Xena Zupanic

Xena Zupanic is a Croatian-born actress, performer, visual artist and multidisciplinary creator whose work exists at the intersection of cinema, theatre, fashion and contemporary art. Holding a degree in Philosophy and Art History from the University of Zadar, with formal training at the Academy of Dramatic Arts of Milano and the School of Film and Television in Zagreb, she has developed a unique artistic language where performance becomes a philosophical act of transformation.

A stranger to herself before being a stranger to the world, Xena embraces displacement as a creative force. Her performances are visceral explorations of identity, excess and metamorphosis—immersive rituals where the boundaries between performer and audience dissolve. For her, art is not simply self-transformation but the transformation of collective energy, turning every encounter into a shared act of creation.

Throughout a career spanning more than five decades, she has worked across film, television, theatre, fashion, music and visual arts. Her screen credits include Nirvana by Gabriele Salvatores alongside numerous independent and international productions, while her television work ranges from Croatian national broadcasting to iconic Italian shows with Piero Chiambretti, Fabio Fazio and Pippo Baudo. She has appeared in international campaigns for brands including Heineken, Philips, Ramazzotti, Sony PlayStation, Levi's, Diesel and Jägermeister, and collaborated with musicians such as Gianluca Grignani, Elio e le Storie Tese, Punkreas, Elodie and Santi Francesi.

As a theatre artist and director, Xena has created and performed original works presented across Europe, while her visual practice has been exhibited at institutions and festivals including the Venice Biennale, Museo MADRE, PAC Milano, MiArt and the Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb. Her work has also been featured in landmark exhibitions curated by the legendary Harald Szeemann, including Blood & Honey – Future's in the Balkans, positioning her within one of the most influential generations of contemporary Balkan artists.

Alongside her artistic practice, she co-founded Ludiialydis, an experimental cultural centre in Milan dedicated to theatre, interactive installations and interdisciplinary research, and has written, directed and produced numerous performances, films and video art projects presented internationally, including at the Cannes Film Festival. 

 Celebrated as a muse to the legendary photographer Helmut Newton, she has lent her striking image to a prestigious array of international photographers, including A. Springs, J.P. Witkin, G. Morganti, Edland Man, Romano Grozic, F. Scheichenbauer, F. Niccoli, F. Gianni, Gio Belli, T. Thorimbert, Andre Rau, Stephane Coutelle, and G. Barbieri. Her unmistakable theatricality has graced the runways for some of the world's most iconic designers and fashion events, walking for Lancetti, Alexander McQueen, Issey Miyake, Versace, Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix, Claude Montana, Moschino, Lorenzo Riva, P. Negrato, Soprani, Vivienne Westwood, Bordese, Fausto Puglisi, AleXandro Palumbo, Romeo Gigli, Tom Rebl, Coltorti, C. Burani, Naba, A. Zambelli, and M. Rambaldi.

Eclectic, intense and profoundly theatrical, Xena continues to blur the boundaries between acting, philosophy, fashion and performance art. Her work transforms mythology, ritual and the metaphysical into powerful contemporary experiences, bringing an unmistakable presence to every stage, screen and collaboration.