Life & Work with Goran Milev of Santa Monica

Today we’d like to introduce you to Goran Milev.

Hi Goran, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My story began long before Hollywood.

I was born and raised in Serbia, then part of the former Yugoslavia, where I discovered my passion for acting at an early age. I made my stage debut at sixteen and eventually spent eight years studying acting, first at a School of Theatre Arts and later at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, where I earned my degree in 1993.

Before coming to the United States, I worked professionally as an actor in more than fifty stage productions and appeared in numerous television and film projects throughout the former Yugoslavia. My career began at the National Theatre in my hometown and later took me to the Belgrade Drama Theatre, where I had the opportunity to perform both classical and contemporary roles.

My first chapter in America began in Chicago. There I continued acting, directing, teaching, and producing theatre productions, eventually co-founding Moving Stories Theatre, a company dedicated to bringing acclaimed European plays to American audiences. Teaching actors became an important part of my creative journey, one that continues today alongside my work in film and television.

In 2010, I moved to Los Angeles. Like many people who arrive here, I came with dreams of building a career in film and television. Over time, I realized that if I wanted to tell the stories I believed in, I would have to create opportunities rather than wait for them. That realization led me to establish GM Films and expand my work into producing, directing, development, distribution, and entrepreneurship.

Around that time, my daughter Sofia was born, and becoming a father gave me a new perspective on life and my career. It inspired me to create opportunities rather than wait for them.

Over the years, I have produced documentaries, music videos, commercial projects, and independent films while continuing to pursue acting. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I launched Cinesomnia, a platform dedicated to helping independent filmmakers connect with audiences around the world.

More recently, my focus has expanded toward larger-scale film development, particularly in the action and thriller genres. One of the most significant recent chapters of my career has been my involvement with Sleep No More – Director’s Cut, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024 and features Rebecca Romijn, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, and Tobin Bell.

Looking back, my journey has taken me from theatre stages in Belgrade to Chicago storefront productions, Los Angeles film sets, documentary filmmaking, entrepreneurship, and international film development. It has been anything but predictable, but storytelling has remained the constant throughout it all.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. Like most creative careers, mine has been filled with unexpected turns, setbacks, and reinventions.

Immigrating to the United States meant starting over professionally in many ways. Even with years of acting experience behind me, I quickly learned that every market is different and that opportunities rarely arrive as quickly as you hope. There were many moments when I questioned whether I was on the right path.

The COVID-19 pandemic was another major challenge. Like millions of people around the world, I watched projects stop overnight, productions shut down, and uncertainty take over the industry. Several opportunities disappeared, and I lost much of the financial independence I had worked hard to build. As an immigrant, I understood that reinvention is often part of the journey, and I seriously considered different directions for my future.

The biggest lesson I have learned is that success is rarely a straight line. Every setback taught me something valuable, and many opportunities emerged from moments that initially felt like failures. Looking back, the difficult periods were often the ones that pushed me toward the next chapter of my career.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At my core, I am an actor. That is where everything began, and it remains the foundation of how I approach every creative project.

Over the years, that passion naturally expanded into directing, producing, teaching, film development, distribution, entrepreneurship, and even music, but acting has always remained at the heart of everything I do.

My acting career has included more than fifty stage productions, numerous television appearances, and film roles in both Serbia and the United States. Some of my most memorable stage performances include Prometheus in Prometheus Bound, Creon in Antigone, Treplev in The Seagull, Eddie in Sam Shepard’s Fool for Love, and Don Juan in The Return of Don Juan. On screen, I have appeared in films such as Natasha (Natasa), Ivko’s Feast (Ivkova Slava), Fire and Nothing (Vatra i Ništa), Periods of Rain, Revolution, and I’m Ready to Change, among others. These experiences allowed me to explore a wide range of characters while developing a deep respect for storytelling through performance.

Even today, while developing film projects and working behind the camera, I continue pursuing acting opportunities. I miss the theatre stage, and I look forward to returning to larger film and television roles. Acting is not something I used to do—it remains an essential part of who I am.

