Olympia Dukakis (born June 20, 1931) is a Greek American actress. She started her career in theater, and won an Obie Award for Best Actress in 1963 for her Off-Broadway performance in Bertolt Brecht's Man Equals Man. She later transitioned to film acting, and in 1987, she won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA nomination for her performance in Moonstruck. She received another Golden Globe nomination for Sinatra, and Emmy Award nominations for Lucky Day, More Tales of the City, and Joan of Arc.
Early life[]
Dukakis was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, the daughter of Alexandra (néeChristos) and Constantine S. Dukakis. Her parents were Greek emigrants, her father originally from Anatolia and her mother from the Peloponnese.[1][2] She has a brother named Apollo and is a cousin of Michael Dukakis, former Governor of Massachusetts and the Democratic nominee for President in 1988, for whom she was a delegate from New Jersey at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. She is an alumna of Arlington High School in Arlington, Massachusetts, and was educated at Boston University.
Career[]
Dukakis has appeared in a number of films, including Steel Magnolias, Mr. Holland's Opus, Jane Austen's Mafia!, The Thing About My Folks, and Moonstruck, for which she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. She also played the role of Anna Madrigal in the Tales of the City television mini-series, which garnered her an Emmy Award nomination, and appeared on Search for Tomorrow as Dr. Barbara Moreno, who romanced Stu Bergman. She appears as Dolly Sinatra in the mini-series of Frank Sinatra's life (1992). Her Broadway theatre credits include Who's Who in Hell, Social Security, and the one-woman play Rose. Her theater, film, and television work has also won her an Obie Award, a Drama Desk Award, a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, and a Golden Globe.
Dukakis won Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Moonstruck and was nominated for the Canadian Academy Award for The Event. She provided the voice of Grandpa's love interest for The Simpsons episode "The Old Man and the Key". In 2003, Dukakis published her national bestselling autobiography Ask Me Again Tomorrow: A Life in Progress. Recent films include 3 Needles, The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines, In the Land of Women, and Away From Her, the 2006 film which cast her alongside Gordon Pinsent as the spouses of two Alzheimerspatients.
In 1998, she starred as Charlotte Kiszko in the British TV drama A Life for a Life (ITV), based on the real-life story of Stefan Kiszko, a man wrongfully imprisoned for seventeen years for the murder of a child, Lesley Molseed, after police suppressed evidence of his innocence.
She recently directed the world premiere production of Todd Logan's Botanic Garden at Victory Gardens Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.[3]
In the 2008 season of Hartford Stage, Dukakis starred in the revival of Tennessee Williams' The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore, opposite Kevin Anderson.
In 2008, Dukakis also co-adapted and starred in the world-premiere of Another Side of the Island, based on Shakespeare's The Tempest, at Alpine Theatre Project in Whitefish, Montana.
She starred in and executive-produced the 2013 film Montana Amazon, co-starring Haley Joel Osment.
In 2011, Dukakis guest-starred on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She played the role of Debby Marsh, an attorney.[4]
On May 24, 2013, she was honored with the 2,498th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6233 Hollywood Boulevard, in the category of Live Theater.
2018 Olympia Dukakis stars in Eleftheromania, and follows an Auschwitz survivor as she recites a true story about a group from the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp.
Personal life[]
Dukakis was married to actor Louis Zorich from 1962 until his death on January 30, 2018. They have three children. She is the cousin of Michael Dukakis, the 1988 Democratic nominee for president.[5]
Filmography[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Twice a Man | Young mother | |
| 1964 | Lilith | Patient | Uncredited role |
| 1969 | Stiletto | Mrs. Amato | Uncredited role |
| 1969 | John and Mary | John's mother | |
| 1971 | Made for Each Other | Mrs. Panimba | |
| 1973 | Sisters | Louise Wilanski | Uncredited role |
| 1974 | Death Wish | Cop at the precinct | Uncredited role |
| 1974 | The Rehearsal | ||
| 1979 | The Wanderers | Joey's Mom | |
| 1979 | Rich Kids | Lawyer | |
| 1980 | The Idolmaker | Mrs. Vacarri | |
| 1982 | National Lampoon Goes to the Movies | Helena Naxos | Segment: "Success Wanters" |
| 1985 | Walls of Glass | Mary Flanagan | |
| 1987 | Moonstruck | Rose Castorini | Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Female Performer – Motion Picture or TV |
| 1988 | Working Girl | Personnel Director | |
| 1989 | Look Who's Talking | Rosie | |
| 1989 | Steel Magnolias | Clairee Belcher | Nominated – American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture |
| 1989 | Dad | Bette Tremont | |
| 1990 | In the Spirit | Sue | |
| 1990 | Look Who's Talking Too | Rosie | |
| 1992 | Over the Hill | Alma Harris | |
| 1993 | The Cemetery Club | Doris Silverman | |
| 1993 | Digger | Bea | |
| 1993 | Look Who's Talking Now | Rosie | |
