Not only on stage: Agnese and Matīss Budovski discover the harmony and creative freedom of living together
Actress Agnese Budovska, who once bravely left her position at the Latvian National Theater to seek new creative paths, reveals that her life together with her childhood friend, husband and director Matīs Budovski has turned into something “unimaginably beautiful”.
The couple, who are both life and creative partners at the same time, admit that harmony between two creative people is not taken for granted, but in their case it has worked out. Matīss, who himself worked as a freelance artist for several years, was able to comfort Agnes and convince her that life outside of the workload of the state theater is not only possible, but also enriching, offering wider opportunities for creative expression. “Many people might still think so in the theater, but there are quite good choices and offers coming in as a freelancer,” Matís believes, adding that the presence of a staff often prevented him from accepting interesting projects due to lack of time.
New breath and creative freedom
Agnese made the decision to leave the National Theater when she felt that she had been running without respite the entire previous year, and there was a need to find “27 hours a day” in order to devote more time to her family. Although working in the theater has been all she has known since her college years, this step was taken deliberately to find new opportunities and escape the routine. Like Matīss, Agnese also graduated from the Latvian Academy of Culture, and her talent has been recognized both with the “Spēlmaņu nakts” award for the role of the Bride in the play “Blood Wedding“, and with the “Lielā Kristaps” award as the best supporting actress in the movie “Wild East. Where the road leads”.
Budovski is together not only in life, but also in creative projects. Agnes is ready to play in any of her husband’s productions because she fully trusts his taste and the creative team. Although the two have not yet implemented a joint theater project, there have been ideas and a desire, for example, for a joint performance in the small hall of the National Theater with the participation of an Estonian director. Such cooperation would be especially valuable, because Agnes admires Matīs’ directing talent, and the joint energy of the two of them on stage or on the set would definitely create something special.
Dating story and common future
Agnes and Matīss are childhood friends from Madonna who met back in Slovakia when Agnes sang in a choir and Matīss played the piano. Later, both moved to Riga, and their friendship gradually developed into a romantic relationship. “Matis accompanied me home after playing music with friends, and I suddenly noticed how warm his eyes were,” Agnese remembers the moment when their relationship sparked.
Both are parents of a common son, and recently celebrated a wedding, after which Agnese took her husband’s surname. Their life together is “unimaginably beautiful” and both continue to grow individually and together, seeking new creative challenges and improving professionally. Agnes also emphasizes that after the birth of her son she has changed – she has lost her youthful cynicism and laughs much more sincerely, and has also gained a new outlook on life.
The couple continues to be active in art. Agnese recently starred in the film “Tīklā. The Birth of the Legend of TTT”, while Matīs is waiting for the outcome of his staged play “Rītasma vakaros” at the “Gamers’ Night” award ceremony. Together with Andri Keiša, they have also performed the concert performance “Disco roze”, which offers a journey through time and moods, filled with the music of Gunārs Rosenberg and Raimonds Paul.
