Karolina Gruszka (born 13 July 1980) is a Polish actress, who appeared in Polish and international film, stage and television productions. She is five-time Polish Film Awards-nominee: two times for Best Actress in The Lovers of Marona (2005) and Marie Curie: The Courage of Knowledge (2016), and three times for Best Supporting Actress in All About My Parents (2014), Lullaby Killer (2017) and Chopin, a Sonata in Paris (2025).
Life and career Gruszka was born in Warsaw, Poland and made her television debut as the age of nine and in 1998 made her big screen debut starring in the comedy film Spona, receiving Award at the Ale Kino! International Young Audience Film Festival. Her big break came in 2000, starring as Masha Mironova in the Russian drama film, The Captain's Daughter, the adaptation of the historical novel The Captain's Daughter (1836) by Alexander Pushkin. The following year she starred in the another Russian film, the war action In August of 1944. The same time she starred in Polish films Keep Away from the Window (2000), Przedwiosnie (2001) and Bez litosci (2002). In 2003 she graduated from the Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw. From 2003 to 2008 she performed on National Theatre, Warsaw.
In 2005, Gruszka received Best Actress Award at the Gdynia Film Festival, the Zbigniew Cybulski Award and the nomination for Polish Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the musical drama film, The Lovers of Marona directed by Izabella Cywińska. The following year she starred in the psychological thriller film Inland Empire directed by David Lynch premiered at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival. After she married Russian playwright and director Ivan Vyrypaev, Gruszka mostly appeared in plays written and directed by him, such as July (2009), Delhi' Dance (2010) and Unbearably Long Embraces (2015). She worked with Vyrypaev on films and stage productions, in Poland and Russia. In 2009 she played the lead role in the Russian drama film, Oxygen and in 2012 in the Belarusian drama Viva Belarus!. In 2010 she received Czech Lion Award for Best Actress in Leading Role nomination for her performance in film, 3 Seasons in Hell.https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000198/2010/1/?ref_=nmawd_1 In 2015 she received Polish Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination for performance in the comedy-drama film, All About My Parents.
In 2016, Gruszka played physicist and chemist Marie Curie in the internationally co-produced biographical drama film, Marie Curie: The Courage of Knowledge. The film received positive reviews and her performance gained another Polish Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. In 2018 she starred in the Swedish-Russian television series, Moscow Noir. In 2019, she appeared in the Icelandic movie Gullregn (English: Goldrain), directed by Ragnar Bragason. Although she previously did not know the language, she had to perform all her lines in Icelandic. Following 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine she left the Russia with Vyrypaev. After She returned to Poland starring in the television series Kod genetyczny (2020), Królestwo kobiet (2020), Nieobecni (2022), Dom pod Dwoma Orłami (2023) and Gra z cieniem (2024). In 2023 she appeared in the drama film, The American starring Diane Kruger. In 2025 she starred alongside Bogusław Linda in the thriller film Operation Pope (2025) and played Delfina Potocka in the biographical drama film, Chopin, a Sonata in Paris. The role gained her another Polish Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Also in 2025 she starred in the second season of HBO Max crime drama series, Pati, and the Disney+ period crime drama series, The Breslau Murders. In 2026 she was cast in the Netflix medical drama, Anesthesia.
Personal life Gruszka married Russian director Ivan Vyrypaev, they have one daughter, born in 2012. She has worked with Vyrypaev on films and stage productions, in Poland and Russia. She is vegetarian.
Gruszka announced on November 21, 2021 that she had received a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis a four years before.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1996 Miss Nobody uncredited1998SponaOlaAle Kino! International Young Audience Film Festival Award for Best Young Actress2000 The Captain's DaughterMasha Mironova2000 Keep Away from the Window Helusia2001PrzedwiośnieWanda Okszyńska2001In August of 1944 Yuliya2002Bez litosci Nika2003An Ancient Tale: When the Sun Was a God Dziwa2004Break Point Asia2005The Lovers of MaronaOlaGdynia Film Festival for Best ActressZbigniew Cybulski Award for Best ActressNominated — Polish Academy Award for Best Actress2005The French Trick Magda2006We're All Christs Weronika2006Inland Empire Lost Girl2007FutroJoanna Panasiuk2009CrushHerSegment: "Oshchushchat"2009Oxygen Sasza20093 Seasons in Hell JanaNominated — Czech Lion Award for Best Actress in Leading Role2010TrickElżbieta2010MistyfikacjaZuzanna Zarotyńska2012Tanets Deli Katarzyna2012Viva Belarus! Viera2013Ivan syn Amira Maria 'Masza'2014All About My Parents KarolinaNominated — Polish Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress2016Marie Curie: The Courage of KnowledgeMarie CurieNominated — Polish Academy Award for Best Actress2016Szczescie swiata Róza2017The Art of Loving: The Story of Michalina Wislocka Karolina 2017Lullaby Killer AnnaNominated — Polish Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress2020 Gullregn Daniela2020Speedway Mother of Roma2021Miasto Teresa Pelka2021Death of Zygielboym Ewa Zemler2022 Too Old for Fairy Tales Teresa Banaś2022Detective Bruno Hanna2023 Joika Valeriya Lebedev2023The Breach Janina Tomska2023Kaytek the Wizard Mother of Zosia2024 Too Old for Fairy Tales 2 Teresa Banaś2025Detective Bruno. Baltic Gold Hanna2025Operation Pope Marysia 'Bianka'2025Chopin, a Sonata in ParisDelfina PotockaNominated — Polish Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress2026 Too Old for Fairy Tales 3 Teresa Banaś2026The Doll Florentyna
Television Year Title Role Notes1998Boża podszewka Gienia Lulewicz6 episodes2001Sposób na AlcybiadesaOlaMiniseries2002The Hexer MorénnEpisode: "Czlowiek - pierwsze spotkanie"2002SforaJoanna „Nika” Różycka8 episodes2003Przedwiośnie Wanda2 episodes2005OficerMalwina Wielgosz7 episodes2005-2006Boża podszewka 2 Gienia Lulewicz16 episodes2007Milosc w przejsciu podziemnym SkrzypaczkaTelevision film2007Falszerze. Powrót sforyJoanna Różycka Nika13 episodes2007Na puti k serdtsu Emilia10 episodes2007Tajemnica twierdzy szyfrówNatalia Russt13 episodes2008Résolution 819 Klara GorskaTelevision film2010Days of HonorInga Neuman7 episodes2016The Red Band SocietyAsia12 episodes2017The Optimists Gabi Goetze3 episodes2018Moscow NoirOlga Ukolova 8 episodes2020Kod genetycznyIzabela Berger8 episodes2020Królestwo kobietOlga Maj8 episodes2022Nieobecni Suzana7 episodes2023Dom pod Dwoma OrlamiZofia Szablewska9 episodes2024Gra z CieniemNina Nielsen10 episodes2025The Breslau MurdersDr. Inga EissmannDisney+ series2025PatiAlina Malec6 episodes2026AnesthesiaNetflix series
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