Joanna Moro: I always say I’m Polish from Vilnius. Interview.

„The role of Anna German opened doors for me to everything. It is and it will be very important to me. Anna German as a character is like a guide line for me today, she has already taught me a lot and she is still teaching me.” Joanna Moro, Polish actress of young generation from Vilnius, raising star said in an interview for zw.lt.

In Poland like in Russia, the tv series about Anna German got a lot of attention. Did you expect that?

To tell the truth, I didn’t expect it would have such a spectacular success in Poland. I was a bit prepared that it will be received well in Russia. Anna German is there still a point at issue. People remember her, listen to her songs. In Poland, one couldn’t hear Anna German’s songs on the radio before. Today, when I was going to Vilnius for the holiday, I heard her song entitled „Człowieczy los” („Fate of the man”) on the radio. It’s an amazing feeling  for me, because I see that my work influences people, sensitizes them. Today, each episode is watched in Poland by 6 million of people on average.

You said once that the role of Anna German is your life role. Do you still think that?

Yes, I still think that. It’s a role that opened doors for me to everything. It is and it will be bery important to me. I believe that a lot of interesting roles are still in store for me, but this one will stay in my heart as the most important. Actually, by playing the role of Anna German I was discovered. It helped me a lot. Anna German as a character is like a guide line for me today, she has already taught me a lot and she is still teaching me. Maybe it sounds trite, but all of these is confirmed by the messages I receive from the fans of this tv series.

Aren’t you afraid of being typecast after the role of Anna German, like it happend for Piotr Cyrwus who played Rysiek is a tv show ‘Klan’?

Piotr Cyrwus is a great actor. I wacthed him in theatre more than one time. What do you mean by typecasting? The audience knew him as Rysiek from ‘Klan’ for over 15 years, tv series about Anna German in on air for two months so far. I’m sure it will be nice to be associated with Anna German, but I think two months is not long for this role to typecast me. People are open and they knew I am not really Anna German and they will give me an ooportunity to play someone else. The directors, most of all, know that it’s a role. And it is also my choice whether I will play in similar productions or whther I will choose roles that will let me show what else I can do.

The Russian press compared you to Barbara Brylska, what do you think about that?

I think I don’t deserve yet to be compared to Barbara Brylska, because I played only in one serious project. Barbara Brylska plays a lot in Russia, Russians consider her their own artist. For me this is a very nice comparison because I value her as an actress. They want to make me a star, but Anna German is a bigger star, I think (laugh).

What recepetion did you get in Russia? Was it more like a Polish or rather as a citizen of ex Soviet Union?

Only Russian can tell you what way they see me. Generally, people are surprised how well I can speak Russian, but they like it. When it comes to me, I always say I’m Polish from Vilnius and this is how I feel.

It is said that you are recording an album with Anna German songs, is it true?

That’s true, I work on that with Polish publisher. What we want to do it to modernize the arrangement. On the other hand, we don’t want to get rid of Anna German’s unusual interpretation or her delicate voice. It’s quite complicated, we are still working on it and I hope we will succeed. We really don’t want to disappoint the fans of the series and the fans of Anna German. It seems that we need this record. Anna German sang 35 years ago, so it would be good to brush up her songs a little.

Did you get some new offers in Russia because of the popularity of the tv series?

You need to keep your finger corssed now, because Channel First (Первый канал) is in the process of appriving me to a very fun eight episode long series. I would have an opportunity to play an Italian.

You have quite a big fan club in Russia. What are your relations with fans like? Do you meet with them?

First of all, I don’t have any website in Russian language because I simply don’t have time to manage it. I have my own fanpage in Polish on Facebook. A few girls from Russia run it, they send everything they find about me on the Internet. When I was in Moscow, I met with one of them. Great person! She was interestd in Anna German. She wants to come to Poland, visit Warsaw, Wrocław.

According to popular opinion in Poland, tv series about Anna German unites the Polish and Russian nations. Who do you think could do this for Polish and Lithuanians?

(laugh) The only people who come to mind right now are our poets – Adam Mickiewicz? I think it would be a very interesting screenplay. This period in Vilnius, Konrad’s cell, prisons… On the other hand, I have no idea who could fund it. Mickiewicz traveled so much that it wouldn’t be possible to just film it somewhere in the room in Poland or in Lithuania.

Joanna Moro (born in 1984 in Vilnius), Polish tv and stage actress. In 2007 she graduated from Theatre Academy in Warsaw. In Poland she is know for appearing in such tv series as „Klan”, „Na Wspólnej” and others. A wider audience in Russia, Poland and Lithuania know her thanks to the lead role in tv series „Anna German”.

Source: http://zw.lt/kultura/j-moro-zawsze-mowie-ze-jestem-polka-z-wilna-i-tak-wlasnie-sie-czuje/

Tłumaczenie by Justyna Kaczmarek w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Justyna Kaczmarek within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.