Who Is Snežana Savić

Snežana Savić is a Serbian film, television, and theater actress, as well as a folk music singer, whose name has occupied one of the most important places on the Yugoslav, and later Serbian, television and music scene for half a century. She was born on March 6, 1953, in Velika Plana. Over the course of her career, Snežana Savić has taken on dozens of roles in films, television series, and theater productions, while also building a successful singing career that has lasted for decades. Her greatest popularity came from Siniša Pavić's series "A Better Life," "Happy People," and "Family Treasure," in which she portrayed striking female characters who left a mark on entire generations of viewers. Today, Snežana Savić is one of the most recognizable actresses from the former Yugoslav region, and her career spans film, television, theater, and music alike.

Early Life and Childhood

Snežana Savić was born in Velika Plana, a small town in central Serbia. She spent her earliest childhood years there, and after finishing first grade, her family moved to Belgrade, settling in the Zvezdara neighborhood, where she continued her schooling. According to statements she has made in later interviews, she grew up in a family that valued traditional values, and her parents held high expectations of her.

After finishing elementary school, Snežana Savić enrolled in one of Belgrade's gymnasiums (secondary schools). Even at that stage, she showed a strong interest in acting and the performing arts, which later shaped her choice of further education. Snežana Savić came of age during a period when Yugoslav television and film were flourishing, which further encouraged her ambition to pursue acting professionally.

Education

After completing secondary school, Snežana Savić enrolled in the acting program at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts (FDU) in Belgrade. She graduated in the class of professor Ognjenka Milićević, finishing as the top student of her generation, which speaks to the outstanding results she achieved during her studies. Among her classmates were actors who would later become well known in their own right — Ljiljana Stjepanović, Zlata Petković, Lazar Ristovski, Bogdan Diklić, and Radoš Bajić — a generation that produced several highly regarded names in Serbian acting.

Already during her studies, Snežana Savić began performing on stage alongside her classmates, and a turning point in her education and career came with the role in the drama "Koštana" by Bora Stanković, which she was cast in during her fourth year of studies. According to multiple sources, that role sparked enthusiasm from both critics and audiences, and one of the highest compliments on her performance came from legendary actor Ljubiša Bata Stojković, who noted that her Koštana was the best of all before her.

Beginning of Her Career

Snežana Savić landed her first film role in 1975, in the television film "Ignjatović Against Goebbels," directed by Dragoslav Lazić from a screenplay by Dušan Savković, in which she played the character Ruža. The following year, in 1976, she took on one of the most significant roles of her early career — the title role in the television drama "Koštana," which she had previously played on stage during her studies.

During the second half of the 1970s, Snežana Savić continued to build her acting career through roles in the television productions "Ana Loves Milovan" (1977), the series "It's an Honor to Invite You" (1977), in which she played a character named Snežana, then in the film "The Master's Son-in-Law" (1978) and the television film "The Mask" (1978), where she portrayed the actress Mimi. In 1979, she appeared in the series "Seven Plus Seven."

In the 1980s, she continued expanding her filmography with roles in the series "Seven Secretaries of SKOJ" (1981), where she played Agata Oreški, the film "The Fall of Italy" (1981) as Krasna, and the television production "Let's Start Life Over" (1981). This was followed by a role in the film "Sabine Women" (1982), and then in "What's Wrong With You, Nina" (1984), where she played the character Nina Marković, as well as the drama "Women in Prison," also known as "In Prison" (1985), in which she portrayed Olga Papić Caca. During this period she also appeared in "Tight Skin 2," playing Lepa Šojić, as well as in "Žika's Dynasty," where she played a lady on a train.

Rise to Popularity

The real turning point in Snežana Savić's career came in 1987, when she returned to television screens playing the mother of Vuk Karadžić in the series dedicated to the life of the great Serbian language reformer. That same year, and continuing into the following one, came the role that would define her forever — the fatal Nina Andrejević in Siniša Pavić's series "A Better Life," which aired during 1987 and 1988, and continued through subsequent seasons until 1991. This role brought Snežana Savić recognition throughout the entire former Yugoslavia and made her one of the most-watched actresses on television at the time.

