Tomasz Borkowy, Andrzej Talar in the Polish series "Dom": from a TV role in Poland to a theatre career in the UK

Tomasz Borkowy is an actor best known in Poland for playing Andrzej Talar in the series "Dom". He has lived in the UK for many years, and his story shows how the career of an artist who left Poland in the early 1980s developed.

The role that launched his career

In 1977 Borkowy graduated from the Ludwik Solski State Higher School of Theatre in Kraków. In "Dom" he played Andrzej Talar, a young man from the countryside who arrives in war-ravaged Warsaw and tries to find his place there. The series was made in stages and stayed on air from 1980 to 2000. The role of Talar remains the most important item in the actor's career.

Leaving Poland and the early years abroad

According to Poland's Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Borkowy emigrated to the UK in 1982. His departure affected the making of the series. In one episode (no. 12) he appears in just one scene, while a stand-in replaced him in the rest.

The early years abroad were not easy. The actor worked on his English and pronunciation, and took various jobs before returning to regular work in his profession.

Theatre and British productions

In 1983 Borkowy became co-artistic director of the Café Theatre Upstairs in London, where he directed for more than three years. At the same time he taught at the Academy the Drama School in London. He also appeared in international productions, including the film "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" and the series "Doctor Who". He later settled in Scotland and became associated with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

For his work outside Poland he received the TVP Polonia award "For services to Poland and Poles abroad".

Plans for a sequel to "Dom"

In spring 2026 the actor revealed that he is working on a project called "Nowy Dom" ("New Home") with director and screenwriter Robert Klenner, who lives in Sydney. In April 2026 he said that an outline of the first episode was finished. The project remains at the scripting stage: no start of filming, cast or broadcaster has been announced.

In an earlier interview, Borkowy described an idea for the story to be set partly in Edinburgh, where Talar's son emigrated during the period of martial law in Poland.