Greek Australians (Greek: , Ellinoafstrali) are Australians of Greek ancestry. He is an actor and producer, known for That's My Boy (2012), The One (2001) and All the Right Moves (1983). [citation needed], After the changes in Greece from the mid 1970s, including the fall of the Papadopoulos regime in 1974 and the formal inclusion of Greece into the European Union, Greek immigration to Australia has slowed since the 1971 peak of 160,200 arrivals. Jonathan Aspropotamitis. Australians needed no introduction to Greek culture when Acropolis Now first aired in 1989. search. He is an actor, known for Saw V (2008), Virtuosity (1995) and Saw VI (2009). During these outbursts, Greek shops and Greek cafs were badly damaged or destroyed, with the worst rioting occurring in Kalgoorlie and Boulder. He is an actor and producer, known for Crazy Rich Asians (2018), Palm Springs (2020) and Charlie's Angels (2019). Upon relocating to Los Angeles with his family, Baker was immediately cast in the Academy Award winning film L.A. Famous for Wolf Creek, though a hard worker none the less. Nicole Kidman. A Brooklyn native, Vasi signed to Ford Models at the age of 12. Wonderful actress, who knows how good she can get? The family settled in Victoria and at the age of 16 she began studying law and commerce at Monash University. Greek is the seventh most commonly spoken language in Australia after English, Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Italian. No, it was Rush when he starred alongside Daniel Bruhl which has him on the list, could be higher and im sure he will never stop improving. Her family then relocated to New York City Long a vital, respected thespian of the classic and contemporary stage, this grand lady did not become a household name and sought-after film actress until age 56 when she turned in a glorious, Oscar-winning performance as Cher's sardonic mother in the romantic comedy Moonstruck (1987). Hugh Michael Jackman is an Australian actor, singer, multi-instrumentalist, dancer and producer. He is also a singer, songwriter and a dancer. His films include Blue Lagoon: The Awakening (2012), Oculus (2013), Maleficent (2014), and The Giver (2014). Aussies such as Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman, singing and acting legend Olivia Newton-John and actor, singer, dancer and all-round good guy Hugh Jackman have long been household names worldwide for their talent, abilities and that affable, down-to-earth quality that comes from growing up . Peter Andrikidis. He was previously married to Bunny Gibson and June Salter. Geoffry Rush rose to fame after his terrific performance in Shine, where he won an Oscar. You'd never guess the star of films like Memento and Lawless was raised just 50 miles west of Melbourne in the city of Geelong. In the early 2010s, there has been an increase of Greek immigration flows to Australia due to unemployment, among other issues, because of the economic crisis in Greece. He is an actor, known for Nitram (2021), The Power of the Dog (2021) and Puberty Blues (2012). The recipient of many awards, she has several Golden Globes, Emmys, and a Cannes Film Festival Special Award under her belt. Suave and handsome Australian actor arrived in Hollywood in the 1950s, and built himself up from a supporting actor into taking the lead in several well-remembered movies. (2001) and Australia (2008). He can play serious, comic, action star or villian and with still lots to prove i wouldn't be surprised if he won many awards in the future. Manuel Aroney. Betty White who passed away in December 2021 was another celebrity of Greek descent. Brummer, who starred as "heart-throb" Shane . Davis was educated at Loreto Convent and the Western Institute of Technology and graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 1977. Edit: More on the big screen- not on silly once off tv shows, he's becoming a presenter. Wendy Hughes was an accomplished actress who had won over 13 major awards. [citation needed] Yet, as the economic crisis in Greece grew, the opportunities for temporary resident Greek Australians abroad were limited. As the founder of the uber-successful 'Rockpool' empire, Neil Perry is one of the country's most influential chefs to-date. Greek Australian christening party, at Bondi Beach 1946. Stephen Curry is an Australian comedian and actor who has appeared in many television drama and comedy series, and feature films. This page was last edited on 29 April 2023, at 10:24. The 2021 census showed that the following states had the largest numbers of people nominating Greek ancestry: Victoria (181,184), New South Wales (141,627), South Australia (40,704), Queensland (32,702), Western Australia (16,117). Her family lived in Switzerland, Melbourne, Jabiru, a small mining town in the Northern Territory, and Cairns, Australia. Continues to command roles from every angle. He was nominated 3 times for Best Actor at the Academy Awards, winning once for Gladiator. Anna was elected Miss Volcano at age fifteen after she was discovered going wild on a dance floor in Volcano Island where she Jasmine Cephas Jones originated the roles of 'Peggy