Andrzej Kopiczyński had over 160 acting roles to his credit, but it was the role of engineer Stefan Karwowski in the cult film that brought him the greatest recognition and sympathy from viewers, permanently marking his place in the history of Polish cinema. The popularity of the series made Jerzy Gruza decide to continue this story on the big screen. This is how the idea for the film “I Am a Butterfly, or the Romance of a 40-Year-Old Man” was born, which turned out to be a real hit.
They liked each other not only on the set. Kopiczyński was fascinated by her
The plot of the comedy focuses on the main character’s affair with singer Irena Orska. From the very beginning, he saw Gruz as a lover, who at that time topped the charts with songs such as “I invented you” or “I am a butterfly”. – I had no doubt that Irena Jarocka should play Orska. In fact, Krzysztof Teodor Toeplitz and I wrote a film script for it – in the episode of the TVP program “Meetings with the Stars” dedicated to it. He knew that Kopiczyński had a weakness for women and assumed that he would create a duet with the singer debuting in the film, which would attract viewers. – I had a feeling that there would be a spark between Irena and Andrzej, and I was right. They liked each other from the first meeting – .
The director’s account was also confirmed by the actor years later. He admitted that before filming began, he was a fan not only of Jarocka’s work, but also of her beauty and natural charm. – It was an extraordinary creature. Yes, I had a crush on her like everyone else! I was delighted with her and the fact that she was not only a beautiful woman and a great artist, but also a very good actress – he said during the TV concert “Landscape Without You”. They spent every free moment together on set. Kopiczyński constantly complimented her and made sure she felt comfortable. The singer was flattered that he adored her, she was absolutely delighted with him.
He left his wife for another actress. Jarocka came under fire
However, Kopiczyński’s then wife, Ewa Żukowska, did not like the intimate relationship with Jarocka. She was impatiently waiting for the last slap on the set, because she couldn’t stand the thought that something might ruin her, especially since she had given birth to a daughter a few months earlier. And she had reason to be afraid, because the actor did not intend to hide his fascination with another woman. – I think that if it had been like this longer, we might have fallen into some sort of affair – he said later. However, in the end, it was not the singer, but Monika Dzienisiewicz-Olbrychska, who later became his fourth, who turned his head completely and he left his family for her.
When the actor was going through turmoil in his private life, Jarocka also had a difficult time. After the film’s premiere, it received a wave of criticism. Viewers were unable to distinguish fiction from reality, which is why they accused her of immorality and the breakdown of the Karwiński family in the series.
I received a lot of threatening letters. The shocked viewers showered me with epithets and couldn’t forgive me for letting them down. (…) In one of the scenes in the film, Irena Orska gives Stefan her phone number (I made it up quickly). The viewers were absolutely convinced that it was my private phone number.
– she wrote in her autobiography “Those Years Will Not Come Back”.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
