Actors
Bolek Polívka – Monk Petr
Bolek Polívka was born and raised in Vizovice, Czech Republic, and graduated in 1971 from JAMU (Janáček's Academy of Music Arts in Brno). Since the early '90s he has founded and run several successful theatres in Brno, currently the Bolek Polivka Theatre. Nowadays Polivka gives guest performances at two theatres in Prague, the Vinohradské divadlo and the Divadlo Bez zábradlí, as well as theatres in Zlin.
His first appearance in a feature film was in Ballad for the Bandit (Balada pro banditu), and he became well known thanks to the director Vera Chytilová, who cast him in her movies Calamity (Kalamita) and The Jester and the Queen (Sasek a královna). However, it was his role in an unforgettable film, The Inheritance (Dedictví aneb Kurvahosigutentag aka Fuck-off Guys, Goodbye), that earned Polivka a place in the hearts of national audiences. He also participated in writing the screenplay for this film. Additionally, he gave a great performance for Juraj Jakubisko in the Slovak film Sitting Pretty on a Branch (Sedím na konári a je mi dobre).
His name is also connected with roles in comedies such as Cozy Dens (Pelíšky), Divided We Fall (Musíme si pomáhat) for which he received the prestigious Best Actor Czech Lion in 2001, and the lead in Pupendo, which had six nominations and one win for the Czech Lion in 2004. He received his first Best Actor Czech Lion in 1997 and recognition as Best Actor at the 1997 Karlovy Vary Film Festival for his role as Father Holy in the drama A Forgotten Light (Zapomenuté svetlo). In addition to his theatre and film work, Polivka directs and stars in the popular television shows Bolek Polivka's Arena (Manéž Bolka Polívky) and Bolkoviny.
Film character
In the film Bathory, monks Petr and Cyril are not real historical characters, but fictive ones. Monk Petr and novice Cyril come to Čachtice because cardinal Forgách charged them with monitoring Cachtice castle. The two monks thus have a role of detectives, too.