Zoran Radmilović was born in Zaječar in 1933. Initially drawn to academic disciplines such as law, architecture, and philology at the University of Belgrade, he discovered his passion for theater late in life. He then joined the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. His career began in the 1960s at the “Beogradsko dramsko pozorište“, but it was at the Atelje 212 theater, from 1968, that he truly exploded thanks to his cult performance of King Ubu, demonstrating an exceptional talent for improvisation.

Radmilović favored the stage over the big screen, although his film roles were notable. He became a cult figure in “WR: Mysteries of the Organism” (1971) and “The Marathon Family” (1982), portraying characters both grotesque and deeply human. He is also known for “Radovan III“, a play by Dušan Kovačević, which he performed masterfully.

Despite his humor and charisma, Zoran often lived in relative poverty, like many artists of the time. He died in 1985, shortly after the success of “When Father Was Away on Business“, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes. His death, followed shortly after by that of Slobodan Aligrudić, was seen as a huge loss for Yugoslav culture.