Joanna Pacuła (; born 30 December 1957) is a

Polish-American Polish Americans ( pl, Polonia amerykańska) are Americans who either have total or partial Poles, Polish ancestry, or are citizens of the Republic of Poland. There are an estimated 9.15 million self-identified Polish Americans, representing abou ...

actress and model. Born in

Tomaszów Lubelski Tomaszów Lubelski is a town in south-eastern Poland with 19,365 inhabitants (2017). Situated in the Lublin Voivodeship, near Roztocze National Park, it is the capital of Tomaszów Lubelski County. History The town was founded at the end of the ...

and emigrating to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

in the early 1980s, she first gained prominence through her modeling work for

Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...

. Her breakthrough performance in the 1983 film '' Gorky Park'' earned her a

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture. In the years since, she established herself as a prolific

character actress A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to be ...

, appearing in numerous high-profile films and television series.

Life and career

Pacuła was born in

, Poland, to a

pharmacist A pharmacist, also known as a chemist (Commonwealth English) or a druggist (North American and, archaically, Commonwealth English), is a healthcare professional who prepares, controls and distributes medicines and provides advice and instructi ...

mother and an engineer father.Joanna Pacuła zrobiła zbyt małą karierę, by zasłużyć na honorowe obywatelstwo Tomaszowa Lubelskiego?
, pomorska.pl, 11 October 2010, retrieved 2011-07-30 She has a sister, Ewa Pacuła, a model and TV personality who has also worked in the United States. In 1979, Pacuła graduated from the

Aleksander Zelwerowicz State Theatre Academy The Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw ( pl, Akademia Teatralna im. Aleksandra Zelwerowicza) is a public higher education institution in Warsaw, Poland. Its focus is on the theatre arts. It is headquartered in the C ...

. After graduation, she joined the

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...

Dramatic Theatre, where she acted until 1981. She began her career playing in productions of

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's ''

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...

'', ''

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...

'', and ''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has b ...

''. She also found work in a few films, including

Krzysztof Zanussi Krzysztof Pius Zanussi (born 17 June 1939) is a Polish film and theatre director, producer and screenwriter. He is a professor of European film at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland where he conducts a summer workshop. He is ...

's ''

Camouflage Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the ...

'' (''Barwy ochronne'', 1977) and

Sergiu Nicolaescu Sergiu Florin Nicolaescu (; 13 April 1930 – 3 January 2013) was a Romanian film director, actor and politician. He was best known for his historical films, such as ''Mihai Viteazul'' (1970, released in English both under the equivalent titl ...

's ''Last Night of Love'' (''Ultima noapte de dragoste'', 1980) in

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

. In 1981, Pacuła was in Paris when the communist authorities in Poland declared martial law. She did not return to her homeland, and in 1982 emigrated to the United States, where she specialized in playing European temptresses. Her feature debut came in appearing opposite

William Hurt William McChord Hurt (March 20, 1950 – March 13, 2022) was an American actor. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he received various awards including an Academy Award, BAFTA Award and Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor. ...

in '' Gorky Park'' (1983). She was praised by

Roman Polanski Raymond Roman Thierry Polański , group=lower-alpha, name=note_a (né Liebling; 18 August 1933) is a French-Polish film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, two ...

for that role. She played in numerous American TV series and movies, including

The Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...

drama ''

Escape From Sobibor ''Escape from Sobibor'' is a 1987 British television film which aired on ITV and CBS. It is the story of the mass escape from the Nazi extermination camp at Sobibor, the most successful uprising by Jewish prisoners of German extermination cam ...

'' (CBS, 1987),Rosenberg, Howard (1987) "In the Spotlight", ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

'', 12 April 1987, p. 3 (TV section) '' The Kiss'' (1988), ''

E.A.R.T.H. Force ''E.A.R.T.H. Force'' is an American action adventure television series starring Gil Gerard. The series aired 3 episodes on CBS from September 16 to September 29, 1990, before being canceled due to low ratings, as part of CBS' programming realignme ...

'' (CBS, 1990), and the TV series, ''The Colony'' (ABC, 1996). She also starred in

Lewis Gilbert Lewis Gilbert (6 March 1920 – 23 February 2018) was an English film director, producer and screenwriter who directed more than 40 films during six decades; among them such varied titles as '' Reach for the Sky'' (1956), ''Sink the Bismarck!' ...

's '' Not Quite Jerusalem'' released in 1984.Shefy Gefen, Pearl (1984)
This Polish Actress turns Holiday into a Movie Career in the West
, ''

Montreal Gazette The ''Montreal Gazette'', formerly titled ''The Gazette'', is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Three other daily English-language newspapers shuttered at various times during the second half of th ...

'', 4 December 1984, p. E1 She was featured in ''

Marked for Death ''Marked for Death'' is a 1990 American action film directed by Dwight H. Little. The film stars Steven Seagal as John Hatcher, a former DEA troubleshooter who returns to his Illinois hometown to find it taken over by a posse of vicious Jamaican d ...

