In 1989, Jerzy Gudejko, in cooperation with his wife Grażyna, established an acting agency, which today is considered a real talent pool. They have had fruitful collaborations with artists such as Izabela Kuna, Jowita Budnik, Małgorzata Socha and , whom they helped to reach the top of their careers.
Actors in Poland earn a fortune, and actresses? Jerzy Gudejko talks about the factors influencing the rates
The Gudejkos talked about their over 30 years of experience in the film industry in the latest interview for . One of the topics they discussed that is of particular interest to the public is . These, as is commonly known, are not the lowest. Despite this, many still complain about remuneration that is inadequate to the amount of work, comparing the rates to those that are standard in the industry abroad. Grażyna Gudejko does not hide the fact that the difference is indeed noticeable, but it is certainly not as dramatic as a few decades earlier. – The gap used to be incredible, now the differences are getting smaller. You earn better abroad, but let’s say by 50%, not by 500% as before, she said.
An issue that is equally often raised, especially by actresses, is the issue of different rates due to gender. Jerzy Gudejko argues that men do not earn more than women, but if such a situation occurs, it is not related to discrimination, but to market trends. – It’s a matter of supply and demand. We have many more very talented actresses than actors, and at the same time there are more roles for men than for women, he explained, adding that actors usually receive several offers at the same time and then choose the one thanks to which they can earn more. – So, most often, many equally good actresses are considered for the female role, and significantly fewer men are considered for the male role. And sometimes one actor who also has other proposals at the same time. Therefore, the manufacturer must offer him a higher price to convince him to sign the contract, said the head of the agency directly.
What desires do local cinema stars have? The Gudejeks give the most common examples
During the conversation, the topic of unusual things that have been circulating for years was also discussed. There is a common belief that many actors have their fame gone to their heads, and working with them is a real torment due to their numerous, sometimes absurd requirements. It turns out that while this is standard abroad, in Poland it has little to do with reality. It is true that some people want to include certain issues in contracts, but these are most often requests dictated by an important reason, and not the proverbial “I see something”. – Sometimes actors have certain requirements, but usually they are fully understandable. If an actress is breastfeeding a baby, it’s no surprise that she asks for a trailer where she can do it during breaks between shots. But this is not a whim, said Grażyna Gudejko.
In turn, her husband emphasized that in the Polish industry there are few actors who set any requirements regarding comfort on the set. Some of the most common ones involve including vegetarian dishes in catering or matcha instead of standard black tea, but these are sporadic cases and do not burden the production budget to be considered a fad. – It has never happened before that someone wanted a specific brand of champagne or red toilet paper in their wardrobe. Such a thing would not be possible in Polish reality, said the woman.
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.
