The series “The Agency” was based on the popular French drama “Spy Office”. Production follows the fate of the CIA agent (played by Michael Fassbender), who must abandon his life under the cover. In London he meets old love, but his past and identity do not allow himself to forget about himself. The agent is involved in a deadly spy intrigue. Zarzeczny plays here Belarusian located in the crosshairs of the London Branch of the CIA.
Justyna Krakowiak: What was the casting for “The Agency”?
Marcin Zarzeczny: Everything happened around Easter. I recorded a total of two scenes, one in English, the other in Russian. They were not complicated, but I felt that I had to apply to them. I recorded them for a total of four days, and in the meantime I fought with myself, because I really wanted to spend this period of Christmas with my family, enjoy their presence. Then I was invited to a casting to London, but I couldn’t go to him, so we met with Zoom with the director of the first two episodes, Joe Wright and Directors of Casting. After the zoom, they wanted me to come to London, so a few days later we all met there personally.
Was cooperation with experienced actors from Hollywood a difficulty for you? Did you have to prepare for it somehow?
Before leaving for London, it was hard for me and it was not because of Michael Fassbender. There I met a lot of wonderful and experienced artists who are known all over the world, so at the beginning I was a bit afraid of whether my skills are enough. It was an interesting collision with reality in terms of authorities. I had such a strange idea about them beforeas if they were some icons. It sounds funny because I remember As I saw Michael for the first time in a reading rehearsal, I thought he was two meters tall. However, when I tamed the fear and we met for the first time on the set, it turned out that he was a bit up to two meters. It’s interesting as we see the world through our own clichés.
Earlier I saw the world of American cinema through the prism of my ideas, and this only confirmed me that this authority is always behind a man. I felt very quickly that I didn’t have to be afraid of anything and prove anything to anyone. We were somewhat connected by a common goal, i.e. making the most beautiful scenes. Now, in retrospect, I look at myself in this series and sometimes I am disbuvened that it really happened. At the same time, I hear that in this role I speak not in my voice, it makes sounds that are not “marcin”. I see a character, not myself. This is interesting.
So you discovered your new face that you didn’t know about before …
It was a beautiful lesson. Another is, for example, greater care for the work methodology, i.e. what I have to do on the set to get the best way. There were moments when we were supposed to start photos and I felt that I was not ready. Then I just stopped the shot. In retrospect, I think it was a huge lesson of respect for acting.
What difference did you notice in working on foreign and Polish productions? Did you see something special with them? They had any behaviors, rituals, a job approach that surprised you?
Until now, I took part in two foreign productions. What I noticed is great care that there is a nice atmosphere at work, so that emotions do not take control of us. I do not think that this concerned all foreign productions, because I also talked to people who worked on other such undertakings and told me that it was different. I think that the difference is certainly that it is all great there, there are great budgets, set design and everything else is done with a flourish. Our productions are usually made on a much smaller scale for budget reasons.
You have a performance in American production behind you, but some time ago you had trouble finding a job. What turned out to be the most important breakthrough for you and did the monodrama prove to be the ladder after which you left the proverbial hole?
I see three very important moments in my acting history. The first were “confessions of the unemployed actor”. Six years later I took part in Bartek Kruhlik’s “Supernn”. Then I played a really big role for the first time. After another six years I came to “The Agency”.
“The confessions of the unemployed actor” showed me that I do not have to be dependent on someone from the outside in the context of having a job, that I can create such a space myself. In fact, for several years I was the director of a single theater, organizer, technical, screenwriter, director, actor, props, specialist in organizing travel, a specialist in sales and marketing. I issued this monodrama about 130 times in Poland, Iceland, Germany, India and Iran. Fragments of my texts in American literary magazines were published three times. There is no country in the world to which I would not send an e -mail about work.
Do you remember what perception of your art abroad from the audience?
In fact, viewers resonated everywhere with the topic of unfulfilled professional dreams. In my opinion, this is a very universal message. Sometimes we want to do things that we love, but we do not do them, because, for example, parents do not support us in it. Or we do not believe that we can do what we love, so we choose another profession that will ensure financial security. The monodrama was created after talks with loved ones who found themselves in the same situation as me. They also wanted to do other things, for example related to art, but they did not do them, because in this industry there is no money and it is difficult to stay in it.
What would you tell the younger Marcin today who was just at the threshold of his acting career?
Go on and Don’t stop. I would also tell him that he would look for this love and strength above all.
The series “The Agency” debuted on the Skyshowtime platform on February 10, 2025. We invite you to participate in the poll and commenting.
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.
