Juraj Kukura
(*1947), Slovakia
Creative activities
Slovak actor Juraj Kukura was born in Prešov, where he attended an industrial arts secondary school. After studying at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, he launched his acting career at Divadlo Na korze (alongside Marián Labuda and Milan Lasica) and moved on to the New Scene Theatre before he was engaged by the Slovak National Theatre in 1976. In 1984 he immigrated to Germany, where he initially performed at Kammerspiele in Munich, eventually relocating to Basel and Bonn before settling at the Schauspielhaus in Hamburg. He has travelled the entire world and worked with a number of important figures in theatre and film, earning him international acclaim. Since 2002 he has been the managing director of Arena Theatre. He currently alternates between Bratislava, Prague and Hamburg and continues to perform as an actor. His roles in cult films such as The Divine Emma, Shadows of a Hot Summer and Dangerous Liaisons have made him an extraordinarily popular figure in Czechoslovak film. In Germany he is primarily known for his work in television serials such as Via Mala, Tatort and Siska. Audiences consider Kukura to be one of the most charming actors on the Czechoslovak stage, who despite his international success remains faithful to the local performing arts.