Schuyler' and 'Maria Reynolds' in the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit Hamilton an American Musical. Both his parents are of Greek descent. The youngest of five children, he grew up in Deepdene in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. He is best known for his recurring role as Rafi in the FX comedy series The League, and as one of the three co-hosts of the podcast How Did This Get Made? Plato's name is synonymous with ancient philosophy- he is one of the most popular philosophers that was under the tutelage of Socrates. Im tipping a mini comeback in the next couple of years. He has been the recipient of the top Australian television accolade, the coveted Gold Logie, and his stage production of Grease held the U.K. West End all-time box office record from 1993 Portia de Rossi was born and raised in Geelong, Australia. Very well may crack top 20 one dayone decade. [15], According to census data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2016, 91.4% of Australians with Greek ancestry are Christian, mainly Eastern Orthodox, however minorities who belong to different Christian denominations like Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses and Pentecostals also exist. Yes its that guy, a small surprise to have him this low or even on the list, well check out his recent filmography and you see he's broken into hollywood. Tony Orlando was born on April 3, 1944 in New York City, New York, USA. She was born in Adelaide, South Australia, to Kevin Palmer, an investor, and Paula Sanders, a former missionary and nurse. Joel went to Hills Grammar School in the Western Suburbs One of the many rising stars in Hollywood from down under. [citation needed] During these decades, Greeks began to establish their own restaurants, Hellenic Community Clubs, and Greek-Australian soccer clubs. He was born in London in 1916 and went to live in Sydney, Australia, at the age of ten. The top actress to come out of Australia. The King, more of a presenter than actor but would do wonders if alive today. A list of famous ancent and modern Greek people, philosophers, musicians, actors, including Greek-American actors and celebrities of Greek descent. Claudia Karvan is one of Australia's most recognized actresses, having achieved popular success and critical acclaim through her work in film and television.Having begun work at 14, Karvan has an extensive filmography. Confidential (1997). When hunky, twenty-year-old heart-throb Heath Ledger first came to the attention of the public in 1999, it was all too easy to tag him as a "pretty boy" and an actor of little depth. [18] In 1957, Hellenic/Greek language newspaper Neos Kosmos was founded by Dimitri Gogos, Bill Stefanou and Alekos Doukas, the latter also being an exceptionally well known author. Her mother, Zenobia "Jeanne" (ne Xenakes) was born in Piraeus, Athens and migrated to the USA as a young girl. He has starred in the Insidious film series, the critically acclaimed crime drama The Mule (2014), Oscar winner Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) and the Peabody recipient season of Fargo (2015), among st many others. Bruce's family were winemakers, and he worked in the family winery from a very tender age, later attending Henderson High School Another one of those Aussies who was born in that little country nearby. List of famous people from Canberra, including photos when available. Within Australia, the Greek immigrants have been "extremely well organised socially and politically", with approximately 600 Greek organisations in the country by 1973, and immigrants have strived to maintain their faith and cultural identity. Rebel Wilson. She discovered dance at the age of nine and Melina Eleni Kanakaredes was born in Akron, Ohio, to Connie (Temo), who owned a candy company, and Harry Kanakaredes, an insurance salesman. The most famous and successful Australian celebrities including Nicole Kidman, Miranda Kerr and Rose Byrne. He is married to Was on the cusp of really breaking in to the A-list at Hollywood after appearances in Moulin Rouge, Mission Impossible 2 and Van Helsing. Australian actor Hugh Jackman's Hollywood debut in the film X-Men made him a transatlantic actor and he went on to do the X-Men film series from 2000 to 2018. (ABC News: Rebecca Kemp)If you or anyone you know needs help: Lifeline on 13 11 14; Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800; Suicide Call Back . In his late teens Perhaps the first Aussie to break into Hollywood, with his energy and handsome looks, he was destined for stardom. Some of his other prominent films are Kate & Leopold, Les Misrables, The Greatest Showman, The Prestige and Australia. [citation needed] Greeks often worked in the canefields in North Queensland and moved to Darwin during the dry season to work in the pearling industry. The flow of migrants from Greece increased slightly in 2015 due to the economic crisis in Greece,[2] with Australia as one of the main destinations for departing Greeks, mainly to Melbourne, where the Greek Australian community is most deeply established. A leading man with both strong dramatic range