Who Is Ljiljana Stjepanović?

Ljiljana Stjepanović (born in Belgrade on 15 June 1952) is a Serbian stage, film and television actress and a longtime leading lady of the Terazije Theatre (Pozorište na Terazijama). Audiences remember her best as Grandmother Izergil in the musical “Cigani lete u nebo”, and also for a series of television heroines: Ozrenka Soldatović in “Srećni ljudi” (Happy People), Kića in “Ljubav, navika, panika” and Radojka in “Selo gori, a baba se češlja” (The Village Is Burning While Grandma Combs Her Hair).

She began acting as a young girl in the drama section of Radio Belgrade. She later graduated from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in the class of Professor Ognjenka Milićević, in the same generation as Radoš Bajić, Bogdan Diklić and Lazar Ristovski. Her nickname is Ljilja.

Her career has lasted since the late 1960s. Over that time she has played queens, mothers, teachers, singers and matchmakers. By her own account, more than 200 characters have passed through her. Thanks to that range and her distinctive comic talent, she has received the Žanka Stokić Award, the Nušić Award and two “Ćuran” statuettes.

Early Life and Childhood

Ljiljana Stjepanović was born in Belgrade on 15 June 1952, in what was then the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia. Her father, Jovan, was a military man originally from Slavonia (sources differ somewhat on this point). His youth was marked by the Second World War. According to available sources, he spent three years in the Jasenovac camp, while his entire family perished during the war.

Jovan wanted his daughter to become an economist one day. Her mother, Milojka, a cook by trade, was quite different from him: spirited, energetic and fond of music. Culture held a high place in the family home, so the family had a rich library. Her father often read to little Ljiljana from it.

As a lively and curious child, Ljiljana had energy to spare, so her parents decided to channel it into a useful activity. They took her to an audition for child actors at Radio Belgrade. She thus became a member of the acting group led by Bata Miladinović, which prepared children’s radio programs.

According to media reports, Miladinović recognized her great talent early on. Those first steps in front of a microphone laid the foundation for her later acting career.

Education

Ljiljana Stjepanović enrolled at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. She studied acting in the class of Professor Ognjenka Milićević. Her classmates included Bogdan Diklić, Lazar Ristovski, Snežana Savić, Radoš Bajić and Zlata Petković. She would later work with Radoš Bajić again on the set of the series “Selo gori, a baba se češlja”.

When she sat the entrance exam for the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, she was engaged to Bojan Repić. She had met him back in secondary school.

She graduated with the role of Lady Macbeth. She later said that this very role remained an unfulfilled dream for her on the theatre stage. The year of her graduation is not publicly known.

Beginning of Her Career

She took her first professional steps in front of the cameras. In the series “Muzikanti” (1969) she played the singer Rada, which is regarded as her debut. Roles followed in the film “Jovča” (1976) and in “Doktorka na selu” (1982), in which she played a schoolteacher. In the television drama “Sudbina umetnika – Đura Jakšić” (1985) she played Hristina Tina Jakšić, the wife of the celebrated poet and painter.

At the same time she worked in “TV teatar” (Television Theatre), where between 1981 and 2014 she played characters such as Marija Karađorđević, Gabrijela and Mama. She received a permanent engagement at the Terazije Theatre, whose repertoire at the time was based mostly on operettas and musical comedies.

Her start at the company was not easy. The management did not like the timbre of her voice, so for years she was given supporting and minor roles. To make a living, she accepted every assignment offered to her. That period coincided with the end of her marriage, which she herself described as difficult.

Still, she did not give up. The turning point came with one major role.

Grandmother Izergil in the Musical “Cigani lete u nebo” and Her Rise to Leading Lady

The musical “Cigani lete u nebo” (Gypsies Fly into the Sky) is based on Maxim Gorky’s story “Makar Chudra”, with music by Eugen Doga. The story follows the fateful love of the Romani man Loiko Zobar and the beautiful Rada. In this production Ljiljana Stjepanović plays Grandmother Izergil, a role that many consider her stage trademark.

