Who Is Slobodan Ninković

Slobodan Ninković, better known by his nickname Boda, is a Serbian actor who has belonged to the very top of the country's theatre, film, and television scene for nearly five decades. He was born on November 25, 1956, in Smederevo, a city that still proudly claims him as its own. Over the course of his career he performed at several of Belgrade's most important theatres, and was most closely associated with the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, where he became a permanent member in 1995. Audiences remember him equally for his stage work, for popular television series such as "Open Door" and "Our Little Clinic," and for appearances in several internationally recognized films.Ninković belongs to the generation of actors who graduated from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade in the early 1980s, in a class later nicknamed the "turbo class" for the sheer number of successful careers it produced. Although he built his career primarily in theatre, where he performed thousands of times, he is equally remembered for television roles that shaped Yugoslav and Serbian popular culture in the 1990s and 2000s.

Early Life and Childhood

Slobodan Ninković was born in Smederevo to father Lazar and mother Ljubinka. His father's family originated from the area around Trebinje, and Lazar had come to Smederevo as a boy for a summer visit to his aunt's home, where he ended up staying, finishing school, and starting a family. Slobodan grew up alongside his older brother Ljubomir "Ljuba" Ninković, born in 1950, who would later become one of the better-known Yugoslav musicians.The six-year age gap meant the brothers were not close in childhood; that bond formed only once Slobodan was older. Still, it was his older brother — already playing in amateur bands and listening to foreign music over late-night radio broadcasts as a teenager — who first pointed the younger Slobodan toward the arts, initially toward music and, indirectly, later toward acting.As a high school student in Smederevo, Slobodan Ninković considered studying history after graduation. During one summer he entered an amateur singing competition and received praise from the well-known singer Leo Martin, which drew him further toward the arts. He decided, like his older brother, to pursue music — though fate had other plans for him.

Education

The turning point in Boda's life came through an accidental step onto the stage. While composing music for an amateur production of "King Ubu" in his hometown of Smederevo, an actor scheduled to play a guard failed to show up for rehearsal, and the director asked Slobodan to step in and deliver the character's lines. He enjoyed that moment of communicating with an audience so much that he decided to seriously pursue acting as a vocation.At twenty-one, he left Smederevo for Belgrade, where he passed the entrance exam for the Faculty of Dramatic Arts on his first attempt. He was part of the acting class led by professor Vladimir Jevtović, later remembered in the school's history as the "turbo class." That twelve-member generation, enrolled in 1980 and graduating in the mid-1980s, produced several of today's most prominent names in Serbian acting, including Dragan Bjelogrlić, Srđan Todorović, Mirjana Joković, Vesna Trivalić, and Dragan Petrović, among others. Ninković, by his own account, stood out during his studies for an unorthodox approach to acting exercises, which did not always win him favor with his professors but reflected his genuine artistic sensibility.

Start of Career

Slobodan Ninković's professional career began at the Boško Buha Theatre, which specializes in children's productions, where he was a permanent member from 1986 to 1995. During that period he performed in more than thirty premieres and appeared on stage roughly two thousand times, in productions including "Little Red Riding Hood," "Vasilisa," "The Wizard of Oz," and "When It Was Dark." At the same time, he made guest appearances at other Belgrade theatres — the Belgrade Drama Theatre, Bitef Theatre, the National Theatre in Belgrade, and Zvezdara Theatre — an early sign of the reputation he would later earn as one of the most active actors of his generation.This period was marked by an enormous work ethic — Ninković has often mentioned performing in two different plays on the same day, at different theatres. That dedication to the stage would become his hallmark throughout his career.

Rise to Popularity

In 1995, Slobodan Ninković became a permanent member of the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, one of Serbia's most prestigious theatre companies, where he remained until his retirement in December 2021. During that period he delivered some of his most significant theatrical performances, and according to some sources, appeared on stage more than three thousand times over the course of his career, at times performing in two different plays at two different theatres on the same day.Alongside his theatre career, Ninković built television popularity through the 1990s and 2000s. Audiences remember him for roles in the series "Open Door" and "Better Life," as well as for his uproarious portrayal of Doctor Vrabac in the cult series "Our Little Clinic." He also appeared in "Policeman from Petlovo Brdo," "Home Sweet Home" (where he played a Belgrade version of "Del Boy"), "Half-Brothers," and "We Are Not Angels." These roles earned him a reputation as an actor who moves effortlessly between comedy and drama, refusing to be defined by a single recognizable character.

Greatest Achievements

Among Slobodan Ninković's film credits, his role in "Ulysses' Gaze", by Greek director Theo Angelopoulos, stands out — a film that won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. He also appeared in "The Crusaders" (2001), as well as in "The Land of Truth, Love and Freedom," directed by Milutin Petrović, and "Made in Yugoslavia." In 2001, he played a memorable role as Bane, the café owner, in "Normal People," directed by Oleg Novković — a role for which, by his own admission, he had to change his signature look.On the international stage, Ninković appeared in the British production "Coriolanus" (2011), the directorial debut of actor Ralph Fiennes, as well as in the film "Cat Run" (2011). These roles place him among the rare Serbian actors to have achieved notable appearances beyond the region.Beyond acting, Slobodan Ninković also tried his hand at hosting — most notably presenting the "Beovizija" music competition in 2007 and the "Eurosong" selection show in 2006, demonstrating versatility beyond the dramatic arts.

