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Maja Ostaszewska (born 3 September 1972) is a Polish actress. She made her screen debut appearing in a small role in the 1993 historical drama film Schindler's List, before playing leading role in the drama film The Haven (1998), for which she received Polish Film Festival Award for Best Actress. She received her second Polish Film Festival Award for Best Actress for Prymas – trzy lata z tysiąca (2000). Since then, Ostaszewska has appeared in more than 30 motion pictures and received six Polish Academy Award for Best Actress nominations, winning twice: for Jack Strong (2014) and Body (2015).
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Ostaszewska starred in films Katyn (2007), In the Name Of (2013), Never Gonna Snow Again (2020), The In-Laws (2021) and its sequel, Broad Peak (2022), Green Border (2023) and Colors of Evil: Red (2024).
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Ostaszewska was born in Kraków, the daughter of Polish musician Jacek Ostaszewski, of the Ostoja Clan.[1][2][3] Ostaszewska was raised Buddhist.[4] She started her acting training in her native Kraków[5] and later graduated from the PWST in 1996.[6] She has since acted mostly at the Teatr Rozmaitości in Warsaw, working with well-known Polish directors such as Krystian Lupa, Krzysztof Warlikowski and Grzegorz Jarzyna. In 1993, during her acting training, she played a small role in Steven Spielberg's drama film Schindler's List.[7] In her Warsaw stage debut, she appeared in the role of Rosalinde in William Shakespeare's As You Like It (1996).[8]
In 1998, Ostaszewska played the leading role in the drama film, The Haven For this role, she received the Best Actress Award at the Polish Film Festival held in Gdynia.[9] She received her second Polish Film Festival Award for Best Actress and first Polish Academy Award for Best Actress nomination for Prymas – trzy lata z tysiąca (2000). She received Paszport Polityki Award in recognition of her film roles.[9] She received another nomination for Przemiany in 2004. On television, Ostaszewska starred in the drama series, Removals in 2001 and later was regular cast member in the medical drama series, Na dobre i na złe (2003—2008). In 2008, she starred in the first season on the War drama series, Days of Honor and later was regular in the comedy-drama Recipe For Life (2011–2013) and the medical drama Diagnosis (2017–2019). In 2012 she received the Telekamera Award for Best Actress, and in February 2013 she received a Wiktor Award nomination for TV acting.[10] She appeared in the made-for-television movie The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler (2009) starring Anna Paquin.
Ostaszewska appeared in films Where Eskimos Live and The Pianist in 2002. She played one of the main characters in Academy Award-nominated Andrzej Wajda's historical drama Katyń in 2007. She appeared in the comedy film Ile wazy kon trojanski? (2008) and starred in the drama Janosik: A True Story (2009) directed by Agnieszka Holland.[11] She played the leads in the crime drama film Uwiklanie (2011) and the drama film In the Name Of (2013). She next starred in Jack Strong (2014) and Body (2015), receiving Polish Academy Award for Best Actress in 2015 and 2016.[12]
In 2020, Ostaszewska starred in the comedy-drama film Never Gonna Snow Again receiving another Polish Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.[13] It was selected as the Polish entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards, but failed to receive a nomination. The following year, she starred in the crime drama series, Klangor. She starred in the comedy film The In-Laws (2021) and the biographical drama film Broad Peak (2022). In 2023, Ostaszewska starred in the drama film Green Border directed by Agnieszka Holland.[14] In 2024, she starred in the murder-mystery film, Colors of Evil: Red for Netflix.[15][16] She later was cast in the Netflix series, Projekt UFO.[17]
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Ostaszewska is in a relationship with Polish cinematographer Michał Englert, son of actor Maciej Englert. They have two children, son Franciszek (born 2007) and daughter Janina (born 2009).[18] Ostaszewska is a vegetarian and Buddhist.[19][20][21] She is also known for her support of the LGBT community.[22]
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Schindler's List | Frantic Woman | |
| 1998 | The Haven | Karolina | Polish Film Festival Award for Best Actress |
| 2000 | I'm Looking at You, Mary | Marysia Orzechowska | Polish Film Festival Award for Best Actress |
| 2000 | Prymas – trzy lata z tysiąca | Sister Leonia | Nominated — Polish Academy Award for Best Actress |
| 2000 | Egoiści | Client at an advertising agency | |
| 2002 | Where Eskimos Live | Girl at the hotel | |
| 2002 | The Pianist | Woman with Child | |
| 2003 | Changes | Marta Mycinska | Nominated — Polish Academy Award for Best Actress |
| 2005 | Solidarność, Solidarność... | Adult Maja | |
| 2006 | S@motność w sieci | Doctor | |
| 2007 | Katyn | Anna | |
| 2008 | Ile waży koń trojański? | Lidka | |
| 2009 | Janosik: A True Story | Margeta | |
| 2011 | Uwikłanie | Agata Szacka | |
| 2013 | In the Name Of | Ewa | |
| 2013 | Dom na koncu drogi | Wife | Short film |
| 2014 | Jack Strong | Hania | Polish Academy Award for Best Actress |
| 2015 | A Grain of Truth | Weronika Szacka | voice |
| 2015 | Body | Anna | Polish Academy Award for Best Actress |
| 2015 | Panie Dulskie | Melania Dulska | |
| 2016 | Pitbull: Nowe porządki | Olka | |
| 2016 | Pitbull. Niebezpieczne kobiety | Olka | |
| 2018 | 7 Emotions | Mother of Adas & Miki | |
| 2019 | I Am Lying Now | Celia | |
| 2019 | (Nie)znajomi | Anna | |
| 2020 | Kill It and Leave This Town | Janek | Voice |
| 2020 | Never Gonna Snow Again | Maria | Nominated — Polish Academy Award for Best Actress |
| 2020 | Nightwalk | Girl's Mother | Short film |
| 2020 | Magnesium | Róza Lewenfisz | |
| 2021 | The In-Laws | Małgorzata Wilk | |
| 2022 | Broad Peak | Ewa Dyakowska-Berbeka | Nominated — Polish Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress |
| 2023 | Green Border | Julia | Nominated — Polish Academy Award for Best Actress |
| 2023 | The In-Laws 2 | Małgorzata Wilk | |
| 2024 | Colors of Evil: Red | Helena Bogucka | |
| TBA | Chopin, Chopin! | Tekla Justyna Chopin |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996—2016 | Teatr Telewizji | Various | 28 episodes |
| 2001 | Removals | Celina Szczygiel | 10 episodes |
| 2003—2008 | Na dobre i na złe | Małgorzata Donovan | 114 episodes |
| 2008 | Days of Honor | Wanda | 13 episodes |
| 2009 | The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler | Jadwiga | Television film |
| 2011—2013 | Recipe For Life | Beata Darmięta | 65 episodes |
| 2016—2017 | Druga szansa | Lidka Rak | 30 episodes |
| 2017—2018 | Diagnosis | Anna Nowak | 52 episodes |
| 2021 | The Office PL | Arleta Mosul | Episode: "No to szklo" |
| 2021 | Klangor | Magda Wejman | 7 episodes |
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