Ewa Krasnodebska


Ewa Krasnodębska is a Polish actress, known for her extensive career in theatre, film and television from 1949 to 2014.

Early life

Born 9 July 1925 in Warsaw, Poland, she was the only child of Marian Krasnodębski, an economist and senior official at the Mutual Insurance Institution, and Maria, a graduate of the Academy of [Fine Arts, Łódź|Academy of Fine Arts]. Her maternal family had strong artistic traditions. Her grandfather, Adam Badowski was a renowned painter and professor at the Academy of Fine Arts and her grandmother Maria Badowska, was a distinguished pianist and professor too at the Higher School of Music in Warsaw.
During her early childhood, she lived in Marcelin, a manor located in the Sielce district of Warsaw. The family later moved to Hrubieszów and then to Mława in the early 1930s. She completed her first year of secondary school in Mława before the outbreak of World War II. In the summer of 1939, they moved in with a relative on Wspólna Street. After her father's return from the eastern front, the family resettled in Mława.

Career

Krasnodebska began her professional acting career at the Polish Theatre in Wrocław from 1949 to 1955, later she performed at the Polish Theatre in Warsaw from 1951 to 1955, the Dramatic Theatre in Warsaw from 1955 to 1958 and the National Theatre in Warsaw from 1958 to 1959. In addition to her stage work, she appeared in several films, including Five Boys from Barska Street, Nikodem Dyzma and Awantura o Basie. Later in her career she appeared in Before Twilight and Foreign Body.

Personal life

Krasnodebska was married to journalist and diplomat Jan Zakrzewski. During his diplomatic postings, she spent several years abroad, including in France and the United States. In France she produced a series of interviews with prominent international film stars of Polish Television. Her time in the United States inspired her to write a collection of reports and essays titled Jak odkrywałam Amerykę, published in 1983.
In recognition of her contributions to Polish culture, she was awarded the Gloria Artis [Medal for Merit to Culture] on 22 December 2008. She turned 100 on 9 July 2025.

Filmography