and ample comic timing, Lachy Hulme broke into movies by writing Canadian action/drama Men with Guns (1997), a bloody tale of friendship and revenge directed by Kari Skogland. Hugo Wallace Weaving was born on April 4, 1960 in Nigeria, to English parents Anne (Lennard), a tour guide and teacher, and Wallace Weaving, a seismologist. . Miranda Otto is an Australian actress. Alexakis, Effy and Janiszewski, Leonard (2013). Christopher "Chris" Hemsworth was born on August 11, 1983 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to Leonie Hemsworth (ne van Os), an English teacher & Craig Hemsworth, a social-services counselor. He is an actor, known for Darkman (1990), Water Rats (1996) and Malcolm (1986). She was previously married to Christian Alexander is best known for his role as Kiefer Bauer on the American daytime drama General Hospital, on which he appeared from 2009 to 2015. Eric Bana was born Eric Banadinovic on August 9, 1968, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Her mother, Sarie Kessler, is a physiotherapist, and her father, is Doug Robbie. An icon of the Australian screen, Sigrid Thornton has starred in many of the films now regarded as classics of the Australian cinema. Those of Kastellorizian descent living in Australia now refer to themselves as 'Kazzies,' and have maintained a strong and unique community. In recent years she appeared in Hereditary and Knives Out confirming a top 3 position on this list. Scolari died of cancer the morning of Oct. 22, following a two-year . He is an actor and producer, known for Mystery Road (2013), Mystery Road (2018) and Goldstone (2016). She was granted Greek citizenship in 2019, in honor of her efforts to assist Greece by appealing for international aid after a Jason Mantzoukas is an American actor, comedian, writer and pod-caster. Noah George Taylor, the elder of two boys, was born in 1969 in London, England, to Maggie (Miller), a journalist and book editor, and Paul Taylor, a copywriter and journalist. Hit enter to search or ESC to close. Elias attended Vanier College in Montreal before leaving to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City in 1981, of which he is a graduate. She was married to Jason Sehorn and has three Jamie-Lynn Sigler has been acting and singing since the age of 7. He Remy Hii began his career on stage at the age of 19 with the Queensland Theatre Company in the award winning play The Estimator. His father, named Ivan Banadinovic, came from Zagreb, Croatia, and worked as a manager for Caterpillar Inc. His mother, named Eleanor Banadinovic, came from a German family Arguably the most versatile actor on this list, Bana has carved out a nice career for himself which took off after the critical acclaim of Chopper. Sarah Ioannides (born 1972, in Canberra) is a Greek Cypriot-Scottish-Australian conductor. Fantastic Actress with range, Toni Collette is sometimes so good that you start thinking she is who she portrays on screen. A true talent. Bill Hunter was one of Australia's acting legends, having worked with almost every notable Australian director and actor of the last thirty years - evidence of his genuine popularity among the public and acting fraternity alike.He started out in Australian television in the '60s (a hotbed of well Abbie Cornish, also known by her rap name Dusk, is an Australian actress and rapper. [citation needed] There were a number of anti-Greek outbursts as a result of the neutrality stance by Greece, often instigated by Australian soldiers on leave. Jennifer Aniston. Guy Edward Pearce was born October 5, 1967 in Cambridgeshire, England, UK to Margaret Anne and Stuart Graham Pearce. The latter became well-known due to the "Steamed Hams" scene. Some of them have a mixed heritage while others are 100 percent Greek. Has been working mainly down under recently, have faith, is the 2020's the decade where he finally gets to shine? List of famous people from Cyprus, including photos when available. Plato's family was a big influence on his career and life path- he came from a line of people into Athenian politics. Sean Keenan was born on January 18, 1993 in Australia. Tan Le was 4 years old when her family migrated from Vietnam to Australia as refugees. Credit: Angela George/ Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY-SA-3.. Bound for the top 12. Since then he has appeared in many more great films and has earned 2 more Best Supporting Actor nominations the last for The Kings Speech. He was previously married to Elaine Alex Dimitriades was born on December 28, 1973 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. His last name, Gulpilil, Not only an actor, but has recently had credits for writing. Greeks along with Italians, Croatians, Maltese, Serbians, Jews, Hungarians, Czechs, etc. The Australian actor Alex O'Loughlin was born in August 1976.Alex started out his film career in 2004, when he starred in Oyster Farmer (2004) as Jack Flange. Toni Collette. Birthdate: 0384 AD. Daniel Wyllie is an Australian actor of stage, film and television. His parents, Jeanne (Martyn) and Ronald Worthington, a power plant employee, moved the family to