Piotr Polak

Piotr Polak (Polish: [ˈpjɔtr ˈpɔ.lak]; born 24 December 1980) is a Polish film, television, stage, and voice actor. He is best known for portraying Michał Holc in the mockumentary sitcom series The Office PL (2021–2025), and Piotr "Sanczo" in the comedy drama series Still Here (2022). Polak starred as Adam Nowak, the main character in the 2017 science fiction romance film The Man with the Magic Box, as Dirk in the 2020 drama film Hurrah, We Are Still Alive!, as Tadeusz in the 2024 fantasy film Diplodocus The Green Dinosaur, and as Karol, husband of Karol, in the 2024 black comedy film Inheritance. He also portrayed Orest Jakimow, a recurring character in the drama series Miłość nad rozlewiskiem (2010), and its continuations, Życie nad rozlewiskiem (2011), Nad rozlewiskiem (2012), and Cisza nad rozlewiskiem (2013–2014).

Piotr Polak was born on 24 December 1980 in Kraków, Poland, and grew up in Nowy Targ. He is a son of rally driver Wiktor Polak, and a brother of actress Jaśmina Polak.^[1][2] In 1986, his family moved to Chicago, Illinois, United States, where he attended kindergarten, due to fears of radiation from the Chernobyl disaster, later moving back to Poland.^[2] He graduated in 2004 from the Faculty of Acting of the National Academy of Theatre Arts in Kraków. He performed in theaters such as the Wojciech Bogusławski Theatre in Kalisz (2004–2005), the Helena Modrzejewska National Old Theatre in Kraków (2005–2008), the Dramatic Theatre in Warsaw (2008–2011), and the New Theatre in Warsaw (2011–present).^[1]

Polak had a minor role as a drug addict in the 2006 drama feature film Who Never Lived. He also had several secondary roles in television series in such as Pensjonat pod Różą (2005), Wiedźmy (2005), Wielkie ucieczki (2006), Twarzą w twarz (2007), and Wydział zabójstw (2008). Later, he portrayed Orest Jakimow, a recurring character in the drama series Miłość nad rozlewiskiem (2010), and its continuations, Życie nad rozlewiskiem (2011), Nad rozlewiskiem (2012), and Cisza nad rozlewiskiem (2013–2014).^[1][3] Polak had several secondary roles in the television series, such as Bernaś in True Law (2013), Aleksander "Penguin" in Deep Water (2013), Józef Kurowski in L for Love (2014–2015), Joshua in 1983 (2018), Kamil Ostasz in Drogi wolności (2018), and Henryk Murawski in Erinyes (2022). He portrayed Michał Holc, one of the main characters in the mockumentary sitcom series The Office PL (2021–2025), and Piotr "Sanczo", one of the main characters in the comedy drama series Still Here (2022).^[1][4][5] He starred as Adam Nowak, the main character in the 2017 science fiction romance film The Man with the Magic Box, as Dirk in the 2020 drama film Hurrah, We Are Still Alive!, as Tadeusz in the 2024 fantasy film Diplodocus The Green Dinosaur, and as Karol, husband of Karol, in the 2024 black comedy film Inheritance.^[6][7][8][9] He also had secondary roles such as Piotr in Plan B (2018), Ciemno, prawie noc (2019), Erotica 2022 (2021), Other People (2021), Anxiety (2023), and Woman Of... (2023).^[1] He is also voice actor, having participated in numerous Polish-language dubbing productions, including portraying Han Solo in the 2011 renditions of the Star Wars original trilogy films A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi.^[10]

In 2021, Polak received an award for the best short film actor at the Horrible Imaginings Film Festival in San Diego, United States, for his role in the 2019 drama film The Tumble.^[1] In 2021, he was nominated to the Telecamera award in the best male actor category, for his role in the series The Office PL.^[11]

In 2008, Piotr Polak married actress Joanna Drozda, with whom he has a son, born in 2012. The couple has since separated.^[3][12][13]

• Piort Polak at IMDb
• Piort Polak at FilmPolski.pl (in Polish)
• Piort Polak at Filmweb (in Polish)