Olympia Dukakis

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Olympia Dukakis

Olympia Dukakis, July 2005
Born June 20, 1931 (1931-06-20) (age 79)
Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1962–present
Spouse Louis Zorich (1962-present)

Olympia Dukakis (born June 20, 1931) is an American actress. In 1987, she won an Academy Award, BAFTA, and a Golden Globe for her performance in Moonstruck. She received another Golden Globe nomination for Sinatra, and Emmy nominations for Lucky Day, More Tales of the City, and Joan of Arc.

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Personal life

Dukakis was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, the daughter of Alexandra (née Christos) and Constantine S. Dukakis. Her parents were Greek immigrants to the United States, her father from Anatolia and her mother from the Peloponnese.[1][2] She has a brother, Apollo, and is a cousin of Michael Dukakis, a 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.

Dukakis has been married to actor Louis Zorich since 1962. They have three children.

Career

Dukakis has held a lengthy career in a diverse range 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 (Frank's mother) 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 a BAFTA 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 spouse of two Alzheimers patients.

In 1998 she starred as Charlotte Kisko in the British TV drama A Life for a Life (ITV), based on the real-life story of Stefan Kisko, 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 2009 film Montana Amazon, co-starring Haley Joel Osment.

In 2011, Dukakis is set to guest-star on Law & Order: SVU. She will play the role of Debby Marsh, an attorney.[4]

Filmography

Year Film Role Other notes
1964 Lilith Patient uncredited
Twice a Man Young mother
1969 Stiletto Mrs. Amato, woman accepting perfume uncredited
John and Mary John's mother
1971 Made for Each Other Gig's Mother
1973 Sisters Louise Wilanski, Bakery Shop Employee #2 uncredited
1974 Death Wish Cop at the precinct uncredited
The Rehearsal
1979 Rich Kids Lawyer
The Wanderers Joey's Mom
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
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
1988 Working Girl Personnel Director
1989 Steel Magnolias Clairee Belcher
Look Who's Talking Rosie
Dad Bette Tremont
1990 Look Who's Talking Too Rosie
In the Spirit Sue
1992 Over the Hill Alma Harris
1993 Look Who's Talking Now Rosie
The Cemetery Club Doris Silverman
Digger Bea
1994 I Love Trouble Jeannie, Peter's Secretary
1995 Mr. Holland's Opus Principal Helen Jacobs
Mighty Aphrodite Jocasta
Jeffrey Mrs. Marcangelo
Dead Badge Dr. Doris Rice
Young at Heart Rose Garaventi
1996 Milk & Money Goneril Plogg
Jerusalem Mother (Mrs. Gordon)
Mother Mrs. Jay
1997 A Match Made in Heaven Helen Rosner
Picture Perfect Rita Mosley
1998 Better Living Nora
Jane Austen's Mafia! Sophia
The Pentagon Wars Madam Chairwoman
1999 Joan of Arc Mother Babette
2000 Brooklyn Sonnet Helen Manners
2003 Charlie's War Charlie
The Event Lila Nominated - Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated - Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress
2005 Whiskey School Ellen Haywood
3 Needles Hilde the Missionary Nun
The Thing About My Folks Muriel Kleinman
The Great New Wonderful Judy Hillerman segment "Judy's Story"
The Intended Erina
2006 Day on Fire Dr. Mary Wade
Away from Her Marian
Jesus, Mary and Joey Sophia Vitello
2007 In the Land of Women Phyllis
2008 Poor Things
The Price of Art Esther pre-production
2011 Montana Amazon Ira post-production

References

External links

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