Although the role involves singing, which is why her voice had been questioned earlier, Ljiljana excelled. The audience received the production with delight. According to most sources, it was thanks to Izergil that she became a leading lady of the Terazije Theatre at the age of thirty-two. The first version was directed by Petar Novotni, a director from the Czech Republic.

The current production was directed by Vladimir Lazić. It features choreographer Krunoslav Simić, adapter Ivana Dimić and set designer Geroslav Zarić. Besides Ljiljana Stjepanović, the cast has included Ivan Bosiljčić, Dragan Vujić Vujke, Duško Radović and Milan Antonić. The role of Rada was played by Milena Vasić from the 2004 premiere until January 2020, and the role of Izergil is occasionally played by Dušica Novaković.

The actress herself once said that she has played the same role about five hundred times: around two hundred in the first production and more than three hundred in the current one. She explains the success of the show by the strength of Gorky’s story and the passion of Romani music, which, as she puts it, is also close to our people.

Rise to Popularity

Ljiljana Stjepanović became familiar to a wider audience through television. As she herself pointed out, her first major television role was Eleonora Majković, known as Spečena, in the series “Bolji život” (A Better Life, 1987–1988). The sequel “Bolji život 2” aired in 1990 and 1991. In the series, Svetlana Bojković played Emilija Popadić.

The actress said that Spečena was psychologically very demanding for her. The character was arrogant, stern and superficial, so she searched for something likable in her. Despite that, the character remained etched in the audience’s memory.

The next big step was “Srećni ljudi”. She played Ozrenka Soldatović in the first season (1993–1994), in the sequel (1995–1996) and in the 1996 New Year’s special. Svetlana Bojković also appeared in this series. She continued her success as Sida Pandurović in “Tajna porodičnog blaga” (The Secret of Family Treasures, 2000), and then in the series “Porodično blago” (2001) and “Porodično blago 2” (2001–2002).

In the mid-2000s she played Kića in “Ljubav, navika, panika” (2005–2007), where she also worked with Jelisaveta Seka Sablić. Nerandža in “Agencija za SIS” (2006–2007) followed. She says that audiences truly identify her with her characters: even in remote places people call out “Kića!” to her, while older fellow citizens address her as Radojka.

Radojka in the Series “Selo gori, a baba se češlja”

Ljiljana Stjepanović achieved her greatest popularity with the role of Radojka in “Selo gori, a baba se češlja”. The series was conceived by Radoš Bajić, her college classmate. The first season aired from 10 March 2007 on RTS 1 and had only four episodes. The first episode was watched by about 2.1 million people, an exceptionally high figure for a show just starting out.

The series ran for six seasons and a total of 101 episodes, and the last episode aired in January 2017. In the third season, average viewership reached about 2.9 million. Besides Ljiljana Stjepanović and Radoš Bajić, the main cast included Dragan Nikolić, Milorad Mandić, Nenad Okanović, Olga Odanović, Mirko Babić and Lazar Ristovski.

In one part of the series, Radojka falls ill with breast cancer. That storyline was based on the experience of director Radoš Bajić, whose wife faced the illness. According to the sources, the episodes about Radojka’s illness increased the number of women choosing preventive check-ups. In some parts of Serbia, a mobile mammography service also began to operate. Ljiljana Stjepanović was one of the faces of the breast cancer prevention campaign.

The character of Radojka lived on beyond the series. Ljiljana Stjepanović played her again in the film “Braća po babine linije” (2016), a continuation of the story from the series.

Greatest Achievements

Theatre Roles

Besides Izergil in “Cigani lete u nebo”, one of her most significant stage achievements is Madame Beatris in the musical drama “Grk Zorba” (Zorba the Greek). Mihailo Vukobratović wrote the adaptation and directed, and the leading roles are played by Desimir Stanojević and Slobodan Stefanović. The actress described Beatris as a lady who worked in the oldest profession but remained pure, and as the most tragic character in the play. According to the director, she is a “female Robinson Crusoe”, lonely and abandoned by everyone.

