50 Best Croatian Actresses of All Time

Marija Skaricic was born on 6 August 1977 in Split, Yugoslavia [now Croatia]. She is an actress and director, known for Traces (2022), Mother of Asphalt (2010) and A Wonderful Night in Split (2004).

Bozidarka Frajt was born on 11 November 1940 in Velika Zuljevica, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Yugoslavia. She is an actress and assistant director, known for Real Truth (1972), Violet (1978) and Visoki napon (1981).

Daria Lorenci Flatz was born on 13 April 1976 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia. She is an actress, known for Matriarch (2019), Oprosti za kung fu (2004) and Sex pice i krvoprolice (2004). She has been married to Emil Flatz since 2008. They have three children. She was previously married to Jernej Lorenci.

Inge Apelt was born to the family of Rudolf Appelt, electric application store owner in Osijek. During her childhood she was often taken to the theatre by her schoolteacher mother. There she fell in love with opera, but, lacking the talent for singing, decided to pursue career in drama. In 1961 she enrolled in Drama Academy in Zagreb and later got small part in a TV show. A Bohemian and unhealthy lifestyle in Zagreb brought her tuberculosis and she had to quit the Academy until her recovery. She finally finished the Academy in 1966 and later got permanent job in Gavella Theatre in Zagreb. Inge Appelt was briefly married, and has two sons.

Born in Metkovic. She graduated in 1976 from the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb. Since then she continues to act at numerous theaters in Zagreb. She has appeared, both as a lead and supporting role, in many national film productions and serials. Vera Zima has been awarded for her roles in the theater (The Inn-keeper directed by Josko Juvancic, The Ballads of Petrica Kerempuh directed by Rade Serbedzija) as well as on screen (The Snowstorm directed by Antun Vrdoljak, Sorry for kung-fu by Ognjen Svilicic...) She has participated as a jury member in numerous film festivals.

Ksenija Marinkovic was born in Virovitica in 1966 where she finished high school. Ever since she was eight until entering the Academy of Dramatic Art in Zagreb, she was involved in the Virovitica theatre as an amateur actress. As a student of the Academy she started to collaborate with the Gavella theatre and the Histrioni troupe. After graduating from the Academy she spent one year with the 'Teatar u gostima' and has been employed with the ZKM theatre in Zagreb since 1989 where she created some of her most important roles: Mowglie in The Jungle Book, Nausikaja in Ulysses and Son, Harpa in Harpa, Irina in Three Sisters, Elvira in Insektarij. Some of her significant roles were created outside her theatre and she also starred in TV and feature films.

Natasa Janjic-Medancic is a Croatian film, stage and television actress. As a child, she studied at the Youth Theater in Split. After finishing school in 2000, she went on to studying journalism and acting in Zagreb. During her studies at the Academy of Dramatic Arts she played the following roles: Julia from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", Elektra, Queen Maria from "The King Dies" by E. Ionesco, Christine from "Hotel Bellevue" by O. von Horvath, Melita from Krleza's "Leda", Solveig and Anitra from "Peer Gynt", Kate from "The Taming of the Shrew". She graduated with the role of Martha from "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" by E. Albee, in the class of Borna Baletic, in 2004.

Since 2006 she has been a permanent member of the ensemble GDK "Gavella" in Zagreb.

At the end of December 2018 , she married orthopedist Nenad Medancic , taking his last name.

Semka Sokolovic-Bertok was born on 22 December 1935 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia. She was an actress, known for The Fourth Man (2007), Fatal Sky (1990) and U registraturi (1974). She was married to Mario Bertok. She died on 4 March 2008 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Jadranka Djokic was born on 14 January 1981 in Pula, Croatia, Yugoslavia. She is an actress, known for Iza stakla (2008), Night Boats (2012) and Fine mrtve djevojke (2002).

Zrinka Cvitesic is a Croatian film, television and theater actress. She started acting at elementary school and her first role was Cinderella. As a theater actress, she has been a member of the Croatian National Theater since 2005. In April 2013, she made her West End debut at the Phoenix Theater in London as "Girl" in the musical Once. Her performance received rave reviews, and she won Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.

For her performance in the 2005 film What Is a Man Without a Moustache? (2005), Cvitesic won awards for best actress in a leading role both at the 53rd Pula Film Festival and the 11th Sarajevo Film Festival. She received the Shooting Stars Award, the annual acting award for up-and-coming actors by European Film Promotion, at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival in 2010. She has been a recipient of Golden Arena, the top prize at Pula Film Festival for her work in the film Na putu (2010).

Other than her eminent role in Croatian theater, film and television, she is active as a voice actress. Her prolific voice acting range includes over twenty credits in Croatian dubs for animated films, including Princess Jasmine in the Aladdin (1992) franchise, Gloria in the Madagascar (2005) franchise, Ciara in The Lion King (1994) franchise and Beans in Rango (2011).

Nina Violic was born on 15 March 1972 in Rijeka, Croatia. She is an actress and director, known for Kick and Scream (2022), Blagajnica hoce ici na more (2000) and Odvajanje (2015). She has been married to Tvrtko Juric since 2001. They have one child.

A leading actress of theatre, film and TV in the former Yugoslavia, Mira Furlan emigrated to the U.S. with her husband, Goran Gajic, in November 1991, due to the intolerable political circumstances in her homeland. Ms. Furlan starred in the Warner Brothers TV series Babylon 5 (1993) as "Ambassador Delenn" (Sci-Fi Universe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Genre TV-series 1996 and 1997).

