Who Is Jugoslava Drašković

Jugoslava Drašković is a Serbian actress, born on December 25, 1968, in Bačka Palanka. She became widely known in the 1990s for playing Đurđina "Đina" Golubović in the cult television series Srećni ljudi (Happy People), one of the most-watched domestic series of all time. Beyond her television and film work, Drašković has spent decades as a stage actress, and over the past ten years has also become known as a successful businesswoman in film distribution and production.

Early Life and Childhood

Jugoslava Drašković was born in Bačka Palanka, a town in Vojvodina, in what was then Yugoslavia. Little is publicly known about her earliest childhood or family background, as the actress rarely discusses that period of her life in interviews.

By her own account, one of the turning points of her youth came in 1986 in Apatin, when she met the poet Miroslav Antić. She has said this encounter shaped the course of her life and steered her toward the arts. While the details of that meeting are not widely documented, she cites it as a decisive moment on her path toward acting.

Education

After finishing secondary school, Jugoslava Drašković enrolled in the acting program at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, in the Department of Dramatic Arts. She graduated in the class of professor Rade Šerbedžija, one of the most celebrated actors from the former Yugoslavia, who was teaching at the Novi Sad Academy at the time. Her training there laid the foundation for her later theatre and film career.

Early Career

Jugoslava Drašković began her professional acting career in the early 1990s. One of her first film roles came in the comedy Mi nismo anđeli (We Are Not Angels, 1992), one of the most popular domestic films of the era, which also featured Dragan Bjelogrlić, Nikola Kojo, and other young actors who would go on to become leading figures of Serbian cinema.

Soon after, the young actress got her chance on the television series Srećni ljudi, produced by Radio Television of Serbia. She first appeared in a small guest role, in a scene at the home of the character Čarli Marjanović, where her character is hypnotized by a character played by Radojica Ilić. That brief appearance opened the door to a far bigger role.

Rise to Popularity

The turning point in Drašković's career came when she took over the lead female role of Đurđina "Đina" Golubović, after the actress previously playing the part, Dubravka Mijatović, left the show — reportedly over a pay dispute. Jugoslava Drašković played Đina for the remainder of the series' run.

Srećni ljudi aired from 1993 to 1996 and followed the daily life of the Golubović family, a Belgrade household navigating the sanctions and hardship of the post-Yugoslav 1990s. The cast included some of the biggest names in Serbian acting — Velimir "Bata" Živojinović, Radmila Savićević, Nikola Simić, Desimir Stanojević, and Svetislav Goncić, among others. Thanks to its enormous popularity and the countless reruns that followed, the character of Đina became one of the most recognizable television figures of the 1990s, and Jugoslava Drašković became, almost overnight, one of the most popular young actresses in the region.

Greatest Achievements

Though the role of Đina remained her signature part, it was far from the end of her career. Alongside her television work, she spent many years as part of the ensemble of Belgrade's Puž Theatre, a children's theatre founded in 1977 by director Slobodanka "Caca" Aleksić and actor and playwright Branko Milićević. By her own account, she spent around 25 years there, describing the theatre's founders as her "second family."

After a long period focused on theatre and the family business, she returned to the big screen in 2017 with a role in Zona Zamfirova – drugi deo (also known as "Vrati se, Zone"), the sequel to one of the most-watched Serbian films ever made, directed by Jug Radivojević.

A few years later, audiences saw her again as Božidarka "Brzutka" Šubarević in the television series Igra sudbine, where she stayed on for several seasons. She also appeared in Petak 13. II (2019) and Blizanci (2022). Alongside acting, she built a successful business career in film distribution and the organization of film premieres through the family company, Art Vista.

Personal Life

Jugoslava Drašković was married for about 25 years to Zoran Cvetanović, a well-known Serbian film producer and distributor. Cvetanović graduated from the Faculty of Economics in Belgrade in 1983, and in 1996 founded the company Art Vista, through which he worked in film production, distribution, and exhibition. He became a member of Serbia's Film Academy (AFUN) in 2012 and was regarded as one of the most important figures in the development of the domestic film industry during that period.