On the stage of the Terazije Theatre she also appeared in “Povratak kraljice Marije Karađorđević”, “Dva mirisa ruže”, “Miris kiše na Balkanu”, “Kako smo voleli druga Tita” and “Put oko sveta”. She especially remembers the role of a woman of loose morals in “Kabare”, directed by Soja Jovanović, who turns into a Nazi at the end of the first act. She also performed in works by Serbian classical authors, among them Nušić, Sterija and Sremac.

She has worked with a number of directors. She singles out Slavenko Saletović, Jagoš Marković, Jug Radivojević, Soja Jovanović and Aleksandar Đorđević. She also performs her own “Ciganski kabare” (Gypsy Cabaret) and explains that Romani songs, however passionate and cheerful they seem, are full of sorrow and the suffering of a people. According to her, directors most often entrusted her with the roles of strong and authoritative women.

Television and Film Roles

Her best-known television characters are:

• Eleonora Majković – Spečena in the series “Bolji život” (1987–1991)
• Ozrenka Soldatović in the series “Srećni ljudi” (1993–1996)
• Sida Pandurović in “Tajna porodičnog blaga” and “Porodično blago” (2000–2002)
• Kića in the series “Ljubav, navika, panika” (2005–2007)
• Nerandža in the series “Agencija za SIS” (2006–2007)
• Radojka in the series “Selo gori, a baba se češlja” (from 2007)

She has also appeared in the series “Folk”, “Ravna gora”, “Za kralja i otadžbinu” and “Šifra Despot”.

Literary and Musical Work

Ljiljana Stjepanović has published a poetry collection titled “Možda sanjam” (Maybe I’m Dreaming). She also wrote the song “Oda glumcu” (Ode to the Actor), inspired by reflections on the many lives an actor lives through his roles. She hopes that her long-finished book of poetry for children, dedicated to her granddaughter Ksenija, will be published.

Personal Life

Ljiljana Stjepanović was married once, to Bojan Repić, whom she met in secondary school. She married very young, hoping to start a lasting family. Two sons were born of the marriage. The marriage, however, did not last, and she divorced at the age of 27 (sources differ on her exact age at the wedding).

She has spoken openly about the reasons for the divorce: they were two different worlds, and her husband could not bear her job. She described the period after the divorce as extremely hard and traumatic. She was left alone with the children and believed it was better for them to grow up in peace with one parent than in a bad atmosphere.

After the divorce she did not marry again, putting her sons first. At public appearances she speaks proudly of her family, especially her grandchildren. Her granddaughter Ksenija Repić has continued the family tradition and works as an actress. She first appeared in front of the cameras in the series “Selo gori, a baba se češlja”.

Interesting Facts

• She studied in the same class as Radoš Bajić, and later acted alongside him in the series “Selo gori, a baba se češlja”.
• By her own account, more than 200 characters have passed through her.
• She has played the role of Grandmother Izergil, as she says, about five hundred times.
• She graduated with the role of Lady Macbeth, and names Don Quixote as an unfulfilled wish. She describes herself as someone who has fought windmills all her life.
• She published the poetry collection “Možda sanjam” and wrote the song “Oda glumcu”.
• Audiences often identify her with her characters: in some places they call her Kića, in others Radojka.
• Together with her character Radojka, she is associated with the breast cancer prevention campaign in Serbia.

Awards and Recognition

Ljiljana Stjepanović has received several distinguished honors. The most significant are:

• Žanka Stokić Award (2013) – for creative maturity and richness of artistic expression, that is, for an outstanding contribution to Serbian film, television and theatre art
• Nušić Award (2009) – for lifetime achievement by a comic actor
• “Ćuran” statuettes (1998 and 2003) – at the Days of Comedy festival in Jagodina

The Žanka Stokić Award is presented by the National Theatre in Belgrade, the daily newspaper “Večernje novosti” and the city of Požarevac. Ljiljana Stjepanović was the eleventh recipient. The decision was made by an expert jury that included Mira Stupica, Manojlo Vukotić, Dejan Savić, Ljiljana Blagojević and Slavenko Saletović. At the ceremony, Radoš Bajić said the award was presented in honor of art, talent and a life of struggle. The actress said the Žanka Stokić statuette fulfilled her most beautiful dream.

