All of Poland fell in love with Dymna. His career took off and he was gone

Which roles brought Andrzej Wasilewicz the desired fame? Definitely playing the role of Zenek Adamec, as a result of which he starred alongside in the following productions: “Nie ma mocnych” and “Love or throw”. After this success, the door to a career on the screen opened for him. We also know the actor from such films as “Teddy Bear”, “Return Ticket”, “Aria for an Athlete”, “Wizja lokalna 1901”, “Free Moments” or from the series “Third Border”. Andrzej Wasilewicz’s numerous successes were not, however, a sufficient reason to stay in Poland. At a turning point in his acting career, he decided to live in the United States. Why did the actor decide to change his plans and move to live abroad? And what does Wojciech Jaruzelski have to do with it? We present the backstage of an outstanding life.

From judo to theater – the beginnings of Andrzej Wasilewicz

Andrzej Wasilewicz was born on March 10, 1951 in the city of Białograd. His parents had different views – his father supported communism, and his mother wanted to raise her son in the Catholic faith. It can be said that, in a way, she achieved her goal, because she secretly baptized Andrzej. What was the financial situation of the Wasilewicz family like? It was not colorful. The material aspect was often the cause of quarrels in their home. The future artist, however, tried not to give up and pursue his passions. He was good at judo and for a time thought the discipline would be his way of life. It turned out, however, that he is much more interested in art than this sport. The theatrical world completely absorbed him. Passion has become a way of life. At the end of his studies at the PWST university in Warsaw, he could boast of a significant role, thanks to which he gained fame. His debut took place in 1970, when “Portfolio”, directed by Julian Dziedzina, had its premiere. Andrzej Wasilewicz played an officer there. Soon all of Warsaw noticed his skills and unprecedented personal charm. The characteristic face of “Nie ma mocnych” was associated by most Poles. He was even compared to the famous Janosik, that is Marek Perepeczko. Andrzej Wasilewicz’s masculinity caused a great stir in the female part of the audience. Artist:

I did not take advantage of the success among women, although someone said about me: Polish Marlon Brando

Did high recognition make the actor hit the soda water in the head? On the contrary. Andrzej Wasilewicz revealed his other talents fairly quickly. He was also good at composing songs and creating lyrics for them, which he developed abroad.

Why did Andrzej Wasilewicz leave Poland?

Despite the flourishing acting career, Andrzej decided to leave his homeland. The reason for this decision was the finances. During his one-year leave from work, he decided to earn his own apartment. He traveled around Germany, France, and later landed in the United States. He was scheduled to return to Poland in 1981, but martial law made plans for him.

During my performance, someone came running from the TV room and shouted that Poland is under martial law. The concert turned into a manifestation. Everyone was shocked. Phones rang, but it was impossible to connect with Poland

Andrzej Wasilewicz gave up his acting career as a result of the rule of Wojciech Jaruzelski. He was their staunch opponent, which he expressed through active participation in protests abroad and supporting Solidarity with his work. He has composed more than 200 songs on this subject. In addition, while in the United States, he developed his directing studies. He was a student at Columbia University. His work as a bartender helped him to support himself, and he was also very good at it. Working in this way, he listened to the problems of many guests and supported them with a kind word. He was a kind of psychologist and priest for them. While working in a bar, he had the opportunity to meet John Kennedy. How did it come about? The editorial office of “Życie na czas” confessed:

The president’s son came to me and we talked about life

His interest in working on the other side of the camera resulted in a new project – a television program made for a Polish station in New York. Andrzej Wasilewicz also conducted interviews. We could not see him again in the role of an actor until 1997. He appeared in the production of “Happy New York.” After this success, he returned to Poland. He commented on his decision to emigrate as follows:

I am happy because if I had stayed in Poland, I would have been a completely different person. A haughty star

Parkinson’s disease and going away

The actor did not remember the yacht trip around the world very well, as his health deteriorated significantly at that time. The troublesome Parkinson’s disease had the greatest influence on the functioning of Andrzej Wasilewicz. It became the final cause of his death. The actor lost weight rapidly at the end of his life and had great mobility problems. He no longer looked like a strong and handsome man. Anna Dymna recognized him:

A man was watching me, but I didn’t recognize Andrzej in him. I remembered him as vital, strong, and this one was skinny and slow and barely spoke. [..] Only the voice remained the same. Extremely warm and friendly

On December 13, 2016, an actor, director, composer and poet died in Long Island. He was 65 at the time. The mentioned date is also the anniversary of martial law. Many Poles remembered Andrzej Wasilewicz as an activist of Solidarity and an outstanding artist. The only daughter of a famous actor, Nicole Wasilewicz, said goodbye to her father with the following:

I want to thank all of you very much for your kind words and support, as well as appreciation for his contribution. We would like to thank our friends, family and, above all, my father’s fans and other artists and compatriots, especially those who made this festive meeting possible. He would be as grateful as I am. To celebrate his dedication to art, we will be announcing a fundraiser soon. Thank you once again for your love and strength in these unbearably hard times for me

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