

He played one of the leading roles in Volker Schlöndorff's film The Tin Drum based on Günter Grass's novel Die Blechtrommel. He also appeared in one of the ten short films in Krzysztof Kieślowski's Dekalog and played a role in the film adaptation of The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

In 1986, he played one of the main roles in Margarethe von Trotta's film Rosa Luxemburg. The same year, Olbrychski received the French Legion of Honor (L'Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur). In 2007 he received the Stanislavsky Award at the 29th Moscow International Film Festival for the outstanding achievement in the career of acting and devotion to the principles of Stanislavsky's school.[8] In 1998, he starred in Nikita Mikhalkov's film the Barber of Siberia. In a 1998 survey published by Polityka magazine he was ranked 7th on the list of the greatest Polish actors of the 20th century.[9]

In 2010, he received a diploma from the National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw.[10] In addition to acting, Olbrychski has been well known for his abilities as an athlete. A keen horse-rider, a boxer and very able with the sabre, Olbrychski personally performed most of the stunt scenes in his movies.

He was selected to be on the jury for the Cinéfondation and short films sections of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.[11] Throughout his career, he appeared in five Academy Award-nominated films, two of which won the award (The Tin Drum, 1979 and Dangerous Moves, 1984).[12]

Personal life

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In mid-1970s, he was in a relationship with singer Maryla Rodowicz.[13] He has a son Victor from a relationship with German actress Barbara Sukowa.[14][15] He has been married three times: to actress Monika Dziensiewicz, with whom he has a son Rafał; journalist Zuzanna Łapicka (daughter of Andrzej Łapicki), with whom he has a daughter Weronika, and since 2003 to theatrologist Krystyna Demska.[16]

He lived for many years in France and speaks French fluently. He practices boxing as a hobby.[17]

During the 2015 Polish presidential election, he endorsed the candidacy of Bronisław Komorowski.[18][19] He supports the LGBT community.[20]

Filmography

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Polish dubbing

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Modern Art

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Awards and distinctions

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Olbrychski's star on the Walk of Fame in Łódź

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Olbrychski spotkał się z synem po 13 latach!".
  2. ^ "Daniel Olbrychski" (in Polish). Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  3. ^ "Krzysztof Olbrychski, Warszawa, 15.03.2017 - nekrolog". nekrologi.wyborcza.pl. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Daniel Olbrychski". Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  5. ^ "Daniel Olbrychski: bokser!". Onet Kultura (in Polish). 1 October 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  6. ^ "10 niezpomnianych ról Daniela Olbrychskiego!". Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  7. ^ "7th Moscow International Film Festival (1971)". MIFF. Archived from the original on 3 April 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  8. ^ "29th Moscow International Film Festival (2007)". MIFF. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  9. ^ "Daniel Olbrychski (1945)". Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  10. ^ "Olbrychski obronił pracę magisterską". Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  11. ^ "The Cinéfondation and Short Films Jury". Cannes Film Festival. 7 May 2015. Archived from the original on 19 May 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  12. ^ "DANIEL OLBRYCHSKI". Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  13. ^ "Rodowicz była w ciąży z Olbrychskim. Poroniła". Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  14. ^ "Barbara Sukowa". Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  15. ^ "Nieślubny syn Olbrychskiego nago?". Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  16. ^ "W MŁODOŚCI ROZKOCHAŁ W SOBIE WIELE KOBIET. DRUGIEGO SYNA POZNAŁ, GDY TEN BYŁ JUŻ DOROSŁY. OTO SEKRETY DANIELA OLBRYCHSKIEGO I JEGO RODZINY". Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  17. ^ "DANIEL OLBRYCHSKI WCIĄŻ W FORMIE". Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  18. ^ "NEWS DZIENNIK.PL: Kto wszedł do komitetu poparcia Komorowskiego, a kto z niego wypadł? CAŁA LISTA". Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  19. ^ "NEWS DZIENNIK.PL: Kto wszedł do komitetu poparcia Komorowskiego, a kto z niego wypadł? CAŁA LISTA". wiadomosci.dziennik.pl (in Polish). 26 March 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  20. ^ "Daniel Olbrychski na festiwalu Dwa Brzegi w swetrze w tęczowe paski". Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  21. ^ "Daniel Olbrychski". Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  22. ^ Digital Library of Malopolska - Dziennik Polski. 1974, nr 175 (26 VII) = nr 9456, retrieved 9 March 2022
  23. ^ "Postanowienie Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z dnia 3 maja 1998 r. o nadaniu orderu".
  24. ^ "Daniel Olbrychski". Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  25. ^ S.A, Wirtualna Polska Media (13 February 2006). "Daniel Olbrychski odznaczony złotym medalem Gloria Artis". wiadomosci.wp.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  26. ^ "Wyborcza.pl". wyborcza.pl. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  27. ^ "Nagroda dla Daniela Olbrychskiego". Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  28. ^ "Daniel Olbrychski doktorem honoris causa Uniwersytetu Opolskiego". Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  29. ^ "Radni nie mieli żadnych wątpliwości. Daniel Olbrychski honorowym obywatelem Warszawy". Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  30. ^ "Nominees & Winners". Retrieved 1 December 2019.
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