Czech actresses don’t want to undress, I support them

The idea for an interview with Jiří Langmajer came up while reading Vladimír Beneš’s book “My journeys into the depths of the brain,” which mentions how Jiří Langmajer crushed his spine in 2007 after jumping into a waterfall and ended up on Vladimír Beneš’s operating table. We knew it wouldn’t be easy because Jirka rarely gives interviews, but we weren’t about to give up!

All the more, we were thrilled when Jiří Langmajer agreed to the interview! :-) In the conversation, we touched on the joys and challenges of the acting profession, devoted a large part to his battle with personal demons, and wrapped up with how life changed for Jirka as part of the Gondíková Langmajer duo.

What was covered in the talk?

• Why directors often ask him on set to strip down, so there’s finally peace – 13:39
• The differences he sees between the young generation of actors and the generation of acting legends – 31:20
• How he managed to escape becoming a multiple-times treated alcoholic – 47:02
• What he (finally!) realized only when he was relearning to walk after his spinal injury – 56:36

Who is Jiří Langmajer?

Jiří Langmajer is known as one of the most cast and beloved Czech actors. Many viewers first took notice of him in the film Copak je to za vojáka. Since then, Jiří Langmajer has appeared in a considerable number of films, but he has also shone in huge Shakespearean roles where — sometimes almost literally — he died on stage several times a week. You’re probably also familiar with his roles in the series Lajna and sKORO NA mizině, as well as the currently airing Zločiny velké Prahy. You can find more of Jirka’s work under the Langmajer CSFD entry. :-)

He describes himself as having once been an utterly unbearable person who, due to his perfectionism, could argue with practically anyone. It was only Adéla Gondíková, whom Jirka married in 2019, who managed to tame the great actor with a reputation as a troublemaker.