Wojciech Zygmunt Pszoniak (2 May 1942 – 19 October 2020) was a Polish film and theatre actor.
Biography and career
Pszoniak was born in Lwów, Nazi occupied Poland, now in Ukraine. He gained international visibility following Andrzej Wajda's 1975 film The Promised Land, in which he played Moritz, one of the three main characters.
The actor left Poland during the period of political unrest in 1980–81, when the Solidarity trade union began and was ended by the imposition of martial law on 13 December 1981. Pszoniak found roles in France, where he was living and working. After the fall of communism in Eastern Europe in 1989, Pszoniak appeared in Polish movies and plays.
Internationally, he simplified his first name into Wojtek, which is the standard diminutive of the relatively formal Wojciech in the Polish language.
Pszoniak often played Jewish characters, although he was not of Jewish descent. In France, this was partially attributable to his role in The Promised Land, as well as his foreign accent.
Pszoniak did not speak French when he emigrated to France, so he learned his theatrical lines phonetically; in movies like Danton, where he played Robespierre, his voice was dubbed. An anecdote about his language skills relates that when he started speaking French, one director told him that he preferred his old accent.
He died in Warsaw, aged 78.
Selected filmography
Twarz aniola (1971) – Ojciec Tadka
The Devil (1972) – Diabel / Wybawca Jakuba-Jakub's savior
The Wedding (1973) – Journalist / Stanczyk
Gniazdo (1974) – Mieszko I
The Promised Land (1975) – Moryc Welt
Skazany (1976) – Ryszard Bielczyk
Obrazki z zycia (1976) – Jerzy Wojciechowski
Smuga cienia (1976) Motylem jestem, czyli romans czterdziestolatka (1976) – Redactor Oswald Sprawa Gorgonowej (1977) – Professor Rekolekcje (1978) – Marek Szpital Przemienienia (1979) – Dr. Marglewski The Tin Drum (1979) – Fajngold Aria dla atlety (1979) – Siedelmayer, dyrektor cyrku Golem (1980) – Prisoner Olympics 40 (1980) – Schulz Spokojne lata (1982) Limuzyna Daimler-Benz (1982) – Bogdanski Austeria (1982) – Josele Przeprowadzka (1982) – Andrzej Nowicki Danton (1983) – Robespierre Okno (1983) – Waiter Dangerous Moves (1984) – Le grand maître Felton – l'équipe de Fromm Angry Harvest (1985) – Cybulkowski (1986) – Gerhard Krall Je hais les acteurs (1986) – Hercule Potnik Mit meinen heißen Tränen (1986, TV Mini-Series) – Kajetan Le testament d'un poète juif assassiné (1988) – Judge Les Années sandwiches (1988) – Max To Kill a Priest (1988) – Bridge Player Deux (1989) – Walkowicz Coupe-franche (1989) – Gyuri (1989) – Antonio Vivaldi Monsieur (1990) – Kaltz Korczak (1990) – Janusz Korczak Gawin (1991) – Pierre / Xerkes Coupable d'innocence ou Quand la raison dort (1992) – Karl Ottenhagen Le bal des casse-pieds (1992) – Groboniek Vent d'est (1993) – Colonel Tcheko Ulysses' Gaze (1995) – (uncredited) Holy Week (1995) – Zamojski (1997) – The Stranger L'amour fou (1997) Deuxième vie (2000) – Vincent's father Bajland (2000) – Jan Rydel Chaos (2001) – Pali Le pacte du silence (2003) – L'archevêque Là-haut, un roi au-dessus des nuages (2003) – Le producteur Vipère au poing (2004) – Le père Volitza Strike (2006) – Kaminski Hope (2007) – Benedykt Weber The Lesser of Two Evils (2009) – Patient Mistification (2010) – Pinno Robert Mitchum est mort (2010) – Le recteur de l'école Mala matura 1947 (2010) – Major Trzaska Nie ten czlowiek (2010) – Baron Black Thursday (2011) – Władysław Gomułka Wygrany (2011) – Karloff Le chat du rabbin (2011) – Vastenov (voice) Battle of Warsaw 1920 (2011) – Maxime Weygand Kret (2011) – Stefan Grabek Cassos (2012) – Monsieur Lotz Rosemary's Baby (2014, TV Mini-Series) – Mr. Wees À la vie (2014) – L'imprimeur Carte Blanche (2015) – Professor Excentrycy, czyli po słonecznej stronie ulicy (2015) – Felicjan Zuppe Gdybyś mu zajrzał w serce (2017) – Le Polonais Conservative jester insults society (2019) Conservative jester yells at the result of elections (2019)
Selected honours and distinctions
Eagle Award for his role in Excentrycy, czyli po słonecznej stronie ulicy, (2016) Best Supporting Actor Award at the Gdynia Film Festival for his role in Excentrycy, czyli po słonecznej stronie ulicy, (2015) Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, (2011) National Order of Merit, for his contributions to strengthening Polish-French relations in the field of culture, France (2008) Golden Medal of the Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis, (2007) Golden Cross of Merit, (1975) Award of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, (1975)