Olbrychski met Streep when she was a student. “She poured me vodka.” Five years later she received an Oscar

The filmography includes many excellent titles that have become a permanent part of the history of cinema. One of them is undoubtedly “The Deluge” by Henryk Sienkiewicz, directed by , which was nominated for 1975. The awards gala brought the actor not only fame and recognition in the West, but also a unique friendship. This is the story of his friendship with Meryl Streep.

Olbrychski met Streep at a private party at Elżbieta Czyżewska’s. Then they had no contact for five years

While staying in Los Angeles, Daniel Olbrychski decided to meet with , who was in New Heaven at that time. The director then invited him to the play “The Fiends” by Dostoyevsky, which had premiered at the Yale Repertory Theater a few months earlier. It was attended by Elżbieta Czyżewska, who after the event invited everyone to a small party organized at her home. It was during this event that he met an aspiring actress and student of the Yale University Drama Department, who also appeared in the play.

A girl was sitting next to me, squatting, asking about Wajda, about working in the theater, now about acting in films. A girl like a girl – very young, of average beauty

– in the autobiography “Angel around the head”. He added that she already had the makings of a big star and knew that the world would soon hear about her. – Before she started working with Wajda, she watched his films available in the United States, so she knew me by heart. She was a very polite and nice girl, she poured me vodka – he said in . Although, as he claims, they spent almost half the night talking about art, their contact broke off when he returned to his homeland. However, fate wanted them to meet again.

Streep reportedly fell into his arms at the Oscars. Their friendship continues to this day

In 1980, Olbrychski once again went to the USA to take part in the Oscar gala and represent two films fighting for the statuette: “The Tin Drum” and “The Maids of the Wolf”. When he got there, she called him. She warned him that during the event he would definitely meet the girl he met at her party five years earlier.

Ela told me: “I’m calling so that you don’t be stupid and start introducing yourself sometimes, because no woman will forgive you for that.” With this phone call she saved my life, my honor as a gentleman and my male dignity

– he recalled and added that it was thanks to her intervention that he avoided embarrassment.

That evening, Meryl Streep was triumphant, as she received the first Academy Award in her career for her role as Joanna Kramer in the drama “The Kramer Affair”. After the event, the two went to a party where they fell into each other’s arms. – I can’t even imagine what would have happened if Ela hadn’t called me the previous morning, because I certainly wouldn’t have met Meryl – he said later. Since then, Olbrychski and Streep have remained on friendly terms and maintain constant contact. – We know each other well privately. We are friends – he said in an interview with “Gazeta Wrocławska”.