She was born in Magyarlóna, Kolozs County, Hungary (now Luna de Sus, Romania), to Lajos Kiss and Zsuzsanna Nagy.

From the start of her career, she displayed a natural acting style, exceptional dance skills, and a talent for performing comic roles.

In 1954, she joined the Madách Theatre, where she focused on dramatic roles, such as her acclaimed performance in Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children.

Her repertoire expanded during this time to include grotesque, tragicomic, and heroic dramatic roles, showcasing her extraordinary range and precision.

Her repertoire included Kálmán's Die Csárdásfürstin, Chekhov's Three Sisters, Molière's Les Femmes Savantes, Goodrich and Hackett's The Diary of Anne Frank, and Shaffer's Black Comedy.