Iwona Katarzyna Pawlak’s film career began when she was in her third year of studies at the Łódź Film School. Then her husband, Jacek Pawlak, learned that Zbigniew Kuźmiński was planning to adapt Eliza Orzeszkowa’s novel (available at ) and persuaded her to go for test photos. She was not convinced by this idea because she had no experience in front of the camera, and artists such as Justyna Orzelska were already trying to get the role of Justyna Orzelska. Ultimately, however, she decided to try her hand at it. – After a week, the school received information that I had been selected for the main role – in “Tygodnik Sieci”. – I was terrified but happy – she said.
Iwona Katarzyna Pawlak’s foreign career was decided by chance. What productions has she appeared in?
The film premiered in 1986, and Pawlak, who made her screen debut, was immediately hailed as a rising star of Polish cinema. Although critics predicted a spectacular career for her, the industry didn’t have much to offer her and she received almost only episodes. She wasn’t worried about it, because she performed successfully on the stage of the New Theater in Łódź, where in the meantime she got a permanent job. The perspective changed when she went to Australia as part of the promotion of “Nad Niemnem”. – I met an agent from New Zealand there, she took great care of me and helped me. She invited me to her place. I started going to auditions, I got a role in the TV series “Gloss” and in the movie “Brotherhood of the Rose”, in which I played alongside Robert Mitchum – in “Angora”.
Although she could choose more roles than in her homeland, her earnings still did not allow her to support herself abroad. So she worked as a model, hostess and caregiver for the elderly. – I missed Poland terribly, I missed home. And of course for my husband. It was an unbearable longing – in an interview with “Stockholm Designer Magazine”. She thought that everything would change when he joined her, but the cash she sent him through a friend to buy a plane ticket was lost. – Then Jacek told me on the phone, “Maybe you could come back?” – she recalled. She didn’t think about the decision for too long, especially since a job in the theater was still waiting for her.
After 1.5 years, Iwona Katarzyna Pawlak returned to Poland. How did her career develop?
After returning to her homeland, she returned to work and began regularly attending castings, which led to her roles in productions such as “Citizen of the World” and “2”. Although she aroused admiration and recognition, she did not repeat her debut success. – I often heard that if I hadn’t left, my so-called career would have turned out differently – she told Tygodnik Sieci, adding that she had a different opinion on this matter. – I have never regretted either leaving or coming back – she emphasized.
In the late 2000s, Pawlak began postgraduate studies in media management for film and television producers at the Koźmiński Academy, which she successfully completed in 2012. In the meantime, she moved to Warsaw, and her job at a bank provided her with a steady income. – I was outside the artistic world for 8 years – she said in “Angora”. Then she lived for some time in Zielona Góra, where she worked in the marshal’s office, but eventually returned to the capital. – My own passion and the online community that supports me don’t let me forget about acting. I have this attitude: what didn’t work once will work out someday – she said on the website “Wiadomości. Zielona Góra”. One of the last productions in which she appeared is the film “Psy 3. In the name of principles” and the series “Korona Królów. Jagiellonowie”. If you feel like it, vote in our poll below.
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.
