Theater enthusiasts recognize her for her natural acting style and sharp sense of humor, while music lovers cherish her timeless Makfest hits “Your Eyes, My Son” and “Emi.” Despite her outstanding musical talent and a powerful voice—an undeniable gift from her legendary musician parents, Panche and Nevena Kochovski of the band Magnifico—she never aspired to be a musician. Acting cast its spell on her during her high school days, and she never regretted following her dream of becoming an actress. Today, after countless premieres, sometimes performing in three shows a day and portraying a wide range of characters, she confidently states that even if she had ten lifes, she would still choose to be an actress and nothing else.

When her father found out she wanted to become an actress, he called Chorevski to see if she had any talent

“My parents would have been happiest if I had become a musician. But I didn’t want to. I have a piano at home, but it’s just there as decoration—I only know how to play two pieces. I’ve never had the passion for playing music. My mother and father both played the guitar. Many times, I would sit down with them to learn, but we’d end up arguing, and that was it. They found out I was going to enroll at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts at the last moment. I pursued it entirely on my own until my father, who was friends with Blagoja Chorevski, found out at the very last minute and called him: ‘Please, my child wants to go to the Faculty of Dramatic Arts. Can you come and see if she’s any good?’ He told him I was talented and could go ahead with the entrance exam. My parents didn’t interfere, but they weren’t exactly thrilled about it either. However, later, when they saw me perform in plays and went home with smiles on their faces, it was a completely different story,” Kochovska recalls.

An Actor Should Hone Their Craft in Children’s Theater Before Moving to Adults’ Theater

After graduating from university, she began her career at the Drama Theater in Skopje and later joined the Theater for Children and Youth (TDM). She spent 24 fruitful years there, becoming part of a team of actors who kept TDM at the top for years and were adored by children and young audiences alike. This accomplished and award-winning actress has now been part of the ensemble at the Macedonian National Theater (MNT) for seven years, performing with the same passion and dedication.

“If you stay young in spirit, you’ll remain youthful in any theater. My first director at the Drama Theater was Blagoja Chorevski. While working on my graduation performance, I was pregnant. Just two months after giving birth to my son, Aleksandar, I thought to myself, ‘Ah, everyone has forgotten about me; I’ll never perform again.’ No sooner had I said that Chorevski called me and asked if I planned to work, urging me to prepare and come to the theater right away. Within a month or two, I joined the Drama Theater. Later, when the Theater for Children and Youth opened, Chorevski pursued me for two years to join his team. After many years at TDM, I had the opportunity to perform in the play Chicago at MNT. The director at the time, Dejan Projkovski, said to me, ‘We need an actress here—someone a bit fuller, a comedian who can sing. That’s a rare combination. Would you consider transferring?’ I’ve been there ever since and feel absolutely fulfilled. For every actor, the rule stands: hone your craft in children’s plays, master the trade, and then transition to theater for adults,” Kochovska advises.

The Hardest Part Is When There Are No Rehearsals or Performances

After years on the theatrical stage and countless roles, she has never grown tired of acting. She says it’s her life.

“I’m always happy when I’m performing. When I’m not on stage, I don’t feel good or fulfilled. The hardest part for me is when there’s a pause—like when we don’t perform for a week or ten days. Even if I had ten lives, I’d still choose to be an actor and nothing else. Our work is unique. When I play a role, I think about it day and night. I want to dive deep into every detail. It’s a demanding job. I live with the character, and then it’s hard for me to step out of it. But over time, it becomes routine. That’s why they say we need early retirement benefits—because every day, we actors become someone else, a completely different person,” says Kochovska.

She Has Never Been Late

“Being late is something that can throw me completely off balance. It’s something I hate the most. I arrive at rehearsals an hour early, and for performances, I’m there three hours ahead of time. I need time to prepare, relax, take in the smell of the stage, review the script, and remind myself of what needs to be done,” the actress explains.

Acting is a demanding profession that requires complete dedication, even when you’re not feeling your best, facing personal challenges, or dealing with illness. Tanja recalls times when she would go to rehearsals or performances even after surgery. When her children were sick, she had to leave them at the hospital to attend rehearsals, only to return later or spend the night with them after a performance.

“I’ve never uttered a complaint, no matter how sick I was. The theater must not suffer. Unfortunately, this sense of commitment is not as common with the newer generations,” says Kochovska.

Endless Conversations About Theater with Her Husband

For Tanja, everything in her life seems to revolve around acting, including her marriage. She is married to actor Predrag Pavlovski, with whom she first performed at the Theater for Children and Youth (TDM) and now shares the stage at the Macedonian National Theater (MNT). Although she admits it’s not always ideal to have a life partner in the same profession, she acknowledges that much of their conversations revolve around theater.

“People often ask why we’re arguing, and I explain that we’re just discussing a play. When we sit down for coffee, we end up talking only about theater. We have plenty of other topics, but when it comes to theater, the conversations are endless—about roles, performances, and everything else,” Kochovska says.

She is a proud mother of two children: her son Aleksandar, who studies and works in the tourism industry, and her daughter Nela, who has followed in the footsteps of Tanja and Predrag to become an actress.

“Initially, she enrolled in Spanish and English studies at the Faculty of Philology, probably to avoid upsetting her father, who was more opposed to her becoming an actress. She made it to her final year there, but I could see she wasn’t happy. I put my foot down and said, ‘This is your life; you choose. You know how hard this profession is, how much work it takes, and how uncertain everything is. If you’re ready to face that, then study drama.’

She graduated in acting, and today she’s an actress performing in plays. We hope she’ll also secure a permanent position soon,” the proud mother shares.

Her Passion for Diving

In addition to music and acting, Kochovska also has a talent for gymnastics and a passion for diving. She continues to perform water dives even at her current age, delighting audiences with her agility and sharing occasional videos on social media.

“I used to train swimming and skiing. Although we don’t have diving opportunities here, it feels like something I’ve done my entire life. I can even do somersaults. At university, my professor for acrobatics and gymnastics invited me to assist him. As a high school student, I swam for my school, played handball, cycled, and every Saturday we’d ride to Leshok. I was deeply involved in sports, and I loved it—and I still do,” she shares.

Today, due to her busy schedule, she doesn’t have much time for herself, which frustrates her. However, she promises to find a way to become physically active again.

— Žaneta Zdravkovska