Mira Stupica
Stupica on a 2019 stamp of Serbia
Born	Miroslava Todorović (1923-08-17)17 August 1923 Gnjilane,Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Died	19 August 2016(2016-08-19) (aged 93) Belgrade,Serbia
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1940–2016
Spouses	Milivoj "Mavid" Popović ​ ​ (m. 1943; div. 1947)​ Bojan Stupica ​ ​ (m. 1948; died 1970)​ Cvijetin Mijatović ​ ​ (m. 1973; died 1993)​
Children	1

Miroslava "Mira" Stupica (Serbian Cyrillic:Мирослава Мира Ступица;néeTodorović; 17 August 1923 – 19 August 2016) was a Serbian actress best known for her work in the theater, but also had extensive career on television and in films. Enjoying the enduring popularity for over 60 years and celebrated as the ‘actress of the century’ by herpeers, she is considered one of the best Serbian actresses of all time.^[1][2]

Miroslava Todorović was born inGnjilane,Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes^[3][4] as the first child of Serb parents—Danica Stanišić fromLivno and Radomir Todorović fromOrašac, bothgymnasium professors assigned to teach in Gnjilane at the time. After Miroslava, the couple had three more children, all boys: Predrag (died at the age of two), Zoran (died at the age of three), andBorivoje who would later go on to become a famous and accomplished actor himself.^[5][6]

Following the couple's teaching postings, the family later moved toGornji Milanovac, in central Serbia, where Miroslava's father, a talented violinist,^[7] died young in 1932, and then toAranđelovac, before eventually settling in Belgrade where Mira graduatedsecondary school at the city's Trade Academy (Trgovačka akademija).^[8]

Todorović began acting during high school by enrolling in and completing the Artistic Theatre's acting studio in Belgrade, where she soon began acting professionally in 1940 after being noticed byViktor Starčić.^[7] In 1941 she moved to Belgrade'sNational Theatre. Her early career, just like her personal life at the time, centered around then popular and established actor Milivoj "Mavid" Popović who became her husband in 1943. The couple had a daughter Mina before their four-year marriage ended. During and afterWorld War II, she acted in theatres inŠabac (1943–45) andNiš (1945–47), after which she returned to the National Theatre in Belgrade.^[2][7][9]

In 1948, she got invited to the newly establishedYugoslav Drama Theatre (JDP) byBojan Stupica,tour de force of Serbian theatre who was in charge of creating JDP and making it the forerunner of the modern theatre in the state. Remaining at JDP on and off till 1970, she often changed theatre houses, though: 1955–57Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, JDP again 1957–59, then National Theatre in Belgrade 1959–63, JDP again 1963–70, and finally National theatre in Belgrade 1970–79. She guested inAtelje 212,Belgrade Drama Theatre, Zvezdara Theatre, andTitograd'sNational Theatre.^[2][7] OnEuropean tour she won international acclaim as Petrunjela inDundo Maroje byMarin Držić inVienna,Paris andMoscow.^[9]

Her work at JDP with Bojan Stupica and their subsequent marriage had a seminal influence on Mira’s maturity as an actress.^[2][7][8] She was known for her rich expression, emotivity, and inspiring temperament as well as for possessing universal aptitude toward acting, which allowed her to equally master both dramatic and comedic roles, and to successfully breaks barriers between genres.^[2][10] Many of her performances are considered to be anthology roles in Serbian theatre.^[11][12][13]

Apart from Petrunjela, others include: Živka (The Cabinet minister’s wife byBranislav Nušić),Joan of Arc (Saint Joan byGeorge Bernard Shaw),Colombe (byJean Anouilh), Grusha Vashnadze (The Caucasian Chalk Circle byBertold Brecht), Lucietta (Le baruffe chiozzotte byCarlo Goldoni, Commissar (An Optimistic Tragedy byVsevolod Vishnevsky), Glorija (byRanko Marinković), Mirandolina (The Mistress of the Inn by Carlo Goldoni), Melita (Leda byMiroslav Krleža), Signora Ignazia (Tonight We Improvise byLuigi Pirandello), Mary (Mary fights with the angels byPavel Kohout), Chérubin (The Marriage of Figaro byBeaumarchais), Ljubica (Đido byJanko Veselinović), Grushenka (The Brothers Karamazov byFyodor Dostoyevsky), Alexandra Negina (Talents and Admirers byAleksandr Ostrovsky), Danica (Ljubav by Milan Đoković),Madame Sans-Gêne (byVictorien Sardou), Actress (L'Otage byPaul Claudel), Baroness Castelli-Glembay (Messrs. Glembay by Miroslav Krleža),Nastasya Filipovna (The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky,Jenny Diver (The Threepenny Opera by Bertrold Brecht),Anna Karenina byLeo Tolstoy, and Lady Milford (Intrigue and Love byFriedrich Schiller). Her final role wasPrincess Ksenija of Montenegro in the drama of the same name byRadmila Vojvodić [sh] in 1994.

