Next

Background:

Sergej Trifunović is a favorite Serbian movie actor that has acted in Hollywood films like “Savior” (1998), “3 A.M.” (2001), “Love” (2005) and “War, Inc.” (2008, with John Cusack, Dan Aykroyd and Ben Kingsley). He is perhaps most recognized as Mr. White on the blockbuster thriller “Next” (2007), which starred Nicolas Cage. He is set to play a role in the forthcoming film “Serbian Scars” (2010), opposite Michael Madsen and Mark Dacascos.

Trifunović began his screen career in the early 1990s. He has since been a regular face in Serbian TV and films.

Trifunović is also a successful theater actor and a singer.

Mostar

Childhood and Family:

Sergej Trifunović was born on September 2, 1972, in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is the son of actor Tomislav Trifunovic and attorney Slobodanka. His younger brother, Branislav Trifunovic, also works in the industry as an actor. The Trifunovic family frequently moved during Sergej's youth. While living in Belgrade, he attended Belgrade Faculty of Dramatic Arts, along with Nataša Ninković, Nebojša Glogovac and Vojin Ćetković, who is also his close friend.

Love

Career:

Sergej Trifunović made his television debut in the based-on-novel “Raj” (1993). He made the leap into feature films two years later in the European comedy/drama “Someone Else's America,” directed by Goran Paskaljevic and starring Scottish actor Tom Conti. It was followed by roles in “Ubistvo s predumisljajem/ Premeditated Murder” (1995), “Strsljen/The Hornet” (1998) and “Bure baruta/ Cabaret Balkan” (1998). Trifunović made his Hollywood debut as Goran in “Savior,” 1998 war movie about an American mercenary escorting a Serbian woman and her newborn child to a United Nations safe zone during the Bosnian War. It was produced by Oliver Stone and starred Dennis Quaid, Stellan Skarsgård, Nastassja Kinski, and Nataša Ninković. The next year, he starred with French actress Élodie Bouchez on the French drama “Lovers,” helmed by Jean-Marc Barr.

In the new millennium, Trifunović played Rasha in “3 A.M.” (2001), a feature film directing debut of Spike Lee protege Lee Davis. Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 26, 2001 before its US release on July 1 of that year, the crime/mystery received several nominations at the 2002 Black Reel Awards, including Network/Cable - Best Film and Network/Cable - Best Director. List of costars included Danny Glover, Michelle Rodriguez, Aasif Mandvi, John Ortiz, and Pam Grier. He revisited the Yugoslavian cinema with the urban comedy “Munje!” (2001) and the small screen with work in

the telepics “Treci kanal od sunca” (2001) and “Ko ceka doceka” (2002). In 2003,Trifunović had a supporting role on “Profesionalac/The Professional,” an acclaimed black comedy directed by Dusan Kovacevic, who also wrote the script that was based on his own play, and had titie role in the Serbian TV series “Crni Gruja.”

2004 saw Trifunović star as Braca in the film “Kad porastem bicu Kengur/When I Grow Up, I'll Be a Kangaroo.” It was followed by work in “Pogled sa Ajfelovog tornja/A View from Eiffel Tower” (2005), but it was his portrayal of Vanya Nevakovich on writer/director Vladan Nikolic's “Love,” premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 21, 2005, that brought him back to the notice of American audiences. The next year, he costarred with Marko Bacovic in “Aporia,” directed and written by Aris Movsesijan, with Toni Gojanovic in the festival darling “Karaula,” with Rakan Rushaidat and Natasa Janjic in “Sve dzaba” and with Ivana Mihic in “Uslovna sloboda.”

Trifunović's profile in Hollywood increased when he was cast as in the famed supporting role of Mr. White on “Next” (2007), an action/thriller helmed by Lee Tamahori and starring Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore and Jessica Biel. Despite receiving mixed reviews, the film opened at No. 3 at the US box office and went on to gross a total of $18 million domestically and over $73 million worldwide. The same year, he also acted in the multiple award-winning short film “In the Name of the Son,” directed and written by Harun Mehmedinovic, and in the made-for-TV film “Maska,” an adaptation of Milos Crnjanski's play.

Trifunović worked with John Cusack, Hilary Duff, Marisa Tomei, Joan Cusack, Dan Aykroyd and Ben Kingsley in the political satire “War, Inc.,” debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 28, 2008, had a supporting role on the Goran Markovic-directed “Turneja/The Tour” (2008), which won recognition at the Montréal World Film Festival, Montpellier Mediterranean Film Festival and Thessaloniki Film Festival, and portrayed Ivan in the Canadian short “Vico” (2009). He played Boris in the TV series “Na terapiji” (2009).

The 37-year-old will have roles in the upcoming films “Mamarosh” (directed and written by Momcilo Mrdakovic), “Neke druge price” and “Srpski film” (helmed by Srdjan Spasojevic) (all 2009). He also will play Beni in “Serbian Scars” (2010), an American action/drama film from director Brent Huff. The film stars Vladimir Rajcic, Michael Madsen, Mark Dacascos and Steve Agnew.

Awards:
---