Biographie
Petra Buckova
An actress known for her fiery temperament and versatile range—spanning from zany slapstick and sharp satire to profound tragedy. Raised in the South Bohemian town of Tabor and standing 174 centimeters (5 feet 8½ inches) tall, she found this stature sufficient and left home to follow her passion. On her first attempt, she was selected from numerous applicants to study acting at the Janacek Academy of Performing Arts (JAMU), despite initially struggling to fit through the door. During her first semester, she lost 10 kilograms through rigorous training in singing, acrobatics, ballet, and karate, transforming into the figure recognized today.
A certified PADI diver, she is equally fearless when delving into the depths of the characters she portrays. Her credits include the mini-series Jitrni zare (Morning Glow) and the streaming thriller #martyisdead, the first Czech series to win an International Emmy. She has also made significant appearances in supporting roles across numerous Czech TV series and films, such as Uzly a pomerance (Scent of Orange).
Alongside stunt professionals, she hones her shooting skills to portray law enforcement roles in Czech crime series like Hlava Meduzy (Head of Medusa), Vrazdy v kruhu (The Zodiac Murders), Polda (The Cop), Specialiste (Specialists), and Sefka (Boss), while also enjoying moments in the soap opera Ordinace v ruzove zahrade (Surgery in the Rose Garden).
Residing in Prague and married to an Austrian, Petra faces no language barriers. Fluent in several languages, she frequently applies her skills in international film and television projects. She has performed in English-language productions such as Haunted (Netflix), Carnival Row (Amazon), and The Wheel of Time, often cast by American filmmakers as Jewish heroines during WWII. Her German-speaking roles include Decision Game (Amazon) and Home Is Here, and her French was featured in Totems (Amazon).
After graduating from JAMU, she joined esteemed theatrical ensembles including the Petr Bezruc Theatre in Ostrava and the Goose on a String Theatre in Brno, before becoming part of the Balustrade Theatre in Prague, famously associated with Vaclav Havel. Currently, she stars as Marianne in Persony (Personas), based on Ingmar Bergman’s works, having previously performed leading roles in classics such as Macbeth, Othello (in the original English), and The Cherry Orchard.
Passionate about audio work, she frequently records audiobooks, cherishing the microphone’s demand for authenticity. Her voice brings to life works like Lady Chatterley's Lover (D. H. Lawrence), Winesburg, Ohio (S. Anderson), and The Hours (M. Cunningham). She has been nominated twice for the Neviditelný herec (Invisible Actor), the Czech radio acting award.
Often compared to a femme fatale in the style of Eva Green, Petra Buckova can also embody more sinister roles—from a screaming child to a depraved predator of innocence. Despite her wild energy, she skillfully restrains it when the role calls for it, portraying strict schoolteachers and other austere characters with ease.
Her primary acting approach is rooted in empathy, allowing her to attune to others’ emotions. This sensitivity also enabled her to spend twelve years as part of the Czech hospital clown team, a role demanding profound empathy and understanding.
