Who Is Iva Štrljić

Iva Štrljić (born in Belgrade on 7 October 1977) is a Serbian actress, writer, television host and politician. Audiences know her best for playing Dijana Erski in the series “Igra sudbine” (Game of Destiny), but also for her roles in “Jelena”, “Bela lađa” and “Krunska 11”.

She is the daughter of actor Milan Štrljić and ballerina Slavica. She has written three books dedicated to Belgrade, and in 2025 she received the “Zlatni beočug” award for her lasting contribution to the culture of the city.

Her career spans film, television, theatre, hosting and literature. As a result, she is today one of the more recognizable faces of the Serbian television scene.

Early Life and Childhood

Iva Štrljić was born on 7 October 1977 in Belgrade, into an artistic family. Her mother, Slavica, was a ballet soloist, while her father, Milan Štrljić, born in Tordinci in 1952, is one of the well-known actors from the former Yugoslavia. Sources differ on the exact number of his roles, citing anywhere from more than sixty to more than ninety films.

She spent her childhood surrounded by the theatre. According to media reports, she spent a great deal of time at the Terazije Theatre (Pozorište na Terazijama), where her wish to become an actress took root early. She also often accompanied her father to film sets, and she later spoke publicly about those memories.

She spent part of her youth in Split. There she finished secondary school, and according to one source she was also a member of Milovan Alač’s drama group. When the war in Croatia began, her parents divorced, and Iva returned to Belgrade with her mother. Her father stayed in Split. Since then she has felt a special attachment to Belgrade, which is clearly visible in her books.

Education

The road to the acting profession was not easy. Iva Štrljić tried three times to enroll in acting studies in Zagreb, without success. She therefore decided to continue her studies in Belgrade.

She enrolled in acting at the BK University Academy of Arts, in the class of Professor Ivan Bekjarev. She later said that Bekjarev always supported his students and regularly attended their performances. During her studies she appeared in a large number of student films, which earned her the nickname “the female Walter”.

Start of Her Career

Her first major professional role came in the first Serbian telenovela, “Jelena”, which aired in 2004. She played the secretary Tatjana Pantić, who is secretly in love with the main character, Vuk Despotović, played by Aljoša Vučković.

The role in “Jelena” opened the doors of film and television for her. Soon afterwards she appeared in the films “Made in YU” (2005), “Rekonvalescenti” (2006), “Uvođenje u posao” (2007) and “Bledi mesec” (2008). She also appeared in the television series “Ranjeni orao” (2009).

Alongside acting, she also worked on television as a host. In this way she gradually built a recognizable public identity that did not depend only on her acting roles.

Rise to Popularity

Over the years, Iva Štrljić has appeared in many domestic series. Among them are “Smešne i druge priče”, “Moj rođak sa sela”, “Bela lađa”, “Larin izbor”, “Zauvek mlad” and “Jesen stiže, dunjo moja”, in which she played Margita. In “Bela lađa” she acted alongside Lane Gutović, while in the sequel to the “Tesna koža” film series the lead role was played by Petar Kralj.

In an interview with a tabloid, she recalled that in one year she acted in two series by Radoš Bajić, “Šifra Despot” and “Psi laju, vetar nosi”. For her role as the singer Cicka in the series “Folk”, she received an award at the Fedis television series festival.

On the theatre stage she has appeared in the productions “Kafana kod Zajedno”, “Plava ruža” and “Ujež”. In “Kafana kod Zajedno” she performed alongside Ljiljana Lašić and Desimir Stanojević.

The Role of Dijana Erski in “Igra sudbine”

The biggest turning point of her career came with the character of Dijana Erski in the series “Igra sudbine” (Game of Destiny), which has been on air since 2020. In the series she acts alongside Tamara Belošević, Nina Mrđa and Luka Rac, and according to IMDb she has appeared in several hundred episodes.

Dijana Erski is a comic and memorable figure who became one of the audience’s favorites. The actress herself said that she received ten awards for that role. She filmed the series’ summer special in Tivat in the summer of 2026.

