Gabriela Kownacka is one of those stunning actresses with career that
lasts for decades. She was born in Wroclaw, Poland in 1952 and appeared
on screen 20 years later in Andrzej Wajda's _Wesele (1972)_. She graduated from
PWST (Public Upper School of Theatre) in Warsaw in 1975 and gave first
performance on stage soon after. She worked in various theatres
icluding Kwadrat (1975 - 1978), Teatr Wspolczesny (1978 - 1984) and
Studio (1984 - 1999). Since 1999 she's worked in Teatr Narodowy gaining
critic's acclaim. She became popular after her role in Jerzy Hoffman's
movie - Tredowata (1977) for which she won Zbigniew Cybulski Award for
the most talented actress. Since then she worked on both Polish and
international productions.
Underwent successful chemotherapy in 2005 and returned to work soon
after in theatre play: "Pozwol mi odejsc". Ironically, she played a
woman dying of cancer. She accepted the part before she was diagnosed
with her own illness.
Had one child with ex-husband Waldemar Kownacki - a son named Franciszek Kownacki (b.1983).
Died at age 58 after 6 years of battling breast cancer [November 30, 2010].