Stevan Miladinović has never been one for the obvious route. Born and raised in Prokuplje, a small town in southern Serbia with, in his words, “such a pure soul,” he always sensed that his life was meant to unfold somewhere bigger. A summer in Chicago at sixteen confirmed it. By then, he had already found the stage through a local drama studio and a stint as an MC, and the pull toward performance never let go.
What followed was a journey few would script. Stevan trained and worked as an industrial engineer, took a job in Miami, lost his visa, and rebuilt his modeling and acting career from Asia with one goal in sight: getting back to the country he fell in love with as a teenager. Along the way came a DNA Magazine cover shot by Serge Lee, stretches of work in China and Thailand, and a pending O-1B petition that could bring him to Los Angeles very soon. In this conversation with BODONY, Stevan opens up about the boy he once was, the realities that talent from smaller countries face in a global industry, the pressures of age and appearance, the discipline that keeps him grounded, and the kind of life, and love, he still hopes to build.
Let’s take a step back into your early years. How was your childhood growing up? Are there any memories, stories, or moments from that time that shaped you and that you’d love to share with the fans, anything you think they would be interested to learn about the boy you once were?
Stevan: Oh, we are diving deep since the start haha. Basically, I am from a small town in the south of Serbia called Prokuplje. I miss and love my hometown so much every day. It’s a beautiful town that has such a pure soul, and it holds so many memories from my life. I always felt that I wanted and that I was in need of bigger things in life, and I knew I was going to leave the city as soon as I could. Even though I truly love my city, I never felt like I fully belonged there, and I feel like I always had a different point of view from the majority of locals.
My parents sent me to the USA when I was only 16 for a summer language school program, and I spent a couple of months in Chicago. I fell in love with the USA so much that I felt I was never the same after that.
Besides all this, I started my acting journey in Prokuplje with a local drama studio, and that’s also when I knew I had to do something related to this. I was also an MC back then, and I just felt that some sort of stage was something I would lean towards.
Regarding my family, I grew up in a family full of love, although under very specific and not really regular conditions. But that’s the story for some other time.
Imagine for a moment that you’re face to face with your 10-year-old self, that young version of you who was still discovering the world and his own dreams. What would you say to him now, with everything you’ve experienced and the success you’ve built? What message, reassurance, or wisdom would you want him to hear from the man you’ve become?
Stevan: First of all, I would like to say that I believe I am still on the way to becoming the man I want to be, and I think learning and changing are never-ending processes. Also, that 10-year-old child is still somewhere inside me, and I still need to take care of him regularly 🙂
But so far, I always want to remind him that he should be brave, that he should love himself, that he should be proud of himself, and that he should never be ashamed because he might be different from other children.
I would be happy if I had had the chance to learn earlier in life how to set boundaries and respect my values more, while still being nice to other people and having empathy for others. I would also want to tell him that he should keep dreaming and working towards his goals, because many of them will eventually become his reality.
You started out training as an industrial engineer, what made you walk away from that path into modeling, acting, and content creation, and do you ever think about the version of you that stayed in engineering?
Stevan: That’s actually a long story, and I am glad you asked. Education for me was always really huge and important. I was always a very good student, and I really had, and actually still have, big plans for my education.
I studied quality management and standardization, which is basically part of industrial engineering. While I was studying, and even before I started my acting and modeling career, I got 5 years of theatre experience, and my modeling career started in Serbia. During my studies, I tried to balance between these two very different paths, which was really difficult, and at one point I started working as an industrial engineer for a German company. I had modeling gigs every now and then, but at the time it was more like a side hustle.
Two years later, I got an offer from a company in Miami and decided to relocate and keep building my engineering career over there. However, life is unpredictable, so I stopped working there after living in Miami for 6 months. I lost my visa status, wasn’t able to find another job offer to stay and keep my visa, and I eventually had to leave the USA.
After building my engineering career for close to 3 years, I fully went back and started rebuilding my modeling and acting life. I started working in Asia again around that time. I fell in love with the USA, and the initial idea was actually to keep building my portfolio so I could apply for an O-1B visa and get back to the US.
Right now, my petition is in the process, and I hope to be back in LA very, very soon. However, my dreams and plans about my engineering career are not over yet. I just need to find a way to shift my career towards things that align better with the changes that AI has brought to us, and I am still looking to find the perfect balance between this creative and less creative side of me 🙂
Landing the cover of DNA Magazine is a major milestone, what was that shoot with Serge Lee like, and what did it mean to you personally?
Stevan: Actually, I have known Serge for quite some time, and that was not the first time we worked together. I truly believe he is an amazing artist and a great photographer.
During that time, I was already kinda trying to do less sexy and less spicy shoots because that was the time when I was switching back from engineering to modeling and acting, and I really wanted to start doing more commercial and fashion stuff.