The “Ćuran” statuettes are awarded at the “Days of Comedy” festival in Jagodina for the best acting achievements and directing.

Legacy and Influence

Ljiljana Stjepanović has left a mark on Serbian theatre and television. She is one of the most recognizable figures of the Terazije Theatre, and Izergil in “Cigani lete u nebo” remains a role tied to her name.

Theatre scholar Dragana Bošković noted that her quality is discretion: on stage she is always the person whose character she is playing. Colleagues have pointed to her lavish acting energy, which she shared selflessly with her collaborators.

On television, through characters such as Spečena, Ozrenka, Sida, Kića and Radojka, she became part of the everyday culture of generations of viewers. Radojka also remained linked to a socially important topic, since the series drew attention to the importance of preventive check-ups.

The continuation of the family tradition through her granddaughter Ksenija Repić further confirms that her name remains present on the Serbian stage.

Biography – Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Ljiljana Stjepanović?

Ljiljana Stjepanović is a Serbian actress and a leading lady of the Terazije Theatre. She is best known for the role of Grandmother Izergil in the musical “Cigani lete u nebo” and for her television roles in the series “Bolji život”, “Srećni ljudi”, “Porodično blago”, “Ljubav, navika, panika” and “Selo gori, a baba se češlja”.

When was Ljiljana Stjepanović born and how old is she?

Ljiljana Stjepanović was born on 15 June 1952 in Belgrade. At the time of writing (September 2026) she is 74 years old.

Where did Ljiljana Stjepanović study acting?

She studied acting at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, in the class of Professor Ognjenka Milićević. Her classmates included Radoš Bajić, Bogdan Diklić, Lazar Ristovski, Snežana Savić and Zlata Petković.

What role did Ljiljana Stjepanović play in the series “Selo gori, a baba se češlja”?

She played Radojka, one of the central heroines of the series. In one part of the series Radojka falls ill with breast cancer, a storyline based on the experience of director Radoš Bajić.

What other roles is Ljiljana Stjepanović known for?

Besides Radojka, she is known for the role of Eleonora Majković – Spečena in the series “Bolji život”, Ozrenka Soldatović in “Srećni ljudi”, Sida Pandurović in “Porodično blago”, Kića in “Ljubav, navika, panika” and Nerandža in “Agencija za SIS”.

What awards has Ljiljana Stjepanović won?

She is a recipient of the Žanka Stokić Award (2013), the Nušić Award for lifetime achievement by a comic actor (2009) and two “Ćuran” statuettes at the Days of Comedy in Jagodina (1998 and 2003).

Is Ljiljana Stjepanović married and does she have children?

She was married once, to Bojan Repić. Two sons were born of the marriage. She divorced at the age of 27 and has not remarried since.

Is Ljiljana Stjepanović’s granddaughter also an actress?

Yes. Her granddaughter Ksenija Repić works as an actress and first appeared in front of the cameras in the series “Selo gori, a baba se češlja”.

How many times has Ljiljana Stjepanović played Grandmother Izergil?

According to her words in an interview, she has played the role of Grandmother Izergil in the musical “Cigani lete u nebo” about five hundred times, in both the first and the current production of the show.

Conclusion

Ljiljana Stjepanović is an actress whose career spans more than five decades. She began as a child in the drama section of Radio Belgrade, trained at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts and devoted her entire working life to the Terazije Theatre. With the role of Grandmother Izergil in the musical “Cigani lete u nebo” she became a leading lady, and through television a wide audience embraced her in characters such as Spečena, Ozrenka, Sida, Kića and Radojka.

The Žanka Stokić Award, the Nušić Award and the “Ćuran” statuettes confirmed her contribution to Serbian acting. Her family life, in which she raised two sons on her own, and her granddaughter Ksenija, who is continuing the acting tradition, round out the picture of an artist who has remained recognizable and beloved across several generations.