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
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 starred in 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, she also appeared on
Search for Tomorrow
as Dr. Barbara Moreno, who romanced
Stu Bergman. She also 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 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
.
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 young 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 is starring 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 recently starred in and executive-produced the film
Montana Amazon
, co-starring
Haley Joel Osment and due for release in 2009.
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
|
|
2000
| Brooklyn Sonnet
| Helen Manners
|
|
2005
| The Intended
| Erina
|
|
2003
| Charlie's War
| Charlie
|
|
The Event
| Lila
|
|
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"
|
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
|
| pre-production
|
The Price of Art
| Esther
| pre-production
|
2009
| Montana Amazon
| Ira
| post-production
|
References
- Guardian Unlimited | Archive Search
- An Interview with Olympia Dukakis (BroadwayWorld.com)
- The Theater Loop - News from America's hottest theater city | Chicago Tribune | Blog