He was born on April 18, 1947, in Krakow. Seven years later, as a student in the first grade of elementary school, he had a part in a school recital, and it was then, as he said, that “a miracle happened.”
“I stood under the portrait of [Communist Poland’s President] Bierut and [Marshall] Rokossovsky, and my classmates sat quietly and listened to me, and when I finished, everyone, including the teachers, who would smack me with a ruler across my hands, began to applaud me. I realized then, still only intuitively, that what made me stand out in the group was my ability to recite,” he recalled his beginnings.
Throughout his entire life, Stuhr maintained a strong bond with his hometown. He completed his education in 1970 at Jagiellonian University’s Faculty of Polish Studies and in 1972 at Krakow’s State Higher School of Theater Arts (PWST), where he would later assume the role of rector.
Following his graduation, he secured a position at the renowned Helena Modrzejewska Old Theater in Krakow.
The actor enjoyed significant popularity in his home country through roles in well-received films such as ‘Sexmission’ and ‘Killer’.
Internationally, particularly in Italy, Stuhr garnered recognition for his performances in Nanni Moretti's films, including ‘The Caiman’ (Il Caimano) and ‘Habemus Papam’.
His artistic affiliations with Italy endured for four decades. He was frequently invited to prestigious cultural events in Rome, where he shared insights about his collaborations with the esteemed Polish director Kieslowski and various Italian filmmakers.
Besides film roles, he equally appreciated acting on the theater stage, both in other directors’ plays and his plays.
His artistic merits have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture, and the Order of Polonia Restituta Second Class Commander’s Cross with Star.
He will be forever cherished as a man who brought joy to countless Polish households and drew packed audiences whenever he graced the theater stage.
Jerzy Stuhr is survived by his wife Barbara, a violinist, whom he married in 1971, and two children: son Maciej, also an actor, and daughter Marianna, a visual artist.