The success of "A Better Life" continued into the following decade, when Savić took on the role of the wealthy Malina Vojvodić in the series "Happy People" (1993–1996), also written by Siniša Pavić. This was followed by the role of Rajna Gagić, mother of the character played by Vojin Ćetković, in the series "Family Treasure" (1998–2001), as well as its continuation "The Secret of Family Treasure." In that series, her on-screen husband was actor Danilo Lazović, while her great, "unforgotten" on-screen love was Dragan Nikolić — roles that cemented Snežana Savić's status as one of Serbia's most recognizable television actresses. Thanks to these series, characters of strong-willed women with turbulent pasts became the signature of her acting career.

Music Career

Alongside acting, Snežana Savić built a notable career in the world of folk music. Her interest in singing was further encouraged by her role in "Koštana," within which she also sang. Inspired by that experience, in the early 1980s she decided to devote herself more seriously to music. She recorded her first album, titled "O, What a Night" ("O, kakva noć"), in 1983 for the record label Jugoton, and this was soon followed by the albums "I Don't Dare Touch You" ("Ne smem da te diram," 1984) and "You're Not Beside Me" ("Ti kraj mene nisi," 1985).

Between 1983 and 2009, Snežana Savić recorded a total of around twelve to thirteen studio albums, as well as several compilations and individual songs. Her best-known hits, still enjoyed by audiences of all generations today, include "Three Kisses for Happiness" ("Tri poljupca za sreću," also known as "Tri poljupca hoću ja"), "Topolska 18" (a song that also became part of the series "Happy People"), "Colorful Eyes" ("Šarene oči"), "New Love" ("Nova ljubav"), "Fire of Love" ("Vatra ljubavi"), "Why Do I Love You So Much" ("Zašto te toliko volim"), "Without You" ("Bez tebe"), "Forbidden" ("Zabranjeno"), "Melting" ("Topim se"), "My Dear" ("Ej, moje milo"), "My Luck Has Finally Come" ("I na moju sreću došao je red"), and "Mitke and Koštana" ("Mitke i Koštana"). Thanks to these songs, Snežana Savić was one of the most popular folk music singers in Yugoslavia during the 1980s, and her music career further reinforced her reputation as a versatile artist who succeeds equally in film, on stage, and in music.

Greatest Achievements

The greatest achievements of Snežana Savić's career are tied to the aforementioned Siniša Pavić series — "A Better Life," "Happy People," and "Family Treasure" — which brought her the status of one of the most recognizable actresses from the former Yugoslav region. The role of Nina Andrejević remains her most famous screen creation, while the characters Malina Vojvodić and Rajna Gagić further confirmed her ability to portray complex, strong-willed female characters.

Beyond her television roles, her music career also represents a major professional achievement, having produced a substantial number of albums and several major hits that remain recognizable to this day. Between 2004 and 2006, Snežana Savić played Elizabeta Kovačević in the series "The Dollars Are Coming," continuing her string of successful television roles into the 2000s. Younger generations of viewers also remember her for her roles in the series "Game of Destiny" (2020–2024), in which she played Donka de Saeli, "Golden Days" (2020), and "The Village Is Burning, and Grandma Is Combing Her Hair," in which she played the character Izabel, as well as for her portrayal of Jovanka Broz in the project "Jovanka Broz and the Secret Services." Between 2024 and 2025 she appeared in the series "Derby at the Autokomanda Tavern" as the waitress Jela, while in 2026 her appearance in the series "The Village Nanny" was announced — confirming that Snežana Savić remains active on the acting scene even after five decades of her career.

Personal Life

Throughout her career, Snežana Savić has largely kept her personal life away from the public eye. According to available information, she has been married twice. Her first marriage took place while she was still a student at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, but according to her own account, that relationship ended quickly.

Snežana Savić's second husband was director and screenwriter Dragoslav Lazić, known for the television series "Love, Village Style," "Citizens of Luga Village," and "Musicians," who was seventeen years her senior. Together they had a daughter, Anita Lazić, who followed in her mother's footsteps and also became an actress. The marriage to Lazić did not last long — the couple divorced, and Snežana Savić later explained that the divorce came about due to differing outlooks on life, and that she consciously chose not to enter into a new marriage in order to spare her daughter additional trauma or potential rivalry with children from a possible new relationship. Snežana Savić never remarried after that marriage.

