Who was Olympia Dukakis? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Died At Age: 89

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Louis Zorich

father: Alexandra

mother: Constantine S. Dukakis

siblings: Apollo Dukakis

children: Christina Zorich, Peter Zorich, Stefan Zorich

Born Country: United States

Actresses American Women

Height: 5'3" (160 cm), 5'3" Females

Died on: May 1, 2021

place of death: Manhattan, New York, United States

Ancestry: Greek American

U.S. State: Massachusetts

More Facts

education: Boston University

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1

What notable roles did Olympia Dukakis play in movies?

Some of Olympia Dukakis's notable roles in movies include Rose Castorini in "Moonstruck," Clairee Belcher in "Steel Magnolias," and Anna Madrigal in "Tales of the City."
2

Did Olympia Dukakis appear in any TV series?

Yes, Olympia Dukakis appeared in several TV series such as "Tales of the City," "Bored to Death," and "Sex & Violence."
3

Was Olympia Dukakis involved in any humanitarian or charity work?

Yes, Olympia Dukakis was involved in various humanitarian and charity efforts, supporting causes such as LGBTQ rights and mental health awareness.
4

Did Olympia Dukakis write any books or memoirs?

Yes, Olympia Dukakis wrote a memoir titled "Ask Me Again Tomorrow: A Life in Progress," where she reflected on her life and career in the entertainment industry.
5

Did Olympia Dukakis have any memorable quotes or sayings?

One of Olympia Dukakis's memorable quotes is, "Acting is about revealing yourself, not disguising yourself."

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Stage Career

Olympia Dukakis made her Broadway debut in "The Aspern Papers" at the age of 30. This was followed by her roles in the plays "Abraham Cochrane" and "Who's Who in Hell". In 1999, she was featured in a one-woman play titled "Rose", which premiered at the National Theatre in London. Her performance garnered her the Outer Critics Circle Award along with a Drama Desk Award nomination.

In 2008, the actress starred in ‘The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore’ as well as in ‘Another Side of the Island’. She then went on to appear in the plays ‘Vigil’, ‘The Tempest’, ‘The Cherry Orchard’, ‘The Rose Tattoo’, ‘The Marriage of Bette and Boo’, ‘The Seagull’, ‘Mother Courage and Her Children’ and ‘Hecuba.’ She directed the production of Todd Logan's play ‘Botanic Garden’ at the Victory Gardens Theatre in Chicago.

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Television Career

Olympia Dukakis has been making sporadic television appearances since the early 1950s. In 1991, she appeared in the television film ‘Lucky Day’. Her role as Katherine Campbell earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. A year later, she appeared in four episodes of ‘Sinatra’. Soon after this, she featured in the miniseries ‘Tales of the City’, as Anna Madrigal, a role she later reprised in the sequel ‘More Tales of the City’ in 1998. The actress did the miniseries ‘Joan of Arc’ in 1999 and again garnered an Emmy Award nomination for her performance. In 2002, she lent her voice to the character of Zelda in the animated sitcom ‘The Simpsons’.

In 2004 and 2005, Dukakis played Marge Barnett on CBS’ ‘Center of the Universe’. From 2013 to 2015, she starred in the television miniseries ‘Sex & Violence’ and also played Novalea in the Canadian series ‘Forgive Me’.

Film Career

Olympia Dukakis’ breakthrough role on the big screen came in 1987 when she was cast as Rose Castorini in Norman Jewison’s romantic comedy film ‘Moonstruck’. The film follows an Italian-American widow who falls for her fiancé's estranged younger brother. Dukakis’ performance as the protagonist’s sardonic mother earned her a Golden Globe as well as an Academy Award. She next starred in the romantic comedy movie ‘Look Who's Talking’ as Rosie, a role she later reprised in the film’s sequels ‘Look Who's Talking Too’ and ‘Look Who's Talking Now’.

In 1995, Dukakis appeared in ‘Mr. Holland's Opus’, a drama film about a high school music tutor who aspires to compose his own songs while coping with his dysfunctional family. After this, the actress featured in the comedy flick ‘Mafia’ alongside Jay Mohr, Christina Applegate and Lloyd Bridges. She next played Lila in ‘The Event’ (2003) and earned a Canadian Academy Award nomination for her performance. In the ensuing years, Dukakis had roles in ‘The Thing About My Folks’, ‘Away from Her’ and ‘In the Land of Women’. After this, she appeared in ‘Cloudburst’, a comedy-drama film about a lesbian couple. In 2013, she served as the executive producer and starred in ‘Montana Amazon’. This was followed by her roles in ‘The Last Keepers’, ‘A Little Game’, ‘7 Chinese Brothers’ and ‘The Infiltrator’.

Family & Personal Life

Olympia Dukakis was born on June 20, 1931 in Lowell, Massachusetts, USA, to Alexandra and Constantine S. Dukakis. She has a younger brother named Apollo. She is a cousin of the former Governor of Massachusetts, Michael Dukakis, for whom she served as a delegate from New Jersey at the Democratic National Convention in 1988.

She studied at Arlington High School and later attended Boston University. Talking about her love life, the veteran actress was married to American actor Louis Zorich from 1962 until his death in January 2018. They couple raised three children together.

Facts About Olympia Dukakis

Olympia Dukakis was a first-generation Greek-American, and she often incorporated her heritage into her acting roles.

She was a passionate advocate for mental health awareness and worked to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Dukakis was known for her love of gardening and found solace and peace in tending to her plants.

She had a great sense of humor and loved to make people laugh both on and off the screen.

Dukakis was an avid reader and believed in the power of literature to inspire and educate.

Olympia Dukakis Biography

You wanted to know

What notable roles did Olympia Dukakis play in movies?

Did Olympia Dukakis appear in any TV series?

Was Olympia Dukakis involved in any humanitarian or charity work?

Did Olympia Dukakis write any books or memoirs?

Did Olympia Dukakis have any memorable quotes or sayings?