Honestly, at that particular moment, I wasn’t the happiest with the outcome and the way I looked, just because I had a very specific idea in my head of what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do things. But thanks to Serge, he really pulled the best shots and the best material from that shoot, and we got a cover of DNA.
I was extremely happy when I saw the magazine all over shops in New York, London, Paris, and other major cities. It was an amazing moment for me.
How do you think that cover changed the way people in the industry, or your followers, see you?
Stevan: I actually believe there is a fine line between doing these sexy shoots and still being considered an actual photo model, and doing similar-style sexy shoots in order to maybe promote an OnlyFans page or something else. There was a time when I definitely considered opening an OF page, but eventually I gave up.
What I am trying to say is that I was really trying hard not to be considered a body-only model, fitness model, or OnlyFans model. To be completely clear, I have nothing against these things, but I think you kinda label yourself, and the pool of opportunities becomes smaller.
On the other hand, we live in a world where social media presence is really important, and those photos always get bigger engagement, unfortunately. So my followers were reacting pretty well to that, although I think I never really posted that cover on my main IG feed.
How has living and working abroad, including time in China, shaped how you see your career and your identity?
Stevan: I think when you try to build your career as a model and/or an actor, you really have to be very patient, and you have to work in different markets and figure out which one works the best for you. It takes time, and sometimes you will not be able to see any financial benefits. There is a lot of uncertainty, and I feel you are constantly out of your comfort zone, chasing opportunities.
Living abroad and living alone make you realize how important it is to always work on building your network and making new connections, as well as building and finding a safety net wherever you are.
I honestly believe that you really have to love doing this because money is not something you can always rely on, but I also believe that working hard and believing in yourself always pay off.
China is an incredible market where I worked two times, and I always weigh whether I should go back or not. Unfortunately, we can only be in one place at a time, and I am already trying to build my life a lot between Thailand and the USA.
Coming from Serbia, how hard has it actually been to break into bigger markets like LA, NYC, or London? What do people from smaller countries face in this industry that others never have to think about?
Stevan: This is something that I really like to talk about whenever I get a chance because I think people from “first-world” countries do not realize how difficult it can be, visa-wise especially, to break into these first-world markets.
Serbia is unfortunately not part of the EU, and I feel we always have to work way harder to open the doors and to prove ourselves. It has been very difficult for me, and I am actually still working on fully settling down in some of these places and being able to actually just travel around for my gigs.
Not being a part of the EU doesn’t allow me to freely work in EU countries, nor to simply travel to pretty much any English-speaking country easily. Especially when working as a full-time model and actor, you don’t always have all the necessary documents required to just get a tourist visa.
I feel like I wanted to give up many times, but here I am… somehow still ambitiously fighting for my place under the sky.
There’s a lot of unspoken pressure around age and appearance in this business. Have you felt that pressure directly, and how do you handle the expectations placed on how you’re supposed to look?
Stevan: Ugh, this is a tough one. I have a feeling that lately, people in the industry have been talking more about inclusivity, but I am not so sure how practical anyone has been about it.
We all age, and that’s a fact, and I have definitely been trying to take good care of myself. Talking about social media, and even AI now, and how everything has somehow become more accessible, I feel expectations are just higher. Lots of things can be done at clinics around the world, and that’s not even a secret.
It is not easy, but we also just have to learn how to build confidence, self-love, and self-appreciation, and how to stop comparing ourselves to others.
You’ve been vocal online about corruption, media censorship, and the student protests in Serbia. What made you decide to use your platform for that rather than staying apolitical?
Stevan: Sometimes I am afraid that there isn’t much I can do as an individual, but we all have to put in a little effort and give a little push whenever and however we can.
There has been a lot of corruption and just a lot of disrespect and disgrace from the current Serbian regime towards its own people, and we have to do something about it — to stop it and to look for a better future for my beautiful Serbia.
I love my country so much, but I felt the need to leave for good (at least for now) because I wasn’t able to see a brighter future under this government.
Fortunately, this coming October 25th there will be an election, and I would be extremely happy if a huge number of people came out and voted (specifically for number 3 and the student list) and, with that action, gave Serbia another chance to be led towards the EU and a better life.
Crossfit is clearly central to your life. How does that discipline carry over into how you approach modeling and your career more broadly?
Stevan: I started working out when I was, I think, maybe 10 or 11 years old. Since then, I never really stopped, although I might have taken some smaller breaks and pauses from it. I tried different sports but was always really into martial arts. I practiced judo for 5 years and kickboxing for 3.
