Naman Shrestha
While Zofia Jastrzębska is not a universally known name, all signs point to the possibility that it will become one in the coming years. Since kickstarting her career in 2016, the actress has gone on to appear in about a dozen productions. While she grabbed several eyeballs in ‘A Girl and an Astronaut,’ her life took a significant turn when she was offered the role of Gita Burano in ‘Infamy’ in 2023. As Gita, she proved her mettle and emerged as a powerhouse of talent to look out for.
However, it’s Zofia’s minor but impactful performance as Monika Bogucka in Netflix’s gripping thriller series ‘Colors of Evil: Red’ that has garnered her massive international acclaim and cemented the fact that Miss Zofia Jastrzębska has arrived on the global entertainment map. Nevertheless, just like her choice of roles, her life behind the camera has not been devoid of dynamism, sparking intrigue among her fans.
Zofia Jastrzębska Originally Hails From Poland
Zofia Jastrzębska is a native of Kraków, the capital city of the Malopolskie province in the southern part of Poland. On December 7, 1998, she was wrapped in the warm embrace of her parents, who welcomed her into a loving household. Apart from the love and care of her parents while growing up in the Polish center of culture and art, AKA Polish Athens or Florence of Poland, she had the support of her sibling — a brother named Bartek. Besides speaking fluent Polish as well as English, Zofia can also speak French. The 25-year-old takes a lot of pride in her mixed ethnicity and is grateful for the loving childhood she had.
Though the profession of acting wasn’t adopted by anyone in her family, Zofia always had a keen interest in the craft, and she made a few sacrifices to pursue her dream. In an interview with Vogue Poland, she stated, “I didn’t go to a single eighteenth birthday party in my high school year. I broke up with the boy I loved at the time. I thought I had to focus on myself, go and fight for my dreams. If I don’t fight, no one will do it for me.” Sometime in 2017, Zofia enrolled in the Acting Department of Wroclaw branch of the AST National Academy of Theatre Arts in Krakow.
Zofia put in a lot of hard work and determination while learning the art of drama in the esteemed art school. After spending five years at the academy honing her craft and imbibing significant skills, she graduated with a Master of Arts degree in the year 2022. This staunch feminist is a multitalented individual; she can rap and also has basic knowledge about playing piano as well as the ukulele. Zofia shares a tight bond with her family and friends and never misses a chance to make lasting memories with them.
Zofia Jastrzębska Always Wanted to be an Actor
Interestingly, Zofia Jastrzębska kickstarted her career years ahead of her graduation from AST National Academy of Theatre Arts. It was in 2016 that the Polish actress graced the television screen for the first time as she landed the role of Ania Kijewska in ‘Szkoła.’ Many lauded her performance, giving her the much-needed hope to fulfill her dream. She went on to appear in the shows ‘Zameldowani’ and ‘Zakochani po uszy’ in 2019 and donned the garb of Asia in ‘Kowalscy kontra Kowalscy.’
The early 2020s proved to be fruitful for Zofia. In the year 2022, she not only graduated but also managed to add the titles of ‘Kundel,’ ‘The Light of Night,’ and ‘Na dobre i na zle’ to her repertoire. That same year, she stepped on the stage of the Grzegorz Bral-helmed theater production ‘Stara kobieta wysiaduje’ as Dziewczyna. Her work as Karolina in Netflix’s sci-fi drama romance show ‘A Girl and an Astronaut’ earned her immense acclaim in 2023, and the Polish native began getting many opportunities to showcase her prowess. She can be seen in ‘Warszawianka’ and ‘Komisarz Alex.’
However, her portrayal of Gita Burano in Netflix’s ‘Infamy’ thrust her into the global limelight. She credits the role for giving her “more than four years of university education.” She also shared some personal insights from her life while talking about her experience essaying the layered character. “At our house we also had Sunday dinners at grandma’s. And who reported to the table? Who cleaned? Women. I was young, but I was already rebelling. Why can’t a guy do this? Why can’t my cousin take the plates when I’m more tired? I am the kind of person in my house who breaks many established patterns. I think it helped me when working on Gita,” Zofia told Vogue Poland.
Zofia even had to shave her head for the role, which had a significant impact on her for a while, but she persisted due to her love for the craft. “My friends and people I passed on the street thought it was my decision and courage, but in fact it was hard for me. I didn’t feel strong. What supported me was the fact that in this gesture I was carrying with me all the Roma women who had gone through this and couldn’t say anything,” she recalled. After appearing as Monika in ‘Camera Cafe. Nowe parzenie,’ she got the chance to star as Monika Bogucka in ‘Colors of Evil: Red.’ Going by the favorable response her work in the Netflix production has been getting, it seems Zofia is on the right track and has a clear shot at lasting success.
Zofia Jastrzębska is Single and Super Focused on her Career
Though Zofia Jastrzębska moderately shares some candid tidbits from her personal life on her social media platforms, it is the romantic aspect of her life that acquires no screen time. In the aforementioned Vogue interview, she explained why she prefers keeping certain aspects of her life away from the prying eyes of the media. “Nothing is known about me and I’m even happy about it. I believe that as long as an actor is shrouded in mystery, she has more scope to play various roles because she is undefined. An actor’s role is not to be a celebrity,” the actress expressed.
For the uninitiated, we’d like to share that acting isn’t the only talent the star possesses. Zofia is also skilled at acrobatics, cycling, gymnastics, Thai boxing, boxing, skateboarding, swimming, and horse riding. She also satiates her appetite for adventure by skiing, surfing, windsurfing, and snowboarding. To calm herself from the ups and downs life throws at her, Zofia practices yoga and relaxes herself at the beach. In her downtime, she loves to hang out with her family and friends and explore new places. As of writing, she has already feasted her eyes on the breathtaking attractions of Italy, Indonesia, France, Austria, and Singapore.
Read More: Colors of Evil Red: Is the Netflix Show Based on an Actual Murder?
