---
name: "Marian Opania"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/marian-opania"
fi1m_id: "marian-opania"
imdb_id: "nm0649045"
tmdb_id: 2825
wikidata_id: "Q1896685"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "1 February 1943"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-26T00:50:10.625737+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Marian Opania

## Identity

Marian Opania

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/marian-opania
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** marian-opania
- **IMDb ID:** nm0649045
- **TMDB ID:** 2825
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1896685
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marian_Opania, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1896685, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0649045/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2825

Actor. Born 1 February 1943 in Puławy, Rzesza Niemiecka (obecnie Poland).

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 1 February 1943, Puławy, Rzesza Niemiecka (obecnie Poland)
- **Also known as:** M. Opania
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marian_Opania, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1896685, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0649045/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2825

## Fi1m on Marian Opania

> Marian Opania's trade is the compromised middle-aged man: the journalist, the official, the doctor who knows what he is doing and does it anyway. His Winkel in *Man of Iron* (1981) is where to start, and what the rest is measured against.

Watch Marian Opania try to open a bottle. In *Man of Iron* (1981) his Winkel, a radio journalist who used to be good and now drinks, cannot get the cap off with steady hands and knows exactly what that looks like to the people watching him. Nothing is said about it. That is how Opania works: the shame arrives in the body first, in the hands and the shoulders and a voice pitched slightly too low, and the face admits it a beat later. He is a rumpled presence, and he has made a long career of rumpled men.

The career did not start there. Through the 1960s he was a young actor in young parts, a corporal in the television serial *Four Tank-Men and a Dog* (1966) and the lead in *Skok* (1967), and there was a limit to what those parts asked of him. Winkel changed that. Opania has said of the role, "Ta rola był dla mnie zaczerpnięciem drugiego oddechu", that it gave him a second breath, and it is easy to see why: Andrzej Wajda, who directed him three times, handed him a lead in which the character's failings were the point rather than a flaw to be hidden. From then on he was the man in the middle. The dean in Kieślowski's *Dekalog VIII* (1989), a security-service general played for laughs in *Rozmowy kontrolowane* (1991), Professor Nielubowicz in *Gods* (2014), a drama about a pioneering heart surgeon: officials, doctors and journalists deciding how far their conscience is for sale, in a country that kept changing the price.

We can only speak at length for Winkel, and Winkel is enough. The script leans on him harder than it should. He is a device for getting the story of the Gdańsk shipyard told, and people with every reason not to talk to a man from state radio sit him down and tell him twelve years of history in order. We noticed the creak and then stopped minding, because Opania made us want Winkel to get out of the film intact. That is a strange thing to feel about a drunk sent to smear a strike, and we felt it from the first scene, where the fear on him is plainer than the contempt.

The reservations are the obvious ones. His reputation stands on a handful of parts, and a good deal of the later work is popular television, above all the long run as Professor Zybert in *Na dobre i na złe* from 1999, rather than the cinema that made his name. He says he is more at home in dramatic parts and considers himself a serious actor, though the comic turns of the 1990s suggest he undersells himself; the general in *Rozmowy kontrolowane* is remembered for a reason. Start with Winkel, watch the hands, and then decide whether the man in the middle is one you want to spend more evenings with. We did.

## Biography

Marian Opania is a Polish actor and singer. Born on 1 February 1943 in Puławy, he graduated from the Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw in 1964.

He has worked in Warsaw theatres including the Ateneum Theatre since 1981. Opania has appeared in more than 50 films since 1965. Notable roles include Winkel in *Man of Iron* (1981), the University Dean in *Decalogue VIII* (1989) and *Dekalog* (1989), and parts in *Golem* (1980) and *Four Tank-Men and a Dog* (1966). He received the Zbigniew Cybulski Award in 1970 and the Order of Polonia Restituta in 2003.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, culture.pl.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Man of Iron* (1981), Fi1m 78, as Winkel — [page](https://film.one/film/man-of-iron.md)

