Years ago, he entered a hair salon opposite the theater in Trnava. “Sir, I know you from somewhere,” the hairdresser tells him. “Probably from the theater across the street, isn’t it?” Gregor Hološka answers. “Not. I already know, from some TV series,” the hairdresser suddenly remembers.
Today, the whole of Slovakia knows the former actor of the Trnava Theater – thanks to the film Invalid, where he played one of the main roles. Around 150,000 viewers have already seen the crazy comedy about an ordinary guy in a wheelchair who takes justice into his own hands.
However, in his case, it was a long road to a successful film, which proves that we have not forgotten to shoot good comedies in our country.
We haven’t been able to meet for a long time, because you are currently shooting a film about the mafia boss Mikuláš Černák. Anyone who experienced the 90s will quickly think of swordplay, the mafia, kidnappings, and murders at this name. What is it like for you to go back through the filming of this period?
It was a dark time, but it’s true that I’m learning more and more about it now. In 1991 I just finished elementary school, in 1995 I finished gymnasium and went to university. I remember it more as a disinterested person who started going to discos at that time. Maybe it was also felt from the discos, but I didn’t experience the real darkness.
When I came to Bratislava, there were various stories circulating about how goons work, who you should respect. Fortunately, I never came into direct contact with these groups. I would hate to talk about the movie Miki, because we just recently finished the first stage of filming. A much bigger stage awaits us in summer and autumn.
V Disabled people you play a badass, but a good guy, in Černák a mobster. How does one switch from one character to another when they are so different?
All positions are interesting for the actor. I am also attracted to the dark position, not because I want to become an outcast, but to understand the universe as such. The Austrian writer Klaus Händl started as an actor, only later became a writer. He said that an actor should go through all the styles as a samurai. The more the better. When such a mafia topic begins to be processed, various controversial opinions appear.
What do you mean?
I have already heard the opinion several times, why glorify a black hero or a mobster, if we don’t have any more interesting characters. People forget that film is art. It is an artistic treatment that comes from something. No one forces people to absorb an opinion. They can choose. It is important that such things are also mapped, it can even have a moral and educational effect in the sense that it will never happen again in society. The movie is not a how-to guide on how to become a gangster. There is nothing to admire. I certainly don’t mean it as glorification, but playing one of the dark characters is an acting challenge. It is important that the company knows the whole history, including the dark sides.
You filmed in Telgárt. Have you not come across opinions that Černak is something like a hero who helped the locals? Something like Escobar in Colombia?