When I started my modeling career, I kinda started thinking about focusing on something that would help me shape my body more the way I wanted it to be. I never thought that the body should be perceived as a tool or something that is separated from our inner selves, but I think humans sometimes treat it that way, and so do I. I’m trying to be more aware of that, and I’m trying to listen to its needs more as well.
CrossFit somehow came along the way, and I have been doing it for over 10 years. Right now, I am actually doing Muay Thai combined with some HYROX training and running, but CrossFit has always somehow been implemented into my workout routine in different ways.
I definitely work out to maintain my body shape, but at this point, working out has a huge impact on my overall physical and mental health, so I don’t think I can ever stop being active.
What does a typical week of training look like for you while balancing shoots and travel?
Stevan: That can sometimes be really difficult because I can be jumping out of my routine pretty often, but if I am locked in and motivated, I always find a way to go outside and run or do some little workout in the hotel gyms wherever I am.
But if I am at home (wherever that is, haha), I am trying to do my workout at least 5 to 6 times a week if I don’t work. If I work, it really depends on how long the hours are. So, the training plan changes, but the consistency is always on point. 🙂
Stevan, what does success truly mean to you? Is it defined by career milestones, personal growth, the impact you leave on others, or something entirely different?
Stevan: I think that success and the perception of it change over time, as well as our life goals. But as long as you do what you really like and can make a living out of it, that’s already pretty successful.
Living where you want, traveling, and living a comfortable lifestyle in this capitalistic and expensive world is already big to me. I tend to always set some new goals in life and find new passions. Enjoying the moment without always feeling the pressure of achieving new things is also important.
My opinion is that we have to find a way to always remind ourselves of what we have achieved so far because, as humans, and specifically in the entertainment industry, we seek new things, better things, bigger things, and that can sometimes be burdensome.
What does love mean to you today, and how has your understanding of it evolved as you’ve grown both personally and professionally?
Stevan: When I think of love, I immediately think of family. I am very close to my mom, my sister, and my niece, and they are my everything. As I previously mentioned, self-love is also something we all have to work on constantly.
Feeling loved or loving somebody can really open new perspectives, new POVs, and the feeling is just immaculate. Love cures anger, sadness, anxiety, and all this negative stuff that makes our lives harder.
That may sound very cliché, but honestly, only when you fall in love do you truly understand the power of it.
Since we’re speaking about matters of the heart, and knowing how curious fans can be, has anyone managed to steal your heart off-screen? Or is love something you’re letting unfold gently in its own time?
Stevan: Unfortunately, I have been single for a while now. Maybe it’s me, maybe I was just too focused on my career and trying to figure out my life, or maybe it just naturally didn’t happen. Some butterflies appear every now and then, but really nothing more than that.
I mentioned social media earlier and how huge of an impact it has on the industry and everyday life pretty much. Therefore, I believe this online life and its own dimension make it way more difficult to feel an honest and true human connection.
Well, these things can’t really be planned, so I hope love will hit me soon, soon 🙂
When you look ten years into the future Stevan, where do you see yourself, both in your career and in the life you hope to be living?
Stevan: To be as precise as possible, the best-case scenario would be me living and doing what I like successfully in LA and probably traveling to Belgrade and spending time with my family as much as I can. Maybe even having my own family, who knows! Haha.
Otherwise, splitting my time between LA, Bangkok, and Belgrade, maybe, while having some remote job and being able to travel the world and just live a comfortable life, being able to help and take care of my family, would also make me satisfied and happy.
To conclude, what message would you like to share with your fans, the people who believe in you, and the friends who’ve stood by you throughout your journey?
Stevan: To all the people that love and support me, and to everybody who wishes me success and wishes me well, I am sending you positive energy, and I hope it’s vice versa!
Believe in me and pray for me, and I promise I’ll do the same, hehe. I am a person with a lot of empathy and love to share, so we all should try to be better and nicer to each other and make the world a better place for all of us. 🙂
For all the borders, visas, and restarts behind him, Stevan speaks about his journey with remarkable openness. He calls himself someone “still on the way to becoming the man I want to be,” and he remains in touch with the ten-year-old inside him, the one he wants to remind to be brave, to love himself, and never to feel ashamed of being different. Success, for him, isn’t a single milestone. It’s doing what he loves, making a living from it, and remembering to stop long enough to appreciate how far he has come.
The next chapter points toward LA, with Belgrade and his family never far from his heart, and maybe, as he laughs, a family of his own someday. Until then, he’s sending out the same energy he hopes to receive: “I am a person with a lot of empathy and love to share, so we all should try to be better and nicer to each other and make the world a better place for all of us.”
Stevan Miladinovic’s Social Media:
Written by Engjell Hasula
Independent writer and interviewer. Editor of BODONY, an independent editorial featuring conversations and portraits of artists across creative industries.
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