Carolin Bacic: The Private Life of Steve Bacic’s Wife

Carolin Bacic was the wife of Canadian actor Steve Bacic, known for his roles in Andromeda, X2: X-Men United, and the Netflix series Julie and the Phantoms. She passed away on January 3, 2019, at the age of 53. The cause of her death was never made public.

Carolin was not a public figure. She and Steve had three children together — Emma, Steven, and Lily. Beyond these facts, very little is publicly known about her life, a reflection of the deliberate boundary the Bacic family maintained between their private world and Steve’s career in entertainment.

Who Is Steve Bacic?

To understand Carolin’s life, it helps to understand the world she was part of.

Steve Bacic is a Croatian-Canadian actor with over 160 acting credits spanning nearly three decades. His name is pronounced “BAY-sik.” Based in Vancouver, he has built a career across sci-fi, drama, and Hallmark productions, working alongside actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Anthony Hopkins, and Julia Roberts.

Early Life — From Croatia to Canada

Steve Bacic was born in Lisičić, a village in Croatia, on March 13, 1965. He was raised in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, in the Drouillard Road area. He attended Walkerville Collegiate and went on to study Human Kinetics at the University of Windsor, graduating with an honors degree in kinesiology and a minor in math.

Acting was never his first career choice. He wanted to work in professional sports — as a coach or physical therapist. After college, he worked at a factory, then started his own car refurbishing business. By 25, he owned two houses and a new car.

“I was a bit of an entrepreneur, but it just didn’t feel right. One day I began thinking, ‘Is this it? What’s next?’ I knew then that I wanted to do something more with my life,” he recalled.

The Road Trip That Changed Everything

A road trip with friends to Vancouver — a major filming hub — sparked his interest in acting. He returned home, and a year later relocated to Vancouver to take acting classes. While working as a waiter to support himself, he befriended actor Ethan Hawke, who helped him get his first work as a background extra.

“I was a waiter and Ethan would come in and hang out with his tutors, he was just a kid, and basically he got me in as an extra or background player. But man was I excited!” Bacic told Grazia magazine.

Soon after, he read for a bit part in the fifth season of 21 Jump Street but landed the lead guest-starring role instead — the largest role ever given to a Canadian on the show at that time. That role launched his career.

Career Highlights

Beyond acting, he has also worked as a writer, editor, director, and executive producer on his own projects. In recent years, he has started teaching young actors in Vancouver.

Their Marriage and Family Life

Meeting and Early Years

Carolin and Steve reportedly met through mutual connections in Vancouver. The exact year is unclear — some sources place their meeting in 1998, though their eldest daughter Emma was reportedly born in February of that year, suggesting the relationship began earlier.

What is known is that the marriage lasted over two decades. Steve Bacic consistently refused to discuss his family in interviews. His position was direct: he was the one in showbiz, not his wife and kids.

“I’m the one in the business and not my kids,” he told Grazia magazine, explaining why he kept his family out of the spotlight.

Their Three Children

• Emma Bacic — born February 14, 1998. The eldest, she reportedly took on a protective role for her siblings after her mother’s death.
• Steven Bacic — born August 21, 1999. He has maintained a private life.
• Lily Bacic — born August 23, 2005. The youngest, she has shared some details about her family and her mother’s memory through social media.

All three were raised with privacy as a priority — a decision that came from both parents.

Carolin Bacic’s Career

Before focusing on family life, Carolin Bacic worked as a client care professional — a role that suggests a service-oriented, people-focused personality. Beyond this, no further career details have been made public.

Carolin Bacic’s Death

Carolin Bacic passed away on January 3, 2019. She was 53 years old.

The cause of her death has not been disclosed publicly. The news became known primarily through her youngest daughter Lily’s Instagram page — consistent with how guarded the family remained, even in grief.

Steve Bacic has not made public statements about her death in interviews. At the time of her passing, their children were 20, 19, and 13 years old.

Life After Loss

Steve Bacic returned to work in the years following Carolin’s death. In 2020, he appeared as a series regular in the Netflix show Julie and the Phantoms. He has continued taking on roles across television and film.

By 2020, he was reportedly in a relationship with actress and model Shanae Tomasevich. His children have been seen spending time with him and his partner. No further details about this relationship have been confirmed by Steve or his family.

Why Privacy Mattered to the Bacic Family

In an industry where partners and children are routinely pulled into media cycles, the Bacic family’s approach was consistent and unusual. Over nearly three decades of interviews, Steve kept his family off-limits. That boundary persisted after Carolin’s death — no public memorial, no media statements, no magazine features about loss or grief.

None of the three children has sought public attention since their mother’s passing. That pattern didn’t happen by chance. The privacy was a shared value between Carolin and Steve, maintained deliberately throughout their marriage and beyond.

Key Dates

FAQs

When did Carolin Bacic die?

Carolin Bacic died on January 3, 2019, at the age of 53. The cause of death has not been made public.

How many children did Carolin and Steve Bacic have?

Three: Emma (born February 14, 1998), Steven (born August 21, 1999), and Lily (born August 23, 2005).

What was Carolin Bacic’s profession?

She worked as a client care professional before focusing on family life.

Where was Steve Bacic born?

Steve Bacic was born in Lisičić, Croatia, and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

How is Steve Bacic’s surname pronounced?

“BAY-sik.”

Is Steve Bacic in a new relationship?

As of 2020, Steve Bacic was reportedly dating actress and model Shanae Tomasevich. No updates beyond this have been confirmed publicly.

Why is there so little information about Carolin Bacic?

She chose privacy throughout her life. Her husband supported that choice by keeping his family out of interviews and media coverage. That boundary has been respected publicly, including after her death.