| 1994 | Dead Badge | Dr. Doris Rice | |
| 1994 | The Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult | Herself | Uncredited role |
| 1994 | I Love Trouble | Jeannie | |
| 1995 | Jeffrey | Mrs. Marcangelo | |
| 1995 | Mighty Aphrodite | Jocasta | |
| 1995 | Mr. Holland's Opus | Principal Helen Jacobs | |
| 1996 | Mother | Mrs. Jay | |
| 1996 | Jerusalem | Mrs. Gordon | |
| 1996 | Milk & Money | Goneril Plogg | |
| 1997 | Balkan Island: The Last Story of the Century | Mother | |
| 1997 | Picture Perfect | Rita Mosley | |
| 1998 | Mafia! | Sophia Cortino | |
| 1998 | Better Living | Nora | |
| 2000 | Brooklyn Sonnet | Helen Manners | |
| 2002 | The Intended | Erina | |
| 2003 | The Event | Lila | Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film Nominated – Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role |
| 2003 | Charlie's War | Charlie | |
| 2005 | The Great New Wonderful | Judy Hillerman | Segment: "Judy's Story" |
| 2005 | The Thing About My Folks | Muriel Kleinman | |
| 2005 | 3 Needles | Hilde | |
| 2005 | Whiskey School | Ellen Haywood | |
| 2005 | Jesus, Mary and Joey | Sophia Vitello | |
| 2006 | Away from Her | Marian | |
| 2006 | Day on Fire | Dr. Mary Wade | |
| 2006 | Upside Out | Dr. Walker | |
| 2007 | In the Land of Women | Phyllis | |
| 2011 | Cloudburst | Stella | Nominated – Seattle International Film Festival Award for Best Actress |
| 2011 | Outliving Emily | Emily Hanratty | Short film |
| 2013 | Montana Amazon | Ira Dunderhead | Also executive producer |
| 2013 | The Last Keepers | Rosmarie Carver | |
| 2013 | A Little Game | YaYa | |
| 2015 | 7 Chinese Brothers | Grandma | |
| 2015 | Emily & Tim | Emily | Segment: "6" |
| 2016 | The Infiltrator | Aunt Vicky | |
| 2016 | Broken Links | Arlene | |
| 2016 | Change in the Air | Margaret Lemke | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Search for Tomorrow | Dr. Barbara Moreno | Television series |
| 1962 | The Nurses | Ioana Chiriac | Episode: "Frieda" |
| 1962 | Dr. Kildare | Anna Nieves | Episode: "The Legacy" |
| 1974 | Nicky's World | Irene Kaminios | Television film |
| 1975 | Great Performances | Pauline | Episode: "The Seagull" |
| 1977 | The Andros Targets | Marina Angelis | Episode: "The Beast of Athens" |
| 1980 | FDR: The Final Years | Television film | |
| 1980 | Breaking Away | Episode: "The Cutters" | |
| 1982 | American Playhouse | Mama Nicola | Episode: "King of America" |
| 1982 | One of the Boys | Professor | Episode: "His Cheatin' Heart" |
| 1982 | The Neighborhood | Mrs. St. Paul | Television film |
| 1986 | The Equalizer | Judge Paula G. Walsh | Episode: "Shades of Darkness" |
| 1991 | Lucky Day | Katherine Campbell | Television film Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie |
| 1991 | The General Motors Playwrights Theater | Laura Cunningham | Episode: "The Last Act Is a Solo" |
| 1991 | Fire in the Dark | Emily Miller | Television film |
| 1992 | Sinatra | Dolly Sinatra | Television miniseries 4 episodes |
| 1993 | Tales of the City | Anna Madrigal | Television miniseries 6 episodes |
| 1995 | Young at Heart | Rose Garaventi | Television film |
| 1996 | Touched by an Angel | Clara | Episode: "A Joyful Noise" |
| 1997 | Heaven Will Wait | Diana | Television film |
| 1997 | A Match Made in Heaven | Helen Rosner | Television film |
| 1998 | Scattering Dad | Molly | Television film |
| 1998 | The Pentagon Wars | Madam Chairwoman | Television film |
| 1998 | More Tales of the City | Anna Madrigal | Television miniseries 6 episodes |
| 1998 | A Life for a Life | Charlotte Kiszko | Television film |
| 1999 | Joan of Arc | Mother Babette | Television miniseries 3 episodes |
| 2000 | The Last of the Blonde Bombshells | Dinah | Television film |
| 2001 | And Never Let Her Go | Marguerite Capano | Television film |
| 2001 | Ladies and the Champ | Sara Stevens | Television film |
| 2001 | Further Tales of the City | Anna Madrigal | Television miniseries 3 episodes |
| 2001 | My Beautiful Son | Esther Lipman | Television film |
| 2002 | Guilty Hearts | Amanda Patterson | Television film |
| 2002 | The Simpsons | Zelda | Voice role Episode: "The Old Man and the Key" |
| 2002 | Frasier | Caller #3 | Voice role Episode: "Frasier Has Spokane" |
| 2003 | Mafia Doctor | Rose | Television film |
| 2003 | It's All Relative | Coleen O'Neil | Episode: "Thanks, But No Thanks" |
| 2004 | The Librarian: Quest for the Spear | Margie Carsen | Television film |
| 2004–2005 | Center of the Universe | Marge Barnett | 12 episodes |
| 2006 | Numbers | Charlotte Yates | Episode: "Hot Shot" |
| 2006 | The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines | Margie Carsen | Television film |
| 2008 | Worst Week | June | Episodes: "The Ring", "The Wedding" |
| 2010–2011 | Bored to Death | Belinda | 4 episodes |
| 2011 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Debby Marsh | Episode: "Pop" |
| 2013 | The Christmas Spirit | Gwen Hollander | Television film |
| 2013–2015 | Sex & Violence | Alex Mandalakis | Television miniseries Also executive producer |
| 2013–2015 | Forgive Me | Novalea | 9 episodes |
| 2013 | Mike & Molly | Narrator on TV | Episode: "The Princess and the Troll" |
| 2014 | F to 7th | Marie | Television series Episode: "Down to Zero" |
| 2014 | Big Driver | Doreen | Television film |
| 2016 | TripTank | Ma / Caller | Voice role 4 episodes |