Actresses Maja Martina Merljak and Nevena Nerandžić Highlight Personal Journeys in Slovenia and Serbia

Maja Martina Merljak, once one of Slovenia’s most recognizable young actresses, has moved from central Ljubljana to the suburb of Zalog. She now lives with partner Jure, focuses on family and community, and runs a project called Skupaj za mizo at the local primary school. She says, “Hotela sem v center, hotela sem biti del elite, v središču dogajanja… Potem pa so se vame začeli sidrati ljudje,” indicating that genuine relationships have become the centre of her world.

Serbian actress Nevena Nerandžić, known for roles in TV series such as Ringišpil, Nečista krv and Branilac, grew up in Kraljevo, studied at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad and now works in Belgrade. She recalls early stage fright, noting “Zanimljiva mi je ta paralela. Ulazak u ovaj projekat takođe nije bio bez straha.” In 2023 she received the FEDIS acting revelation award and the best young actress prize at the Ravno Selo film festival for her role in Manja, underscoring her rising stature in the regional entertainment scene.