A great actress, but also an incredible fighter against illness
The wider audience remembers her from the well-known series "Naši i vashi", "U registraturi", "Velog mist", and she also performed a number of anthology theater roles.
Mirjana was born in Split in 1952. But she replaced her native Dalmatia with Podravina. Namely, she lived in Đurđevac for seven years of her childhood, until they moved to Zagreb, to a tenant's apartment in Draškovićeva street. She has been acting since childhood, and was prepared for the Academy by Zlatko Vitez. She started performing on the "Gavelle" stage as early as 1972, when the talented actress already won a scholarship in her second year.
Soon Kosta Spajić noticed her and took her for the role of Gruba in Držić's "Skup". For her excellent performance, she won the award for the best young actress at the Sterija Theater, and bigger roles soon followed.
At the time when her career started on a fast upward trajectory, Mirjana also met Ivica Vidović. She saw him in a play and afterwards they met in the theater cafe. She said later that it was love at first sight, and they got married in 1975. After four years, they had a son, Luka, who is now a famous illusionist, but the marriage did not last. However, as they always emphasized, they remained on good terms.
About which theater is her favorite, Mirjana said the following: - It would be best if I could perform in a different theater every year. But that, unfortunately, is impossible. Since I'm an actress, I can't prepare anything myself. I have to wait for them to offer me a role. –
She also achieved notable film and television roles. Mirjana starred in the first Croatian and Yugoslav horror film - "The Savior". It is interesting that the film about the apocalypse caused by the appearance of a new race of human-rats was shot in just 32 working days. Mirjana told about that experience that it was very tiring, but also very professional work.
The wider audience remembers her from her notable roles in the television series "U registaturu", "Naši i vashi", "Velog mist" and many others.
But she was also fond of theater boards and the "Gavelle" auspices, under which she worked for more than forty years. In it, she played excellent roles in anthology titles. She interpreted characters from the plays of Krleža and Goldoni, Shakespeare and Chekhov, Držić, Calderon, Molière, Weiss...
After one such role, she met her second husband, the famous soccer player Marko Mlinarić. The interesting thing is that love was fostered by Dinamo coach Ćiro Blažević at the time, who took the team to the show.
- I heard that 'a little one is asking about me'. - said Mirjana. - Later we met and fell in love. –
With her husband, with whom she spent ten years in marriage, she had a son Ivan. Thanks to Mlinarić's football career, the family lived in France for a while, and Minja told in an interview what kind of glamor reigned in Cannes during the time when the famous football player played there.
- It's pure glamour, and I'm not interested in that. Well, before the game they shared champagne and strawberries. We lived a little outside the city, had a villa with a swimming pool and a tennis court. We met Zinedine Zidane there, and Marko immediately understood that he would be a great player - she said. Mirjana's life suddenly changed in 2010 when she was diagnosed with cancer. She fought long and bravely against a vicious disease, which she cured twice. She did not prevent her from her desire to act, so the last play she performed in Frankopanska was Voltaire's "Candide" from 2013. But the third return of the malignant disease was fatal for Mirjana.
Nevertheless, brave Mirjana did not lose her optimism and hope for a cure until the last few weeks. Her husband and family supported her and took care of her. - Well, when I have no choice. I am a lioness and I will fight for another victory. I have to think like that, I have no choice. - she spoke until the last moment.
The talented and modest actress of enchanting beauty and charisma left us on April 2, 2022. She left behind many great works and roles that young generations have yet to discover.