Jugoslava Drašković and Zoran Cvetanović had a daughter, Maša, born in 1996. Like her mother, Maša has strong ties to the arts — she enrolled at the Academy of Arts to study production in art and media, and her mother has described her as being "just like her father" in character and strength.

Zoran Cvetanović was diagnosed with lung cancer after visiting a doctor for what he believed was bronchitis. He fought the illness for about a year and a half before passing away on July 5, 2019, in Belgrade, at the age of 61. A memorial service was held on July 6 at the Roda cinema on Banovo Brdo, after which he was buried in Belgrade. Their daughter Maša graduated just three days after her father's funeral, something Jugoslava has described as proof of her inner strength and resemblance to her late father.

After her husband's death, Jugoslava Drašković took over running Art Vista, soon joined by their daughter Maša. In interviews, she has spoken openly about her grief, saying she does not want the pain to fade, but rather to remain as part of her memory of him. She has said that her role in Igra sudbine helped her get through a difficult period in her life. Today she lives in Belgrade, near Košutnjak, where she enjoys spending time in nature and with colleagues, and keeps two dogs at home.

Interesting Facts

• She met the poet Miroslav Antić in 1986 in Apatin — a meeting she says shaped the course of her life.
• She took over the role of Đina in Srećni ljudi after having already appeared earlier in the series in a very minor part.
• Thanks to countless reruns of Srećni ljudi, audiences never really forgot her, even during the years she stayed away from television.
• I don't want to act at any cost, she once said, explaining that she values being selective about roles more than constant visibility.
• Alongside acting, she runs a family company involved in film distribution and the organization of premieres for domestic films.

Awards and Recognition

No reliable, publicly available information could be found regarding individual acting awards received by Jugoslava Drašković, so this remains unknown. Her greatest recognition may be the lasting popularity of the character of Đina Golubović among audiences across the region.

Legacy and Influence

The character of Đurđina "Đina" Golubović is still regarded as one of the symbols of Serbian television production from the 1990s, and Srećni ljudi is regularly mentioned in the media whenever nostalgia for that era of domestic television comes up. Beyond her acting legacy, Jugoslava Drašković continues the work started by her husband, Zoran Cvetanović, preserving a continuity in the promotion and distribution of Serbian film, with the support of her daughter Maša.

Biography – Frequently Asked Questions

When was Jugoslava Drašković born?

Jugoslava Drašković was born on December 25, 1968, in Bačka Palanka.

What is Jugoslava Drašković best known for?

She is best known for playing Đurđina "Đina" Golubović in the series Srećni ljudi, which aired from 1993 to 1996 and brought her widespread popularity.

Did Jugoslava Drašković study acting?

Yes, she graduated from the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, in the class of professor Rade Šerbedžija.

Which theatre was Jugoslava Drašković part of the longest?

For many years — by her own account, around 25 years — she was part of the ensemble of Belgrade's Puž Theatre.

Who was Jugoslava Drašković's husband?

Her husband was Zoran Cvetanović, a well-known film producer and distributor and founder of the company Art Vista. He passed away in 2019.

Does Jugoslava Drašković have children?

She has a daughter, Maša, born in 1996, who now works alongside her at the family's film company.

Did Jugoslava Drašković step away from acting?

After Srećni ljudi ended, she shifted much of her focus to theatre and the family business, but she has periodically returned to film and television, including in Igra sudbine and the film Zona Zamfirova – drugi deo.

What does Jugoslava Drašković do today?

Alongside occasional acting roles, she runs the family company Art Vista, which distributes domestic films and organizes film premieres.

Has Jugoslava Drašković won any awards?

No reliable, publicly available information about individual awards she may have received has been found so far.

Conclusion

Jugoslava Drašković is a Serbian actress whose career has been defined by her iconic role as Đina Golubović in Srećni ljudi, decades of work at the Puž Theatre, and, over the past ten years, running the family film distribution company Art Vista. Her professional path, along with personal circumstances — including the loss of her husband, Zoran Cvetanović, in 2019 — have shaped an actress who today combines artistic work with business, supported by her daughter Maša.