Perhaps best known for her appearances in two iconic James Bond films, Nadja Regin was born Nadežda Poderegin in Serbia in 1931. She was still a child when the chaos of World War II reached Eastern Europe, and she suffered a devastating loss when her father was killed during the Kraljevo massacre in 1941. Not long after, her mother relocated the family to Belgrade, where Nadja would later attend the Academy for Theatrical Arts. Interestingly, she had already made her film debut in The Factory Story (1949) before reaching that stage in her education.

Her breakthrough in Eastern European cinema came in 1954 when she starred in the Yugoslav-German co-production Das Haus an der Küste. From there, Nadja Regin became a familiar and beloved figure in her home region, appearing in well-received films such as Franziska (1957). Despite her success, she was eager for new opportunities and decided to move to London to explore a career in English-language film.

When she first arrived, she didn’t speak a word of English, but Nadja was determined to adapt. She immersed herself in W. Somerset Maugham’s novels, underlining unfamiliar words and studying their meanings. Her efforts paid off, and she made her English-language debut in the comedy Don’t Panic Chaps (1959). However, it was her role in the James Bond film From Russia with Love (1963) that truly elevated her international profile. Nadja Regin then appeared once more alongside Sean Connery—this time as a completely different character—in Goldfinger (1964), further cementing her place in cinematic history.

Following this period, she primarily focused on television work, making guest appearances on popular shows such as The Saint (ITV, 1962–69). By 1968, she had decided to step away from acting altogether. Nadja Regin then transitioned into behind-the-scenes roles, working as a top script reader for Rank Films and Hammer Films.

In the 1980s, she and her sister Jelena launched the successful publishing house Honeyglen Publishing, Ltd., marking yet another successful chapter in her life. Nadja Regin passed away in 2019 at the age of 87, leaving behind a legacy that spanned multiple industries and continents.