Hungarian Actor Zoltรกn Thurรณczy Threatens Exile, Condemns Current Political Climate & State-Funded Arts
Budapest, Hungary – Veteran Hungarian actor Zoltรกn Thurรณczy has publicly expressed deep disillusionment with the current state of Hungarian politics and culture, stating he will leave the country if the situation doesn’t improve by the 2026 parliamentary elections. In a wide-ranging interview, Thurรณczy leveled sharp criticism at the ruling Fidesz party, the quality of contemporary political discourse, and government-funded cultural productions.
Thurรณczy described a pervasive atmosphere of tension fueled by politics,admitting he copes with the stress by “yelling into the sky” and exchanging approximately 10,000 text messages with comedian Tibor Bรถdลcs. He lamented the shift in political standards since the regime change, recalling his initial support for fidesz as a young rural voter, but contrasting it with his current view that even the former MDF party now represents a higher standard of political engagement. He specifically praised past figures like Jรณzsef torgyรกn, Gรกbor Kuncze, and Mihรกly Kupa for their ability to connect with and entertain the public, a quality he believes is absent today.
The actor was particularly scathing about the current political focus on wealth, stating, “they are only interested in money and can only talk about it.” He suggested that figures like Sรกndor Sรกra, Krisztiรกn Ungvรกry, and marcell Jankovics would be better suited to represent Hungary’s right-wing political landscape.
Thurรณczy also expressed strong disapproval of state-funded cultural projects, calling them a “glittering medium-shed” that “burns money as if there weren’t tomorrow.” He specifically cited the recent Hunyadi film series as an example, stating he fell asleep while watching it and found the costumes laughable. He contrasted it favorably with the 1963 Captain Tenkes film, praising its acting and production quality. He criticized the writing in contemporary productions, describing the dialog as “shit.”
The actor also touched on his personal struggles with alcoholism and a difficult career start, as well as his relationship with Bรฉla Pintรฉr. He expressed admiration for emerging Hungarian performers like concrete.hofi, pagan starter, and Carson Coma, while criticizing the government’s attempts to co-opt popular culture, citing the analysis of Azahriah’s music by the pro-government publication Mandiner as an example. He did praise Majka‘s recent song, noting its broad appeal, and criticized the government’s recent outrage over the artist’s performance as hypocritical, pointing out their previous disinterest in his work.
Thurรณczy dismissed Peter magyar, a former Fidesz politician, as having “grayed” within a year and a half, labeling him a product of the “Moon Court.” He reiterated his intention to leave Hungary for Rijeka if the political climate doesn’t improve before the 2026 elections, warning, “If we will tap in this dry shit again next year, we will be over.”