'' (1990) as an expert on Jamaican

voodoo Voodoo may refer to: Religions * African or West African Vodun, practiced by Gbe-speaking ethnic groups * African diaspora religions, a list of related religions sometimes called Vodou/Voodoo ** Candomblé Jejé, also known as Brazilian Vodu ...

and gangs;Harris, Mark (1990)
Marked For Death starring Steven Seagal And Joanna Pacula
", straight.com, 18 October 1990, retrieved 2011-07-30 in the Italian erotic thriller '' Husband and Lovers'' (1992) as a free-spirited adultress; '' Tombstone'' (1993) as Doc Holliday's lover, Kate (also known as

Big Nose Kate Mary Katherine Horony Cummings (November 7, 1850 – November 2, 1940), popularly known as Big Nose Kate, was a Hungarian-born American outlaw, gambler, prostitute and longtime companion and common-law wife of Old West gambler and gunfighter ...

and Mary Catherine Horoney, born 7 November 1850); in ''The Haunted Sea'' (1997); and in the film ''

Virus A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. Viruses infect all life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea. Since Dmitri Ivanovsky's 1 ...

'' (1999), playing a Russian scientist."'Virus' is piece of garbage – even its big names stink", ''

Deseret News The ''Deseret News'' () is the oldest continuously operating publication in the American west. Its multi-platform products feature journalism and commentary across the fields of politics, culture, family life, faith, sports, and entertainment. Th ...

'', 17 January 1999 She currently resides in

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...

Milestones

* Pacula was chosen by ''

People A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...

'' as one of its 50 Most Beautiful People in the world (1990). * She was listed as one of 12 "Promising New Actors of 1984" in John Willis' ''Screen World'', volume 36.

Filmography

Film * ''Ultima noapte de dragoste'' (1980) - Leah Gheorghiu * ''Czułe miejsca'' (1981) - Nurse * '' Gorky Park'' (1983) - Irina Asanova * ''

Not Quite Paradise ''Not Quite Paradise'' is a 1985 British comedy-drama directed by Lewis Gilbert. It was originally released in Europe under the title ''Not Quite Jerusalem'', adapted by Paul Kember from his 1982 play of the same name. It was filmed on two ki ...

'' (1985) - Gila * ''

Escape from Sobibor ''Escape from Sobibor'' is a 1987 British television film which aired on ITV and CBS. It is the story of the mass escape from the Nazi extermination camp at Sobibor, the most successful uprising by Jewish prisoners of German extermination cam ...

'' (1987) - Luka * '' Death Before Dishonor'' (1987) - Elli Gellar * '' The Kiss'' (1988) - Felice * '' Sweet Lies'' (1988) - Joelle * ''Options'' (1989) - Princess Nicole * '' Breaking Point'' (1989) - Anna/Diana * ''

'' (1990) - Professor Leslie * '' Husband and Lovers'' (1991) - Alina * ''Eyes of the Beholder'' (1992) - Diana Carlyle * '' Body Puzzle'' (1992) - Tracy Marella * ''

Black Ice Black ice, sometimes called clear ice, is a thin coating of glaze ice on a surface, especially on streets. The ice itself is not black, but visually transparent, allowing the often black road below to be seen through it. The typically low levels ...

'' (1992) - Vanessa * '' Warlock: The Armageddon'' (1993) - Paula Dare * ''Under Investigation'' (1993) - Abbey Jane Strong * '' Tombstone'' (1993) - Kate Elder * ''Private Lessons II'' (1993) - Sophie Morgan * ''

The Silence of the Hams ''The Silence of the Hams'' (Italian: ''Il Silenzio dei Prosciutti'') is a 1994 comedy thriller film written by, directed by, and starring Italian comedian Ezio Greggio. It is a parody of many popular thriller and horror films, notably '' The Sil ...

'' (1994) - Lily Wine * ''Every Breath'' (1994) - Lauren * '' Not Like Us'' (1995) - Anita Clark * ''

Timemaster ''Timemaster'' is a role-playing game centered on traveling through time and alternate dimensions, written by Mark D. Acres, Andria Hayday and Carl Smith (game designer) and published by Pacesetter Ltd in 1984. Players take on the role of Time C ...

'' (1995) - Evelyn Adams * ''Last Gasp'' (1995) - Nora Weeks * ''Captain Nuke and the Bomberboys'' (1995) - Brenda Franelli * ''

The Haunted Sea ''The Haunted Sea'' is a 1997 American horror film directed by Dan Golden. It was part of the '' Roger Corman Presents'' series. Plot Near the Yucatan Peninsula, a ship, the "Hades", is found drifting in the ocean without a crew. Captain Ramse ...

'' (1997) - Bergen * ''

Heaven Before I Die ''Heaven Before I Die'' is a 1997 indie comedy film written and directed by Izidore Musallam and starring Andy Velasquez, Giancarlo Giannini, Joanna Pacula and Omar Sharif. Plot This is the story of an outcast named Jacob, a Palestinian. Jacob's ...

'' (1997) - Selma * '' In Praise of Older Women'' (1997) - Marta * '' The White Raven'' (1998) - Julie Konnenman * ''

My Giant ''My Giant'' is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann. The film stars Billy Crystal, who also produced and co-wrote the story for the film, and Romanian National Basketball Association, NBA player Gheorghe Mureșan in his only ...