Australia when he was six months old, and raised him and his sister Lucinda in Warnbro, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Hailing from Western Australia, Worthington first appeared in Hollywood after Terminator Salvation. Dieter Brummer, the Logie-winning actor and a 1990s icon of Australian TV soap Home and Away, was found dead in his Sydney home in July, aged 45. Liam Hemsworth was born on January 13, 1990, in Melbourne, Australia, and is the younger brother of actors Chris Hemsworth and Luke Hemsworth. At age eight, One to look out for over the coming years, shes hot property in. He was previously married to Audrey Wilson. Alex Blias is known for Peter Rabbit (2018), Home and Away (1988) and Always Greener (2001). She has an older sister, Jess, and a younger brother, Kai. He is the son of Leonie (van Os), a teacher of English, and Craig Hemsworth, a social-services counselor. Andonis Manolis' grave is in the old cemetery at Mittagong. Famous Greeks. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. alongside Paul Scheer and June Diane Raphael. Jacqueline Ruth Weaver is an Australian theatre, film and television actress. He spent several years trying desperately to sway this image, but this was a double-edged sword. Costas Mandylor was born on September 3, 1965 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. She is an actress and writer, known for Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991), The Nurse (1997) and Coriolanus (2011). 19. Together, these other denominations make up 0.4% of the Greek Australian population. Rebel Wilson is an Australian actress, comedian, and writer. They have three children. She was of Danish, Greek, English, and Welsh descent.Although she was best known as the devious Sue Ann Nivens on the William George Zane, better known as Billy Zane, was born on February 24, 1966 in Chicago, Illinois, to Thalia (Colovos) and William Zane, both of Greek ancestry. marked a milestone on Australian sport in general by forming many successful Association football clubs. He has been married to Francine Amormino since April 29, 1990. The first known Greeks arrived in 1829. This guy started off with humble beginnings, but has since proven his worth. Tell us what you think about this feature. She made her screen debut in the film Dallas Doll (1994), and continued to act in Australian film and television throughout the 1990s. His mother was of German descent and his father had English, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. Sadly passed away in early 2015. His foray into the world of show business was an auspicious affair. The daughter of Pamela, a nurse, and Glenn George, a construction worker, Melissa initially expressed interest in various forms of dance rather than acting. Margot Elise Robbie was born on July 2, 1990 in Dalby, Queensland, Australia to Scottish parents. Some Greeks who settled in Australia were expelled from Asia Minor after the Greek military defeat and the genocide committed by Turkey between 1913 and 1922, while other Greeks sought entry after the USA established restrictive immigration quotas in the early 1920s. CSI New York actress, 15 minutes with Robert Deniro, Melina Kanakaredes was born in Akron, Ohio, and is the daughter of candy store owner Connie (ne Temo) and insurance salesman Harry Kanakaredes. She has been married to Terry Button since 1980. The daughter of a Greek father and a Sicilian mother, Kanakis was an avid reader while growing up. She is an actress, known for The Piano (1993), Moulin Rouge! Weaving is a wonderfully versatile actor who wowed audiences in The Matrix as Agent Smith. Hughes was born in Melbourne and studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. Grew up in Warrawee, NSW Australia and went to Knox Grammar School. Flew under the radar for a long time. [17] The remainder of the ethnic Greek population in Australia mainly use English as their first language. She is a multi-award winning, classically trained actress of stage and screen. Guy Pearce. Played leading roles from 1981 to 2012 in various plays. Comeback complete, back in top 10. A fine actress who is yet to deliver her career role on the big screen. Her maternal grandmother is from Laconia, Peloponnese. Bryan Brown was born on June 23, 1947 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Gia Carides has been working as an actress since age 12 in film and in theatre. [10] During World War I, Greece remained neutral, eventually joining the side of the Allies. She attended the Santa Sabina College for her high school education. Famous Greek philosopher and scientist, Aristotle, made significant contributions to various fields of science and arts of his era-logic . Victoria's capital Melbourne has the largest Greek Australian community in Australia. 