Zuzana Vačková

Vačková was born in Nitra, a historical town in Western Slovakia. Shortly after her birth, her family moved to Previdza, another city in region of upper Nitra. She just started attending school when they moved again, this time to the capital city – Bratislava.[1] In the end Zuzana finally settled down with her own family in a house, which was built near Bratislava at the place called Čierna Voda.[2]

Zuzana became an actress by accident. She wanted to improve her knowledge and skill in using her native language, and tried to enrol in a grammar course in the Central house of children and youth, located in the beautiful Grassalkovitch Palace (today serves as the Presidential Palace), but accidentally enrolled in a drama course.[1]

Shortly after she started attending the course, it was visited by Štefan Uher, a well-known Slovak director, who was looking for a hard headed, posh, self-important and pampered young girl to play a role in his new movie Mowing of Hawk Meadow (1981). From all the adepts she was the most suited, which meant that she got her first role, Anny, in a movie directed by an admired and respected figure, whose name is connected to the Czechoslovak New Wave filmmaking art.[3] She went on to act alongside many famous Slovak (Jozef Kroner, Viliam Polónyi, Karol Spišák, Emília Zimková) and Czech actors (Rudolf Jelínek, Věra Tichánková, Sylva Turbová). Her performance opened a lot of new opportunities not just from the world of movies, but also television. Only a few months later she starred in her first television movie Throb of our Universe, which first aired in 1982.[4] This movie also marks the first time she met her future husband, Rastislav Rogel. However, at the time they had no idea that their paths would ever meet again.[2]

While making movies, Vačková also managed to finish secondary school, she graduated from the gymnasium on Ladislav Sára street, and was accepted into the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava (VŠMU).[1] Before she started studying acting at the Academy in 1987, she starred in movies directed by well-known Slovak (Dušan Rapoš, Martin Ťapák and the previously mentioned Štefan Uher), Czech (Otakar Kosek) and Russian directors (Konstantin Khudyakov).[5] From this time period, the most striking movie is A Great Summer (1987), which was filmed in the Czech portion of the republic. This unusual movie dealt with many social issues, which were considered a taboo at the time. These issues included abortion, corruption, nepotism, generational differences, a lack of intimacy, honesty and love in familial and human relationships. The movie focuses on two friends (Slávka, Magda) and their coming of age story. We can also find parallels between the plot of the movie, and the actress's personal life, divorce, abortion and fear of falling in love again.[2][3][5]

After starting her studies in acting at the Academy, she also added theatre plays to her ever-increasing repertoire. While attending the first grade, she already performed as a stand-in, in an already premiered play by Maxim Gorky The Summer Guests, where she played the role of the determined, brash, bold and honest Sona, daughter of the doctor Mária Lvova. Her next role was that of Petra in An Enemy of the People by Henrik Johan Ibsen. Later she portrayed, as a stand-in, young Lisa in the play Woe from Wit by Alexander Sergeyevich Griboyedov. For this portrayal she was already being noticed by reviewers.[6] One review states: “…The character of young Petra, with her hard-headed determination to defend her father's truth, was portrayed by Natália Hasprová. Zuzana Vačková, her stand-in, showed a softer and girl-like side of the character…”[7] A different one says: “From all the well-acted roles, it is necessary to mention the playful and mischievous Lisa, portrayed by Zuzana Vačková, a student at VŠMU…”[8] She also had a medium-sized role in the play Tango, by the Polish playwright Sławomir Mrożek. “The young stand-ins, Michaela Mikulášová (an author's note by Čobejová) and Zuzana Vačková, portray Ala with the natural charm of youth…”[9]

At the Academy, her classmates included: Zuzana Mauréry, Dagmar Bruckmayerová (originally Bajnoková), Szilvia Varga / Silvia Vargová, Henrieta Mičkovicová, Ingrid Hanzelová (originally Slobodová), Eva Vavrousek (originally Vicianová), Roman Pomajbo, Rastislav Rogel, Dezső Rancsó, Roman Matisko, Peter Mankovecký, Jozef Domonkoš, Maroš Tvarožek.[2] They all graduated in 1991, some of them with the graduate performance of the play The Bald Soprano, where Vačková played the role of Mrs. Martin. “After reading the script, I couldn't imagine how we could possibly perform this play, it made no sense. We went through an interesting development, during which we tried many variants, picked out the best ones, and finally arrived at this final one, which is, hopefully, the best one.”[10] The performance, directed by Juraj Vaculík, was such a success, that the theatre Astorka Korzo ´90 incorporated it into its regular programme.[10] During that same year actress married her biggest love, her classmate Rastislav Rogel. A year later she gave birth to her first child, Jakub. Because of familial responsibilities, she would be seen less on theatre stages, TV screens, and in cinemas. This situation was also worsened when her husband gradually drifted away from the acting profession, and started associating himself with various extremist groups, which she couldn’t identify herself with. After having spent six years together they parted, which meant that Zuzana had to do everything on her own. She acted in a few TV movies, and dubbed various famous actresses. She also worked as a waitress in a family owned business in the thermal spa Vincov les in Sládkovičovo. Later she worked for a short time in a flower shop in Dlhé Diely.[3] While working there she again fell in love, however, she was more careful this time and refused to marry. The almost ten-year relationship, during which she travelled the world – mainly the USA, rewarded her with her daughter Maruška. She perfected her English, which could be the reason why she agreed to baptise the study book “In English with Zuzana Vačková”.[11]

She has been teaching the art of acting at the Conservatory in Bratislava for three years already.[12] She has also participated in the television show Tvoja tvár znie povedome, where she won one episode with The Shoop Shoop song by Cher.[13] When currently not teaching, she also finds the time to edit end correct dialogues for voice-overs. She has also been a moderator of various shows since a very young age, e.g.: Triangel, Zone D, Studio Contact, Cooked and baked (Varený a pečený).[5]

Vačková is a member of various charity groups, such as Parasport 24, which helps handicapped sportsmen in Slovakia, while focusing mainly on high schools. For the last couple of years she has regularly moderated the event “A mile for mum”, which takes place every year on mother's day in Senec.[3] She is also a member of the board of directors in the Linaje Foundation, which was founded on 27 September 2010, and deals with autistic and abused women. Members of this foundation have released a book titled Fairy tales from the Eighth continent. With the resources gained from the sales of this book, they also want to build a residential facility, called The Eighth continent and located in Borová, for children and adults with autism.[14] The actress and her daughter also added a story into the book, about the time they saved little birdies when they fell out of their nest. “And ever since then, whenever the girls would lay on their bed and talk and hear birds beautifully singing from behind the windows, Maruška and mum would smile happily, while Minka would friendly waggle her tail.”[15]

Vačková has performed in various plays (see the chart below) on the stage of the author-based theatre La Komika, ever since its establishment in 2015. The director, manager and playwright of the theatre is Karol Vosátko, who had this to say about his theatre: “…The quality is also determined by all the people participating in the theatre. We are a small and informal group, which is almost like a family. It is, however, rare to meet with people who are so passionate about their craft, yet are such big professionals at the same time!...”[16]

The Slovak actress and moderator has worked with almost all personalities from the world of acting, from the oldest artists, to her younger colleagues. Let's mention at least a few of the living legends: Emília Vášáryová, Božidara Turzonovová, Zdena Studenková, Kamila Magálová, Mária Kráľovičová, Martin Huba, Milan Lasica, Milan Kňažko, Stano Dančiak, Dušan Jamrich and others. She also acts in many television series, her most famous role is that of the cheerful Alica from Panelák.[2][5]

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