Nadja Regin facts for kids

Nadežda "Nađa" Poderegin (born December 2, 1931 – died April 6, 2019) was a famous Serbian actress. She was better known by her stage name, Nadja Regin.

Nadja started acting in films in Yugoslavia in 1949. Later, in the 1950s, she became well-known around the world. In the 1960s, she appeared in many British TV shows. These included Danger Man, Maigret, The Benny Hill Show, and The Saint.

She was also one of the few actresses to appear in two James Bond movies. She played the mistress of Kerim Bey in From Russia with Love. She also had a small role in the beginning of Goldfinger.

Early Life and Education

Nadja Regin was born Nadežda Poderegin on December 2, 1931. Her birthplace was Niš, which was then part of Yugoslavia. Her mother, Milka Bajić Poderegin, was a professor. Her father, Ignjatije Poderegin, was a Russian professor and scientist. Nadja also had a younger sister named Jelena.

Nadja grew up in Kraljevo, where her father taught at an agriculture school. Sadly, during World War II, her father was killed by German forces in October 1941. He refused to leave his students and colleagues, who were also going to be shot. Her mother was against the German occupation.

When the Soviet Red Army arrived in Yugoslavia, 13-year-old Nadja helped as an interpreter. She knew Russian because her father had taught her. After the war, her family moved to Belgrade.

Nadja started acting as a child when she was seven years old. She took part in some children's plays. In Belgrade, she went to the 7th Girls Gymnasium and also studied ballet.

Nadja first wanted to study journalism. But in 1950, she joined the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. She learned from famous teachers like Joža Rutić and Branko Pleša. She graduated on May 20, 1954. During this time, many people called her "the most beautiful girl in Belgrade." She also earned a degree in literature from the University of Belgrade.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting in Yugoslavia

Nadja Regin's acting career began while she was still a student. Director Vladimir Pogačić noticed her talent. He gave her first film role in 1949 in The Factory Story. In 1950, she worked with director Vojislav Nanović in The Magic Sword. She also appeared in his 1952 film Frosina.

In 1955, she starred in Ešalon Dr. M, a very popular movie about World War II. This was her last film in her home country.

Becoming an International Star

Nadja started working on films made with both Yugoslav and German companies. In 1954, for the film The House on the Coast, she shortened her last name to Regin. This movie was shown at the Berlin Film Festival. It was very popular and helped her start her international acting career.

Because of the success of The House on the Coast, she got offers for many films in Germany and Austria. She appeared in German-language movies like Roman eines Frauenarztes (1954) and Goodbye, Franziska (1957).

In 1964, she starred in Runaway, a film made in New Zealand. This was her final movie role.

Acting in the UK

Nadja Regin moved to London in the mid-1950s. At first, she didn't know any English. But she quickly learned and started acting in British projects. Her first TV show was The Adventures of William Tell. She also appeared in The Invisible Man and the movie Don't Panic Chaps!. This movie was her favorite. It was about British and German soldiers on an island who stopped fighting until a girl, played by Nadja, arrived.

She was in many British TV series, including International Detective, Danger Man, and Maigret. She also appeared in The Benny Hill Show, The Saint, and Dixon of Dock Green. Her last acting role was in 1968. Nadja decided to stop acting to spend more time with her daughter.

She once said that even though she learned English well, her Slavic accent made it hard to get many different roles. She often played spies or foreign girls.

Her James Bond Roles

Nadja Regin is one of the few actresses who appeared in two James Bond films. In From Russia with Love (1963), she played the girlfriend of Kerim Bey. In Goldfinger (1964), she had a smaller part as a dancer named Bonita. Nadja thought she was asked for Goldfinger because she didn't have many scenes in From Russia with Love.

She spoke highly of Pedro Armendariz, who played Kerim Bey. She said he was a true gentleman. He was very ill during filming, so the director filmed all his scenes, including Nadja's, in one day. Armendariz passed away later that year. Nadja also described Sean Connery as a great professional actor.

Nadja didn't talk much about her Bond roles publicly. But in 2015, Movie Memories magazine interviewed her. In 2018, even at 87 years old, she took part in events celebrating the "Year of James Bond." She especially liked Bérénice Marlohe from the Bond film Skyfall, calling it a "very powerful film."

Literary Career and Publishing

In the 1970s, Nadja Regin worked for film companies like Rank Films and Hammer Films. Her job was to read and choose movie scripts.

In 1980, Nadja and her sister Jelena started their own publishing company called Honeyglen Publishing Ltd. They published books on philosophy, art history, biographies, and some fiction. Nadja published her mother's only novel, The Dawning, in 1978. Her mother had passed away before finishing it, so Nadja completed the last part using her mother's notes. Nadja also translated the book into English and published it in 1988.

Nadja also wrote several books herself. Her novel, The Victims and the Fools, was published as an e-book. She also wrote a children's story called The Puppet Planet. Before she passed away, she was working on her memories, titled Recollections.

Personal Life

Nadja Regin met Michael Szrajber (1922–2009) in Cannes. He was a Polish-born British soldier from World War II who later became a businessman. They got married and moved to the United Kingdom. They had one daughter, Tanya, who was born in 1960. After moving to London, Nadja also brought her mother and sister to live with her.

Nadja was very good at languages. She could speak five languages: Serbo-Croatian, Russian, English, French, and German. She learned English in just a few months after moving to London. She said reading many books by Somerset Maugham helped her learn the language quickly.

In 1999, she took part in protests in London against the NATO bombing of Serbia.

Nadja Regin passed away on April 6, 2019. News of her death was reported on April 8, 2019.

Filmography

Films

Television

See also

In Spanish: Nadja Regin para niños