Dajana Gudic, a United States (U.S.) actress of Bosnian and Herzegovinian (BiH) origin, was born in Sarajevo and ventured into the world of modeling and acting at the young age of 15.
Today, she lives in Los Angeles and is one of the few actresses from the Balkans who has secured several Hollywood roles and enjoys a successful career as a producer.
Dajana took her first significant steps toward Hollywood as a teenager when she unexpectedly left her native BiH, leaving behind her family and friends to pursue education and a career. She is currently in Sarajevo, enjoying the Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF).
The separation from her parents was challenging, especially since she had to leave her mother behind for the sake of her education.
“My parents were supposed to go to the U.S. together, but they divorced when I was only seven years old. After that, my father went alone as a refugee, and a year later, my parents decided that I should go to live with my father after finishing elementary school because there were more opportunities for success in the U.S. I left solely for education. In the meantime, my mom had a daughter, my sister, and it was tough to leave them. We were like a team, always together, and suddenly I could only talk to them for ten minutes once a week. That was very hard for me,” Dajana begins her story, adding that she faced various challenges in the U.S.
“They didn’t accept me right away. Although the U.S. is accustomed to foreigners, I didn’t speak English well at first, and sometimes the whole class would laugh at me. We were teenagers, and I understand now that at that age, differences and mistakes are hard to accept. I was unhappy during the first few years in the U.S., and it was very difficult for me, but I matured and toughened up over time,” the actress emphasizes.
Her life took a dramatic turn when she decided to move to Los Angeles.
“When I was 23, after finishing my degree in journalism, I moved to Los Angeles and started working as a model. There, I met many people from the global jet set. Through work and parties, I got to know many famous people,” said Dajana, adding:
“Five days after moving to Los Angeles, I met Leonardo DiCaprio, and through him, I met even more well-known people who later helped me and with whom I worked on various projects. The circle of famous people in Los Angeles is very small, and when they see that you’re not a fan, that you’re not taking pictures of them, they accept you and you become part of their group.”
One of the happiest moments in her life, which also marked a turning point in her career, was when producer Taylor Chin contacted her. Thanks to him, she began her acting career, landing a role in Jamie Foxx’s film All-Star Weekend, where she acted alongside many major Hollywood stars.
This journalism graduate is now successful in the U.S. film industry, socializing with Leonardo DiCaprio, Cher, and Eva Longoria, and regularly attending parties with Beyonce, Rihanna, and others. She has over 700.000 followers on Instagram and is one of the Hollywood actresses whose appearance rarely leaves anyone indifferent.
Dajana also produced the film “Impulse”, which will premiere in Belgrade on August 27th at the MTS Hall.