Despite the divorce, Savić maintained a cordial relationship with her former husband and his new family. Dragoslav Lazić later remarried, to actress Dragana Turkalj, who was thirty-two years his junior, and with whom he had twins — a daughter, Iskra, and a son, Lazar — at the age of seventy-six, through in vitro fertilization. Snežana Savić has stated that she maintains a cordial relationship with her former husband's new family, and that they occasionally socialized at the birthdays of the grandchildren and of their shared daughter, Anita. Dragoslav Lazić passed away on October 23, 2024, in Belgrade, at the age of eighty-seven, following a prolonged illness.

Interesting Facts

Snežana Savić is one of the few actresses of her generation to build an equally successful acting and singing career in parallel, with her music career directly inspired by her role in "Koštana." It is also notable that she was cast in "Koštana" while still only in her fourth year at university, which is unusually early for such a major and demanding role. In "Family Treasure," her on-screen love story with the character played by Dragan Nikolić has long been remembered as one of the most striking television romances of the 1990s and 2000s. Additionally, her daughter Anita Lazić has continued the family tradition and pursued acting, keeping the Savić–Lazić family present on the Serbian acting scene into the next generation.

Awards and Recognition

Snežana Savić has twice won the award for Best Acting Duo of the Year, chosen by readers of the newspaper "TV Novosti," at the Film Meetings in Niš. She first won the award in 1996, paired with Desimir Stanojević, for her role in "Happy People," and again in 2001, paired with Dragan Nikolić, for her role in "Family Treasure." In December 2018, the Association of Folk Music Artists of Serbia awarded Snežana Savić the Serbian Folk Music Lifetime Achievement Award, officially recognizing her long-standing contribution to Serbian folk music.

Legacy and Influence

Through her roles in Siniša Pavić's series, Snežana Savić left a lasting mark on the history of Yugoslav and Serbian television. The characters Nina Andrejević, Malina Vojvodić, and Rajna Gagić are still considered among the most striking female television characters from the region, and the series in which she starred have retained cult status decades after their original broadcast. Her music career further extended her influence beyond the world of acting, making her one of the rare artists to succeed equally in both mediums. The continuity of her career, spanning from the mid-1970s to the present day, reflects a longevity and versatility that is rare on the domestic entertainment and acting scene.

Biography – Frequently Asked Questions

When was Snežana Savić born?

Snežana Savić was born on March 6, 1953, in Velika Plana.

Where was Snežana Savić born?

Snežana Savić was born in Velika Plana, in what was then the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, in what is now Serbia.

What is Snežana Savić best known for?

Snežana Savić is best known for her roles in the series "A Better Life," "Happy People," and "Family Treasure," as well as for her music career, with hits such as "Topolska 18" and "Tri poljupca za sreću."

Was Snežana Savić married?

Yes, Snežana Savić was married twice. Her second marriage, to director Dragoslav Lazić, resulted in a daughter, Anita, and ended in divorce.

Who is Snežana Savić's daughter?

Snežana Savić's daughter is Anita Lazić, who, like her mother, became an actress.

Does Snežana Savić sing?

Yes, in addition to acting, Snežana Savić has had a successful career as a folk music singer, releasing more than ten albums.

Where did Snežana Savić study acting?

Snežana Savić graduated in acting from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, in the class of professor Ognjenka Milićević, finishing as the top student of her generation.

What are Snežana Savić's most famous roles?

Snežana Savić's most famous roles are Nina Andrejević in "A Better Life," Malina Vojvodić in "Happy People," and Rajna Gagić in "Family Treasure."

How tall is Snežana Savić?

According to available information, Snežana Savić is 170 centimeters (5'7") tall.

Has Snežana Savić won any acting awards?

Yes, Snežana Savić has twice been part of the Best Acting Duo of the Year at the Film Meetings in Niš, and in 2018 she also received a lifetime achievement award for folk music.

Conclusion

Snežana Savić is a Serbian actress and singer whose career, spanning five decades, encompasses film, television, theater, and music. Born in 1953 in Velika Plana, she graduated in acting from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade as the top student of her generation, and rose to fame through Siniša Pavić's series "A Better Life," "Happy People," and "Family Treasure." Alongside acting, she built a notable career in folk music, with numerous hit songs. While she has kept her personal life largely out of the public eye, Snežana Savić remains one of the most recognizable and enduring artists from the former Yugoslav region, whose roles and songs are still remembered by generations of viewers and listeners.