“My parents allowed me to watch movies that weren’t really appropriate for my age. I was very young when I first saw the original Blade Runner or Cabaret by Bob Fosse. But if I needed it, they talked to me about difficult topics,” divulges dancer-turned-actor ANNA PRÓCHNIAK.
Perhaps, that openness with her parents is what’s made her so unafraid to tackle the dark and the difficult – after all, she’s taking to the screen to do just that. Up next for the Polish actor is a starring role as Gita Furman in the TV adaptation of Heather Morris’ twisted and tense novel,The Tattooist of Auschwitz. The story follows a young Lale Sokolov, played by Jonah Hauer-King, who is tasked with tattooing those imprisoned in the Auschwitz concentration camps and falls deeply in love with fellow inmate, Anna’s Gita Furman. In the process, it shines a light on a story of love born out of one of the biggest tragedies in history. “It was difficult both in terms of the subject matter and the material we had in the scripts. I felt a lot of responsibility. I wanted to do this story justice and do it in the most honest and respectful way. It’s the kind of project that immediately makes you let go of your ego and put the story first.”
The script might have been harrowing in nature, but the same can’t be said for her experience with the show’s impeccable cast and crew. “[Jonah] has been very supportive. He’s a great actor and has a very kind soul. We’ve been through a lot but we’ve always had each other’s backs. I’m very proud of him – it’s not easy to be vulnerable in front of others. It is extremely exposing and he was brave enough to do it every day on set. I am very grateful to have been able to share this experience with him.”