15 Eric Bana. His older sisters, both singers and dancers, encouraging Brendan to create his own shows to perform after dinner in front of the family. I hope he keeps up his excellent support work in movies like The Salton Sea. To her Canadian fans, she is noted for her soft voice, unassuming and accessible nature, and her talent as a singer and songwriter.As a Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Another candidate for cracking the top 20 someday. Samuel Henry John Worthington was born August 2, 1976 in Surrey, England. Some of the people below are celebrities born in Canberra, while others are simply notable locals. During that time, she attended grade school in Jakarta, Indonesia, eventually going to Pittwater Actor | There, he began acting in revues and doing impersonations. Head of Drama, Brent St. School of Arts (Sydney) 1997-00. Actor | O grousouzis. Multicultural broadcaster SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) airs a Greek-language radio program every afternoon from 4 PM to 6 PM. In 2019, the export of Australian services to Greece was valued at $92 million, while services imports from Greece totalled $750 million. Rodger Corser is well known to Australian audiences having worked extensively in television, theatre, and film. 2. He died on May 15, 2009 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Hugh Michael Jackman is an Australian actor, singer, multi-instrumentalist, dancer and producer. She completed high school at Mercedes College in 2003, where she was a popular student who was John Meillon was born on May 1, 1934 in Mosman, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. One settled on the Monaro Plains in Southern New South Wales and one at Picton near Sydney. Angus Sampson is an Australian filmmaker and actor. Timoshenko Aslanides. Won a Critics Circle award in 1992 for "The Television was his game, but recently was seen in the Mad Max: Fury Road. Alexakis, Effy and Janiszewski, Leonard (2016). Otto made her major film debut in Emma's War ( Well known for her role in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, a sound actress and continues to appear in Film and TV. Nicole Kidman. Plato. . Her ancestry is primarily Greek and Bulgarian. Her mother, Jerri Chastain, is a vegan chef whose family is originally from Kansas, and her stepfather is a fireman. Id like to see him back in big films like 300 or raw gems like Gettin' Square. A lot of Greek migration started due to the contact between ethnic Greeks and. If you haven't seen The Castle yet, go watch it. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. from back in the day. His first Betty White was born in Oak Park, Illinois, to Christine Tess (Cachikis), a homemaker, and Horace Logan White, a lighting company executive for the Crouse-Hinds Electric Company. He has been married to Judy Davis since October 30, 1984. [citation needed] When troops withdrew a struggle broke out between pro and anti-communist factions which resulted in civil war between 1946 and 1949, ending with the defeat of the communists, but at a cost of many Greek lives and the uprooting of children who were kidnapped and taken from their families. Lovable aussie, really want to see more of him. MELINA KANAKAREDES. [19] In 1935 and 1936 a third newspaper, Pharos (Lighthouse), was published, and a number of short-lived titles were issued in the late 1960s, with the longest of these being Tachydromos (Mailman), founded in September 1968. Yeah, he is Denethor. He is best known for his long-running role as Wolverine in the X-Men film Broadway star, former Oscar host and Hollywood leading man Hugh Jackman is without doubt one of the more recognisable faces in film today. Nicole Kidman. She is known for her work on Agent Cody Banks, Baywatch Nights, Law & Order, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, Women's Murder Club, Seraphim Falls and Rizzoli & Isles. Her mother, Anna Griffiths, is an art consultant. Also Craig McLachlan is one of Australia's most versatile actors and a household name in both Australia and the U.K. Warner Bros. Pictures. The Hellenic Club of Canberra laid a commemorative marble plaque over his resting place around 2000. 149. They have one child. Birthplace: Stagira, Greece. Has a sister, Jan. He is an actor and producer, known for Cocktail (1988), Breaker Morant (1980) and Two Hands (1999). Jigger Bulgari married an Irish woman, and they had many children. Mary Rose Byrne (born 24 July 1979) is an Australian actress. Kerry Walker was born on February 29, 1948 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. His work comprised Who can forget that magnificent and chilling performance Ledger gave as The Joker in Christopher Nolans widely successful The Dark Knight, he even won a posthumous Oscar for it. After moving to the US early in his career, he landed many supporting parts in Hollwood before he took some bigger roles in Australia such as Lantana and The Bank. Billy has an older sister, actress and singer Lisa Zane. Mena was raised in a Rhode Island home that was built in 1870 and had early aspirations of Elias Koteas was born on March 11, 1961, in Montreal, Canada. In 1969, Clarke was born in Winton, Queensland, a small town where the main industries are sheep and cattle raising. She has been nominated twice for her work, in Strictly Ballroom (1992) (Best Actress in a Supporting Role AFI Awards) and Brilliant Lies (1996) (Best Actress in a Leading Role AFI Awards).