## Complete filmography (101)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Off We Go 2* (2026), as Józef Gugulak
- *Off We Go* (2025), as Józef Gugulak
- *Baby Boom, or Egg Nogg 5* (2024), as Leopold Kapusta
- *Horror Story* (2023), as "Handyman"
- *My Agent* (2022), series, Actor
- *The End of the World, or Egg Nogg 4* (2022), as Leopold Kapusta
- *The Last Room on the Left* (2021), as Leon
- *The Republic of Children* (2021), as Utopiec Gralo
- *Black Mercedes* (2019), as Gardener
- *It's in the Bank* (2019), as Jędrek
- *Wesele* (2019), as Hetman
- *The Atlas* (2017), Actor
- *The Chairman's Ear* (2017), series, as Kornel, Mateusz's father
- *7 Things You Don't Know About Men* (2016), as Stefan's Father
- *Eccentrics, the Sunny Side of the Street* (2016), as Jan Boryssowski
- *Gods* (2014), as Profesor Jan Nielubowicz
- *Wałesa: Man of Hope* (2013), as (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *Prawo Agaty* (2012), series, as Andrzej Przybysz
- *War of Love* (2010), as Szlachcic
- *The Rite of Passage* (2010), as Professor Schlapka
- *Piksele* (2009), as Samobójca
- *Spadkobiercy* (2009), series, as specjalista od efektów specjalnych
- *Case Unknown* (2009), as Professor Dębicki
- *The Collector* (2005), as Chełst
- *Bulionerzy* (2004), series, as Leon
- *Saved by a Miracle* (2004), as Mikołaj Biesaga
- *Wizyta starszej pani* (2002), as Burmistrz
- *Chopin: Desire for Love* (2002), as Jan
- *Marszałek Piłsudski* (2001), series, Actor
- *Weiser* (2001), as ksiądz proboszcz
- *Na dobre i na złe* (1999), series, as Professor Tadeusz Zybert
- *13 posterunek* (1997), series, as Tata Kasi
- *Ekstradycja* (1995), series, Actor
- *Panna z mokrą głową* (1994), as Dr Zenobiusz Lipień
- *Wesoła noc smutnego biznesmena* (1993), Actor
- *The Spider Women* (1993), as hurtownik
- *Człowiek z...* (1993), as Wityński
- *SuperWizja* (1993), as Kuba
- *Do Widzenia Wczoraj. Dwie Krótkie Komedie o Zmianie Systemu* (1993), as Stefan
- *Sauna* (1992), as Jurij
- *Controlled Conversations* (1991), as SB General Mozambik
- *Dekalog* (1989), series, as Dean
- *Goryl, Czyli Ostatnie Zadanie...* (1989), as Szef
- *Inner State* (1989), as dziennikarz Maciek Szumiński
- *Decalogue VIII* (1989), as University Dean
- *Pięć minut przed gwizdkiem* (1989), as Leon Misiak
- *Soccer Poker* (1989), as Bolo
- *Dotknięci* (1989), as Actor
- *Subs* (1987), series, as Ceglarek
- *Masquerade* (1987), as Krzysztof
- *Weryfikacja* (1987), as "Grey"
- *The Mother of the Kings* (1987), as Advocate
- *Chronicle of Amorous Accidents* (1986), as Mr. Kiezun
- *Hero of the Year* (1986), as Chief editor
- *Przyśpieszenie* (1985), as Operator
- *Popielec* (1984), series, as Wykukal
- *Wedle wyroków twoich...* (1984), as fotograf Mach
- *Marta* (1984), Actor
- *Wyłap* (1984), as Stasio
- *On, ona, oni* (1983), as Factory director (segment 2)
- *Pełnia nad głowami* (1983), as Frączak
- *Wierne blizny* (1982), Actor
- *Przypadki Piotra S.* (1982), as Dyrektor
- *Śpiewy po rosie* (1982), as kierowca ciężarówki
- *Shivers* (1981), as Zbyszek
- *Tender Spots* (1981), as 13-04
- *Man of Iron* (1981), as Winkel — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/man-of-iron.md)
- *Przyjaciele* (1981), series, as mayor
- *Golem* (1980), as Doctor Creating Pernat
- *Morning Stars* (1980), Actor
- *All and Nobody* (1978), as Glina
- *Index* (1977), as Redaktor naczelny
- *Bezkresne łąki* (1976), as kierowca
- *Hotel Pacific* (1975), as Fryc (voice)
- *Promotion* (1975), as Marian Grzyb
- *Droga* (1975), series, as mężczyzna ratujący Czerniaka
- *Gościnny występ* (1974), as Mietek
- *Sobie król* (1974), as Adam
- *God's Finger* (1973), as Tadeusz Kasprzak
- *A Slip-Up* (1972), as "Tiny"
- *Salvation* (1972), as Staszek
- *Pearl in the Crown* (1972), as Albert
- *Kłopotliwy gość* (1971), as Przesieka
- *Ferry* (1970), as Soldier On Ferry
- *Facing the Truth* (1970), as Wacek Karbowaniec
- *The Neighbours* (1969), as Scout Truchaczek
- *More Than Life At Stake Part One* (1969), as Kazik Truchanowicz ("Top Secret")
- *Skok* (1969), as Paweł
- *The Doll* (1968), as Węgiełek
- *Ostatni po Bogu* (1968), as Wątorek
- *More Than Life At Stake* (1968), series, as Kazik Okoń vel Kazimierz Truchanowicz
- *I Am Burning!* (1968), as Walek
- *Stajnia na Salvatorze* (1967), as "Dudek"
- *Westerplatte Resists* (1967), as Soldier stacking Sandbags (uncredited)
- *The Killer Leaves a Trace* (1967), as Zenek
- *Don Gabriel* (1966), as Sznitko
- *Four Tank-Men and a Dog* (1966), series, as kapral Marian Łażewski „Zadra”
- *The Moment of Peace* (1965), as Kazio Kominek ("Matura")
- *Podziemny front* (1965), series, Actor
- *Beata* (1965), as Olek Smoleński
- *Love at Twenty* (1962), as Misiek (segment "Warszawa") (uncredited)