The Series “Krunska 11” and “Azbuka našeg života”

Alongside “Igra sudbine”, she also worked on other projects. In the series “Azbuka našeg života” she played the secretary Karla Bruni (2021–2024), in “Od jutra do sutra” the character Lili (2022–2023), and in “Dođi juče” Biljana Jovanović Racić.

In the series “Krunska 11” she plays Jagoda, and in an interview with Informer she said that it is the first role as a mother in her career. She also appeared in the film “Undergods”, where she plays Peggy, as well as in the film “Ni u snu”, whose premiere she was awaiting in 2025.

Television Hosting

Before she became known for series, Iva Štrljić worked as the host of the morning program “Dizanje” on B92 television. She then hosted the show “Transforma” together with her colleague Žarko Lazić.

Later she had her own show, “Ljubav i tako to”, on Ženska TV. Her hosting engagements showed that she is at ease in front of the camera in direct conversation, not only in acting roles.

Literary Work

Iva Štrljić has also tried her hand at writing. She published her first novel, “Nemaš pojma koliko te volim” (You Have No Idea How Much I Love You), in 2011 with the publishing house Laguna. It was followed by the books “Znam da misliš na mene” and “Voleti u Beogradu”.

All three books were published by Laguna, and each of them is in some way dedicated to Belgrade. According to media reports, a new edition of “Voleti u Beogradu” appeared in 2025, and the proceeds from its sale are said to go to Zvečanska. She promoted the book at the Book Fair, as well as at the Consulate General of Serbia in Stuttgart in May 2025.

Political Engagement

In addition to her artistic work, Iva Štrljić has also become involved in politics. In the 2022 elections she was elected a councillor in the Belgrade City Assembly as a candidate of the Serbian Progressive Party. According to Wikidata, she has held the office of councillor since 3 April 2022.

Her political engagement has often been commented on in the media, and she herself speaks about it publicly in shows and interviews.

Greatest Achievements

Iva Štrljić’s greatest success is undoubtedly the role of Dijana Erski in “Igra sudbine”. That role made her one of the most recognizable actresses in Serbia, and audiences follow her from season to season.

Her work on “Krunska 11”, in which she played a mother for the first time, is also an important achievement. In literature, she gained recognition through three published books about Belgrade. A third important area is television, where she has risen from morning-program host to one of the main stars of domestic series.

Personal Life

Iva Štrljić guards her private life carefully and rarely talks about romantic relationships. The media often note that she does not want to reveal details, so unconfirmed information is not included in this biography.

It is known that she lives in Belgrade, the city where she was born and which she often names as a special source of inspiration. In one interview she said that she supports marriage and love, but that an engagement seems unnecessary to her.

She maintains a relationship, about which she has spoken publicly, with her father Milan Štrljić, who was later married to Daša Štrljić. In a podcast she spoke about her mother Slavica as the person who taught her the most important life values.

Interesting Facts

• Because of her many roles in student films, she earned the nickname “the female Walter”.
• She failed three times to enroll in acting studies in Zagreb, and then graduated in Belgrade.
• In December 2023, while filming a series, she broke both arms and underwent surgery. The operation took place on 26 December, and after physiotherapy she returned to work.
• By her own account, she received ten awards for the role of Dijana Erski.
• In the series “Krunska 11” she played a mother for the first time.

Awards and Recognition

For her role as the singer Cicka in the series “Folk”, she received an award at the Fedis television series festival. The most recent significant recognition came in May 2025, when the Cultural and Educational Community presented her with the “Zlatni beočug” award for her lasting contribution to the culture of the city of Belgrade, at a ceremony in the National Theatre in Belgrade.

As she said at the time, the award is especially important to her because it is inspired by Belgrade, the city where she was born and where she lives. The media mention other awards as well, but they could not be reliably confirmed, so they are not listed.

Legacy and Influence

Iva Štrljić has continued her family’s artistic tradition while building a path of her own. Although her name was long linked to her father Milan Štrljić, today she is recognizable on her own for her comic and dramatic roles.

Her contribution lies in her ability to combine acting, hosting and writing. Her books about Belgrade show that the city matters to her as much as the stage on which she performs, something that was recognized with the “Zlatni beočug” award.