Teaching has also become an important part of my creative journey. For more than a decade, I have worked with actors in both institutional and independent settings, including my work with Moving Stories Theatre in Chicago and through private coaching in the United States and internationally. Teaching has also made me a better actor because every class reminds me that the craft is a lifelong process of learning and discovery.

Over time, my work expanded beyond acting into directing, producing, film development, distribution, and entrepreneurship. I have worked across theatre, feature films, documentaries, music projects, and digital platforms, and I continue developing projects in collaboration with filmmakers throughout the United States, Europe, and beyond.

What sets me apart is that I have experienced the industry from multiple perspectives. I understand the creative process as an actor and storyteller, but I also understand the business realities of production, financing, distribution, and audience engagement. That combination allows me to approach projects with both artistic instinct and practical understanding.

I am particularly proud of building a career across different countries, cultures, and creative disciplines—from performing on theatre stages in Belgrade to directing productions in Chicago and developing international film projects in Los Angeles.

Along the way, I have been fortunate to collaborate with remarkable people whose work I admired long before meeting them. Being involved with Sleep No More – Director’s Cut, directed by Antonia Bogdanovich, and having the opportunity to get to know the legendary filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich was especially meaningful, both professionally and personally. My collaboration with Antonia developed into a genuine friendship and expanded into additional creative projects. Experiences like these reaffirm my belief that filmmaking is ultimately built on relationships, trust, and a shared creative vision.

I was also fortunate to know writer and producer Roberto Orci, whose work on Star Trek, Mission Impossible, and Transformers inspired audiences around the world. Although our time together was brief, his perspective and encouragement left a lasting impression on me. Today, following Roberto Orci’s passing after a short illness, I continue collaborating on projects that grew out of the creative relationships we built. Those experiences reinforced something I have always believed: meaningful opportunities often begin with simple conversations and a shared passion for storytelling.

I am also proud of supporting the growth of younger professionals. Several interns who began on my productions have gone on to successful careers at major studios and production companies. Watching talented people grow and succeed remains one of the most rewarding aspects of my work.

Most importantly, I have stayed true to the reason I entered this industry: storytelling. Whether I am acting, producing, directing, teaching, or developing projects, the goal remains the same—to create meaningful work that connects with audiences.

Alongside film, I have maintained a strong connection to music as another form of storytelling. My album Artwork is available on major streaming platforms, including Spotify, and I am currently working on new material. Music allows me to express emotion and narrative in a different form, but with the same creative purpose.

At one point, I had a brief but meaningful conversation with Roberto Orci. I jokingly mentioned that I might be too old to start a music career. He simply smiled and said, “It’s never too late.”

That moment stayed with me.

If there is one lesson I carry through everything I do, it is exactly that: it’s never too late. In creative work, timing is fluid, and the path is rarely linear. What matters is continuing to create, to evolve, and to remain open to whatever comes next.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One of my favorite childhood memories is something very simple.

Every Sunday, my parents, my brother, my sister, and I would gather at home to watch movies together. We watched everything we could—Westerns, adventure films, comedies, and domestic productions from Yugoslavia. For a few hours, we were completely immersed in those stories and characters.

What made it even more special was what happened afterward. Once the movie ended, we would run outside with our friends and spend the rest of the day pretending to be the characters we had just watched. We created our own adventures, invented stories, and turned ordinary childhood games into something much bigger through our imagination.

Looking back, I realize those moments had a profound impact on me. Long before I stepped onto a stage or studied acting professionally, I was already fascinated by storytelling and performance. Those Sunday movie afternoons were probably the beginning of my lifelong obsession with acting, film, and the power of imagination.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.goranmilev.com,
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goran.milev
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoranMilevOfficial
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GoranMilevActor
• Yelp: https://www.thegmfilms.com
• Soundcloud: https://music.amazon.com/artists/B0BL5127MC/goran-milev
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1102021

Image Credits
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