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Miklós Benedek, a Kossuth and Jászai Mari Prize-winning actor, has been elected ‘Actor of the Nation’ by the previous holders of the title, the National Theater announced on Wednesday. Miklós Benedek was elected to replace Lajos Balázsovits, who died on July 19, reports Hirado.hu.

The award-winning actor, director, associate professor, meritorious and distinguished artist is a member of the Company of Immortals. He graduated from the Academy of Theater and Film Arts in 1969, and then joined the National Theater.

From 1983, he was a member of the Katona József Theater for twenty years, and later for six years again of the National Theater. In the nineties he was a trustee of the Hungarian Chamber of Actors.

He was the creator of the highly successful musical Budapest Orfeum. He has directed numerous productions, including plays by Jenő Heltai, Ferenc Molnár, and Shakespeare. Since 2011, he has been performing in productions by Orlai Production.

His father, Tibor Benedek (1911-1963), was an actor as well, his son Tibor Benedek (1972-2020) was a three-time Olympic champion water polo player, and his other son Albert Benedek (1980) is a writer and translator.

Fact

The title of Actor of the Nation, first awarded on August 22, 2000, can be held by 12 artists at a time. It is awarded by the National Theater to a person who has performed outstandingly in a leading or episodic role, has reached the age of 62, and has spent four decades in the acting profession or 20 seasons – at least one role per season – on the stage of the National Theater.

The award was created to honor living artists of the National Theater who have achieved outstanding merits in the cultivation of the Hungarian language, the interpretation of national literature, as well as the development and promotion of Hungarian theater and the National Theater. Twelve recipients at a time are entitled to bear the title for the rest of their lives.

Among the first recipients there are famous Hungarian artists such as Ferenc Bessenyei, Iván Darvas, Erzsi Máthé, Irén Psota, Imre Sinkovits, Mari Törőcsik, and many more.

After the death of Lajos Balázsovits in July, the nation’s actors elected their new member. The decision was made by current holders of the title: Piroska Molnár, László Szacsvay, Gyula Bodrogi, Tamás Jordán, Dorottya Udvaros, Zsuzsa Lehoczky, Éva Almási, György Cserhalmi, Mari Csomós, Levente Király, and Géza Tordy.

This was the second time this year that a new member had to be elected to the nation’s acting elite, following the death of Erzsi Máthé in May.

The company then unanimously elected Dorottya Udvaros.

Dorottya Udvaros Elected Actress of the Nation
Dorottya Udvaros Elected Actress of the Nation

Kossuth and Jászai Mari Award-winning actress Dorottya Udvaros was elected the Nation's Actress by the current holders of the title.Continue reading

Via hirado.hu, Featured image via Wikipedia


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