INTERVJU / INTERVIEW
I’m perceived as a ridiculous man I’m a comedian to a great extent, even when I have dramatic roles. I often make myself laugh, says this actor, whose lines are long remembered and recited
HE WAS PART OF YUGO- SLAV CINEMATOGRAPHY FROM CHILDHOOD, immortalised by his first major role as the character of Šojka in the TV series Sivi Dom. A series of successes followed, such as those in the films of Srđan Drago- jević and the current interpretation of Oedipus, while he can also boast of a rich career as a producer. When he’s not busy working, he can hardly wait to fly with Air Serbia... You’re preparing the play Zanzibar in Men's Tears, un- der the direction of Aca Pop- ovski at the Yugoslav Dra- ma Theatre (JDP), where you started performing long ago... “Yes, my character, Zanzibar, lives in an abandoned old temple in a post-apocalyptic era, where he holds weddings and funerals, while during the day the space serves as a tavern, so there’s all sorts happening. We’re awaited by the premiere in late Sep- tember or early October. I’m almost happier than my younger colleagues to be performing at the JDP.” Why did you need so much time to return to acting? “I started dealing with film pro- duction at one point. I was a mem- ber of Atelje 212 theatre and I real- ly no longer know the real reason I left the theatre. Between 2000 and 2009, I produced 11 films with my friends, including When I Grow Up, I’ll Be a Kangaroo, The Storks Will Return, Dudes, The Wounds, The Border Post... Back then, each pro- ject required that you consider care- fully and back your idea, fight for it, and convince others that the film will be good. Perhaps I’ll soon produce a film again, for a screenplay that I’ve written. But I never gave up acting;
Žao mi je što nisam igrao Magbeta, imao sam neke divne ideje i svetove iz
tog komada I’m sorry that I didn’t play
Macbeth, I had some wonderful ideas and worlds from that play
that was never a thought I had for a moment.” You recently received the Branislav Nušić Award, join- and Mija Aleksić. What does Nušić and being in the com- pany of these bards mean to you? “It would be tough for anyone to compare me with them, because what they did for over 40 years is to- day still so modern and timeless. But the list of Nušić Award laureates is also worthy of respect and I’m de- lighted to be among them. I never worked with Mija and Čkalja, but I knew Mija.” ing the ranks of legend- ary comedians like Čkalja How common is it today for someone to call you Šojka (character from the show Si- vi Dom)? “My godmother sent pictures of me from over 40 years ago and all the comments were: ‘look, Šojka!’ I believe that it was thanks to that character that I first felt popularity. That was at the end of our academy days and
the majority of us graduated with that series, and that was very lucky. Un- til an actor ends up performing in a popular series, the public can’t even remember his name, even if they like his acting, and we have no work with- out recognition. People showed more respect to public figures back then, and didn’t always approach them for a conversation. Public figures have to- day become public goods.” It’s been over 50 years since the legendary film Battle of Sutjeska, and you were there... “Back then I was 15 years old. Behind the camera was the legend- ary Tomislav Pinter. It was directed by Stipe Delić and couldn't have been more spectacular. I threw up a few times every day from the explosions, smoke, adrenaline... It was the first time I’d fired a rifle, and I had to open my mouth to handle the sound...” You already knew that you’d become an actor? “Back in the eighth year of prima- ry school (age 14), I performed in a TV drama that was directed by acting
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