Personal Life

Slobodan Ninković met his wife Slavica, a lawyer by profession, in the theatre, where she was involved in amateur acting. The couple dated for five years before marrying, and by his own account in 2021 had already been married for more than three decades. Ninković once recalled that Slavica's parents initially disapproved of the relationship, partly due to the age difference, but eventually came to accept his seriousness and commitment.The couple has two daughters — Anja, who works in film and theatre production and has collaborated with her father on the series "Radio Mileva," and Nađa, a successful volleyball player and former Serbian national team member who won a gold medal at the 2011 European Championship and built her career at clubs across Europe. Ninković is known for deliberately keeping his family out of the media spotlight, describing it as his "safe harbor."The actor is also a passionate supporter of Partizan football club, while his daughter Nađa built part of her career at their fiercest rival, Red Star — something the family, by his account, has always embraced with humor and sporting respect.A particularly emotional moment in Ninković's personal life was the loss of his older brother, musician Ljubomir "Ljuba" Ninković, founder of the band "S vremena na vreme" and longtime collaborator of singer Bilja Krstić. Ljubomir Ninković passed away on January 6, 2026, on Orthodox Christmas Eve, at the age of 76, and was laid to rest on January 13, 2026, at Novo bežanijsko groblje cemetery in Belgrade. At the funeral, Slobodan Ninković delivered an emotional eulogy for the brother with whom, by his own account, he had only grown truly close in later years.

Trivia

• Before settling on acting, Slobodan Ninković considered studying history and, for a time, seriously pursued music like his older brother.
• He stepped onto the stage by accident, filling in for an absent actor in the amateur production "King Ubu" in Smederevo.
• He was part of the Faculty of Dramatic Arts' so-called "turbo class," a generation that produced several of Serbian theatre's most prominent names.
• According to some sources, he once performed in two different plays at two different theatres on the same day.
• He is unusually tall for an actor, standing at around 192 centimeters.
• He is a passionate supporter of football club Partizan, while his daughter Nađa built part of her sporting career at rival club Red Star.

Awards and Recognition

Over his decades-long career, Slobodan Ninković received several significant awards and honors from the domestic theatre community for his stage work. The city of Smederevo awarded him the Svetosavska Charter in recognition of his contribution to culture and the arts, and media and colleagues frequently refer to him as "a legend of Smederevo."

Legacy and Influence

Slobodan Ninković belongs to the generation of actors who, through their versatility and work ethic, shaped the image of the middle-generation Serbian actor — equally convincing in comedy and drama, on film, on television, and above all on stage. His body of work, encompassing thousands of theatre performances and dozens of television and film roles, reflects a rare devotion to the craft seldom matched among actors of his generation. Although he officially retired from the Yugoslav Drama Theatre in December 2021, his roles from "Our Little Clinic," "Open Door," and numerous stage productions remain part of the collective memory of audiences in Serbia and the region.

Biography — Frequently Asked Questions

When was Slobodan Ninković born?

Slobodan Ninković was born on November 25, 1956, in Smederevo.

Where is Slobodan Ninković from?

He is originally from Smederevo, a city that still counts him among its most famous residents and awarded him the Svetosavska Charter.

Why is Slobodan Ninković called Boda?

The nickname Boda has followed him since youth and is today almost inseparable from his name — he is publicly known both as Slobodan Ninković and as Boda Ninković.

Where did Slobodan Ninković study acting?

He graduated from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, as part of the generation known as the "turbo class," led by professor Vladimir Jevtović.

Which theatres did Slobodan Ninković perform at?

He performed at the Boško Buha Theatre, the Belgrade Drama Theatre, Bitef Theatre, the National Theatre in Belgrade, Zvezdara Theatre, and, longest of all, the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, where he was a permanent member from 1995 until his retirement in 2021.

What roles is Slobodan Ninković best known for?

He is best known to the general public for his roles in the series "Open Door," "Better Life," and "Our Little Clinic," as well as the films "Ulysses' Gaze," "The Crusaders," and "Coriolanus."

Is Slobodan Ninković married?

Yes, he is married to Slavica, a lawyer by profession, with whom he has two daughters — Anja and Nađa.

Who is Slobodan Ninković's brother?

His older brother was musician Ljubomir "Ljuba" Ninković, founder of the band "S vremena na vreme," who passed away in early January 2026.

Is Slobodan Ninković still acting?

He officially retired from the Yugoslav Drama Theatre in December 2021, following a decades-long career.

How tall is Slobodan Ninković?

He stands at approximately 192 centimeters, making him one of the physically most imposing actors of his generation.

Conclusion

Slobodan Ninković represents one of the most striking figures among Serbia's middle-generation actors — an artist whose career stretched from an amateur stage in his hometown of Smederevo, through three decades of work at Belgrade's most important theatres, to roles in television series that shaped popular culture and films that made him recognizable beyond Serbia's borders. Although he officially ended his active theatre career in 2021, his contribution to Serbian acting — and roles such as Doctor Vrabac or the characters from "Open Door" — remain part of the lasting legacy of the domestic stage and screen.