Her other American credits included the TV movie My Antonia (1995) directed by Joseph Sargent, the title roles in "Sophocles Antigone" at the Hudson Guild Theatre in Los Angeles (Dramalogue Theatre Award for Outstanding Performance in 1995) and Lorca's "Yerma" at The Indiana Repertory Theatre. She also appeared in Brecht's "Baal" at The Second Stage in Los Angeles and Shaw's "Don Juan In Hell" in which she co-starred with Edward Asner and Rene Auberjonois. Ms. Furlan was a member of The Actor's Studio.

Ms. Furlan's film credits include leading roles in over 25 films. She co-starred in Emir Kusturica's Cannes award-winning and Oscar-nominated film When Father Was Away On Business (2000). Films include: Three For Happiness, (Grand Prix, Valencia Film Festival), Beauty Of Vice, In The Jaws Of Life, The Loves Of Blanka Kolak, and Dear Video. In addition, Ms Furlan has appeared regularly on Yugoslav television, playing leading roles in numerous series and TV films. She received all the highest awards in her former country, both for her stage and film work, including two Golden Arenas (Yugoslav Oscars) for Best Actress.

In the former Yugoslavia, Furlan was a member of the Croatian National Theatre and a frequent guest star at major theatres in the whole country. Her favorite roles include: 'Natalya' in "A Month In The Country", 'Mrs. Elliot' in "Alpha-Beta", 'Celimene' in "The Misanthrope", 'Judith' in "The Devil's Disciple", 'Annabella' in "Tis Pity She's A Whore", the title role in Euripides' "Helen", 'Lea' in "Dybbuk", 'Isabelle' in Corneille's "L'Illusion Comique", 'Yvette' in "Mother Courage", 'Natasha' in "Three Sisters" and 'Ophelia' in Jiri Menzel's production of "Hamlet".

Ana Karic was born on 13 May 1941 in Perusic, Croatia, Yugoslavia. She was an actress, known for Night Boats (2012), The House (1975) and The Scene of the Crash (1971). She was married to Ivan Thür. She died on 9 October 2014 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Marija Kohn was born on 7 August 1934 in Lopud, Croatia, Yugoslavia. She was an actress, known for Atomic War Bride (1960), Nights and Days (1959) and H-8... (1958). She was married to Vladimir Majerovic-Majer, Vojislav Kuzmanovic and Tomislav Knezovic. She died on 16 July 2018 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Hermina Pipinic was born on 1 May 1928 in Zagreb, Croatia, Yugoslavia. She was an actress, known for The Steppe (1962), Double Circle (1963) and Dalmatian Chronicle (1973). She died on 19 December 2020 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Anja Sovagovic was born to the family of Fabijan Sovagovic, one of the most respected Croatian actors. Same as her younger brother Filip Sovagovic she pursued the acting career from an early age. After high school she enrolled in Drama Academy in Zagreb. There, together with theatre director 'Kresimir Dolencic', she founded the "Lift" theatre group in 1981. Two years later she joined Zlatko Vitez and his "Histrion" theatre company. In 1986 she finally settled down in Gavella Drama Theatre in Zagreb and married actor Dragan Despot.

Lucija Serbedzija was born on 8 June 1973 in Zagreb, Croatia, Yugoslavia. She is an actress, known for The Saint (1997), Polagana predaja (2001) and Bogorodica (1999). She is married to Filip Gajic. They have two children.

Mia Oremovic was born on 31 July 1918 in Slavonska Pozega, Austria-Hungary [now Croatia]. She was an actress, known for I Have Two Mothers and Two Fathers (1968), One Song a Day Takes Mischief Away (1970) and U oluji (1952). She was married to Vojko Trs. She died on 24 July 2010 in Krizevci, Croatia.

Lana Baric was born on 11 December 1979 in Split, Croatia. She is an actress and writer, known for Eden (2020), Tereza37 (2020) and You Carry Me (2015).

Alma Prica was born on 17 September 1962 in Zagreb, Croatia, Yugoslavia. She is an actress, known for Halima's Path (2012), Kontesa Dora (1993) and Treca zena (1997).

Ena Begovic was a prominent Croatian film actress. She is regarded as one of the best and most beautiful actresses in former Yugoslavia. Begovic began acting early, making her first screen appearance at the age of 18 through a small part in Occupation in 26 Pictures (1978), a 1978 film directed by Lordan Zafranovic. She made her breakthrough role in Zafranovic's next film, The Fall of Italy (1981), where she played Veronika, the daughter of a wealthy local from the Dalmatian coast who sided with occupying Italian Fascists. This debut established Begovic as one of the sex symbols of 1980s Yugoslav cinema, a status that she later successfully maintained despite appearing in relatively few films as her acting career shifted towards theater.

On 15 August 2000, in the Postira village on the island of Brac, a few months after marrying the Croatian businessman, Josip Radeljak, and a month and a half after giving birth to their daughter, Lana, she was involved, as a passenger, in a traffic accident, a rollover, which claimed her life.

Nela Erzisnik was born on 18 June 1924 in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia. She was an actress, known for Signal Over the City (1960), H-8... (1958) and Sinji galeb (1953). She died on 14 August 2007 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Zdravka Krstulovic was born on 30 September 1940 in Split, Croatia, Yugoslavia. She was an actress, known for Nase malo misto (1969), Ca smo na ovon svitu... (1973) and Kako su se voleli Romeo i Julija? (1966). She died on 4 December 2003 in Varazdin, Croatia.

Matija Prskalo was born on 25 October 1966 in Zagreb, Croatia. She is an actress, known for How the War Started on My Island (1996), Hallway to Nowhere and Will Not End Here (2008). She is married to Dominik Galic. They have one child.

Marija Tadic was born on 1 November 1980 in Zagreb, Croatia. She is an actress, known for Zakon! (2009), Libertango (2009) and Cure: The Life of Another (2014).