Although predominantly a theatrical actress, she landed several prominent film roles, especially in the 1950s and 1960s. She made her feature film debut in 1951 filmBakonja fra Brne byFedor Hanžeković,^[1] followed by the roles inThe Parvenus (1953; directed by Bojan Stupica),^[8]I Was Stronger (1953; Gustav Gavrin),^[11]Stojan Mutikaša (1954; Fedor Hanžeković),^[8]Hanka (1955;Slavko Vorkapić),^[1]U mreži (1956; Bojan Stupica),^[8]Mali čovek (1957; Žika Čukulić),The Fourteenth Day (1960;Zdravko Velimirović),^[14]Destination Death (1964;Wolfgang Staudte),^[14]Narodni poslanik (1964;Stole Janković),^[15]Roj (1966;Mića Popović),^[16]Pre rata (1966; Vuk Babić),^[15]Palma među palmama (1967; Milo Đukanović),^[15]Delije (1968; Mića Popović),^[8]Sunce tuđeg neba (1968; Milutin Kosovac),Krvava bajka (1969; Branimir Tori Janković),^[8]Doručak sa đavolom (1971;Mika Antić),^[8]Kako umreti (1972; Miomir Miki Stamenković),^[11]Zvezde su oči ratnika (1972; Branimir Tori Janković) andSablazan (1982; Dragovan Jovanović). After a long absence from the silver screen, younger generation of Serbian movie directors again showed interest in her, so she appeared in well received supporting roles in 2006 in Miroslav Momčilović’sSeven and a half,^[1] and, in 2011 inSrđan Dragojević’sThe Parade.^[17]

After appearing in several TV movies, filmed plays and episodes of TV series, she landed a role of Kika Bibić, illiterate woman who learns to read in educational seriesTV Bukvar (TV Spelling-book), written by Aleksandar Popović forRadio Television Belgrade. Aired from 1968 to 1969, it brought Stupica an exceptional broad popularity and critical praise for her remarkable creation of folksy Kika.^[1][2] Many people believed that she is a real person, so much that she had a whole page indailyPolitika on Saturday to answer to the letters sent to Kika. Her other noteworthy TV roles include those in mini-seriesSedam sekretara SKOJ-a (1981),^[11]Španac (1982)^[11] and especiallyPriče iz fabrike (1985)^[9] andOtvorena vrata (1995).^[15]

In 1943, at the age of 19, she married popular Serbian actor and famous playboy Milivoj "Mavid" Popović (1909–94), who was 14 years her senior.^[5] Their wedding was a popularmedia event inGerman-occupied Serbia.^[7] They had a daughter Jasmina-Mina,^[1][16] but soon divorced. In 1948 she marriedBojan Stupica,Slovene theatrical director, who was a major force in Serbian theatre until his death on 22 May 1970.^[6][11][17]

Widowed, in 1973 she married communist politicianCvijetin Mijatović, remaining with him until his death on 15 November 1993. From 15 May 1980 to 15 May 1981, Mijatovićpresided over theYugoslav Presidency, the country's collective presidency, making Stupica Yugoslavia'sfirst lady in that period.^[18]

Apart from her popular actor brother Bora Todorović, her nephew, Bora’s sonSrđan, is a musician, a former member ofEkaterina Velika andDisciplin A Kitschme,^[19] as well as a popular actor in Serbian cinema since the mid-1980s.^[20]

In 2015, she settled at a retirement home in the Belgrade borough ofZemun.^[21][22]

On 10 March 2016 Stupica suffered a stroke,^[23] and after months without leaving the hospital, died on 19 August 2016.^[1][24]

Stupica was awarded theAward of the Federal Government ofFNRJ in 1949 andSedmojulska nagrada (at the time the highest government award in Serbia) in 1960.^[2][25]

She also won two awards atSterijino pozorje inNovi Sad, the most important theatrical festival in Serbia, threeGolden Lauren Wreath awards at MES inSarajevo, andLjubiša Jovanović award inŠabac in 1986. Stupica was awarded the highest theatrical awards for lifetime achievement in Serbian theatre, includingDobričin prsten in 1981,Statuette of Joakim Vujić in 1985 and lifetime achievement awards atSterijino pozorje in 1984, and at theDani Zorana Radmilovića festival inZaječar in 2013. AtPula Film Festival, top film festival in formerYugoslavia, she won two best actress awards, in 1954 (Stojan Mutikaša) andGolden Arena in 1966 (Roj).^[9]

At theFilmski susreti, actor’s festival inNiš, she was awarded at the inaugural festival in 1966 as the best actress (Roj).^[26] In 1969 she andMiodrag Petrović Čkalja won an award as the best acting couple of the year (Stupica forTV Bukvar).^[27] In 2006 she won an award for the best supporting female role inSeven and a half^[28] and in 2007 Pavle Vuisić award, the highest film acting award in Serbia, for her lifetime achievement in the movies.^[29]

In 2001, on the celebration of her 60-years of acting. Stupica on the stage publicly called for establishing theVelika Žanka award (Great Žanka), in honor ofŽanka Stokić (1887–1947), today generally considered the best theatrical Serbian actress ever, pointing out that there are no appropriate awards for actresses in their prime, when they are too old for the debutant awards and still too young for the life-time awards.^[30] In 2002 it was announced that new award will be established next year, under the name ofŽanka Stokić award. Mira Stupica was the president for life of the jury and the award has been awarded yearly ever since.^[31]

On 23 September 2013, an exhibition titledMira Stupica – actress of the century was held in the Museum of the National Theatre in Belgrade.^[32]

In 2000 she published herautobiographyŠaka soli (A handful of salt). Book, which was written in specific, almost scenic style,^[7] became a bestseller in Serbia.^[33]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toMira Stupica.

• Mira Stupica atIMDb
• MIRA STUPICA: ŠAKA SOLI (3): Kako je Tito zavoleo Platona,NIN, 10 February 2000
• Nepoderiva,Glas javnosti, 25 November 2001

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