'' (1998) - Lilliana Rotaru * '' The Art of Murder'' (1999) - Elizabeth Sheridan * ''

'' (1999) - Nadia * ''Error in Judgement'' (1999) - Liz * '' Crash and Byrnes'' (2000) - Lissette * ''The Hit'' (2001) - Sonia * ''Crusade of Vengeance'' (2002) - Elizabeth * ''No Place Like Home'' (2002) - Gretchen Klein * ''Cupid's Prey'' (2003) - Iris Wharton * '' El Padrino'' (2004) - Jessica Lancaster * '' Moscow Heat'' (2004) - Sasha * ''Dead Easy'' (2004) - Teresa Storm * ''

The Cutter ''The Cutter'' is a 2005 American direct-to-video action film directed by William Tannen, and starring Chuck Norris, Joanna Pacuła, Daniel Bernhardt, Bernie Kopell and Marshall R. Teague. After a deadly kidnapping rescue gone wrong, a guilt ridd ...

'' (2005) - Elizabeth Teller * ''Honor'' (2006) - Rose Tyrell * ''

Forget About It ''Forget About It'' is a studio album by Alison Krauss, released in 1999. It reached number 5 on the '' Billboard'' Country Albums chart. The lead single, "Forget About It", peaked at number 67 on the Country Singles Chart, and "Stay" reached num ...

'' - Talia Nitti * ''

When Nietzsche Wept ''When Nietzsche Wept'' is a 2007 American art drama film directed by Pinchas Perry and starring Armand Assante, Ben Cross and Katheryn Winnick. It is based on the novel of the same name by Irvin D. Yalom. It was filmed in Bulgaria. Plot The ...

'' (2007) - Mathilda * ''

Shannon's Rainbow ''Shannon's Rainbow'' (also listed as ''Amazing Racer'') is a 2009 drama and family film both produced and directed by Frank E. Johnson. It stars Julianne Michelle and Claire Forlani, with a musical score by Charles David Denler.

'' (2009) - Emily Blair * '' Black Widow'' (2010) - Olivia * ''ICE Agent'' (2013) - Sheila Hayman * ''Break Even'' (2020) - Agent Crowe Television * ''

Deep Red ''Deep Red'' ( it, Profondo rosso), also known as ''The Hatchet Murders'', is a 1975 Italian Thriller film, thriller- giallo film directed by Dario Argento and co-written by Argento and Bernardino Zapponi. It stars David Hemmings as a musician wh ...

'' (1994, television film) - Monica Quik * ''Business for Pleasure'' (1997, television film) - Anna * ''Sweet Deception'' (1998, television film) - Risa Gallagher * ''

Dead Man's Gun ''Dead Man's Gun'' was a western anthology series on Showtime from 1997 to 1999. The series followed the travels of a gun as it passed to a new character in each episode. The gun would change the life of whoever possessed it. Each episode was n ...

'' (1999, 1 episode) - Yvotte Ballinger * ''

Brutally Normal ''Brutally Normal'' is an American sitcom television series that starred Mike Damus and aired on The WB. The series premiered on January 24, 2000 with two back-to-back episodes later airing along with ''Zoe...'' A total of eight episodes were pro ...

'' (2000, 7 episodes) - Gogi * ''

Night Visions ''Night Visions'' is the debut studio album by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons. It was released on September 4, 2012, through Kidinakorner and Interscope Records. The album was primarily produced by the band themselves, as well as Englis ...

'' (2001, 1 episode) - Head Immigrant * ''

Robbery Homicide Division ''Robbery Homicide Division'' (''RHD'') is an American police procedural television series that ran on CBS from September 27, 2002 to April 21, 2003, created by Barry Schindel with executive producers Michael Mann and Sandy Climan. Overview The ...

'' (2002, 1 episode) - Trisha Sandifer * ''Lightning Bolts of Destruction'' (2003, television film) - Dr. Valery Landis * ''

Dinocroc ''Dinocroc'' is a 2004 American horror film directed by Kevin O'Neill. The film's plot revolves around a genetically engineered ''Suchomimus'' terrorizing the lake-side residents of a small town. The film stars Matthew Borlenghi, Jane Longenecker, ...

'' (2004, television film) * ''

Jake in Progress ''Jake in Progress'' is an American sitcom television series broadcast on ABC from March 13, 2005 to January 9, 2006. Created by Austin Winsberg, the show was originally conceived as a real-time comedy; the first season was to show the first date ...

'' (2005, 1 episode) - Elsa Winters * ''Monk'' (2008, 1 episode) - Leyla Zlatavich * ''Stolen Child'' (2012, television film) - Tatiana * ''

Bones A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, an ...

'' (2014, 1 episode) - Drina Mirga

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pacula, Joanna 1957 births Living people People from Tomaszów Lubelski People from Tomaszów Lubelski County Polish film actresses Polish stage actresses Polish television actresses Polish emigrants to the United States 20th-century Polish actresses 21st-century Polish actresses Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw alumni