## Gallery

- ![Marian Opania 2 (2016)](https://film.one/media/person/3923339/gallery-6a7fd2b2f5b2.jpg) Marian Opania 2 (2016) — Fryta 73, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Marian_Opania_2_%2830100294064%29_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Marian Opania (2007)](https://film.one/media/person/3923339/gallery-e0748634ff9b.jpg) Marian Opania (2007) — Remigiusz Józefowicz, CC BY-SA 2.5 pl, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/MarianOpania.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Marian Opania](https://film.one/media/person/3923339/gallery-828835a0ee2b.jpg) Marian Opania — Sławek Skonieczny, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Marian_Opania_2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Marian Opania podczas występu (2009)](https://film.one/media/person/3923339/gallery-eaaccefb0c43.jpg) Marian Opania podczas występu (2009) — Ludmiła Pilecka, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Opania_-_wystep.JPG/1280px-Opania_-_wystep.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Marian Opania](https://film.one/media/person/3923339/gallery-615d6a935bf8.jpg) Marian Opania — Image via TMDB
- ![Marian Opania](https://film.one/media/person/3923339/gallery-72e556066e4a.jpg) Marian Opania — Image via TMDB
- ![Marian Opania](https://film.one/media/person/3923339/gallery-0d4681e66f5d.jpg) Marian Opania — Image via TMDB
- ![OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA (2015)](https://film.one/media/person/3923339/gallery-aaaf0beae107.jpg) OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA (2015) — Fryta 73, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Marian_Opania_%2822714890041%29_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Marian Opania](https://film.one/media/person/3923339/gallery-48fc7554587b.jpg) Marian Opania — Image via TMDB
- ![Marian Opania](https://film.one/media/person/3923339/gallery-62fc3019963b.jpg) Marian Opania — Image via TMDB
- ![Marian Opania](https://film.one/media/person/3923339/gallery-d0e0b1a4c16d.jpg) Marian Opania — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won

- Zbigniew Cybulski Award 1970: Zbigniew Cybulski Award (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/marian-opania