Melina Kanakaredes
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| Melina Kanakaredes | |
| Born | Melina Eleni Kanakaredes April 23, 1967 Akron, Ohio, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Spouse(s) | Peter Constantinides (September 6, 1992-present) (2 children Zoe-b.May 23,2000 and Karina Eleni-b.January 25,2003) |
Melina Eleni Kanakaredes (born April 23, 1967 in Akron, Ohio) is a Daytime Emmy Award-nominated Greek-American actress. She is also widely known for two starring roles on U.S. prime-time television drama series: playing Detective Stella Bonasera in CSI: NY and portraying Dr. Sydney Hansen in Providence.
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[edit] Career
Kanakaredes's first television role was on the daytime drama Guiding Light, originating the role of Eleni Andros Spaulding Cooper from 1991 to 1995. She was nominated twice for a Daytime Emmy Award for her portrayal of Eleni.
Her most high-profile roles on television were as the series protagonist Dr. Sydney Hansen on Providence, which ran for five seasons (1999–2002), and since 2004 in a leading role on the CBS drama series CSI: NY as Det. Stella Bonasera.
Her other television credits include NYPD Blue (in a recurring role as reporter Benita Alden during that show's second season), Northern Exposure, Due South, Oz (TV series), The Practice, MTV's The Ben Stiller Show, and a Hallmark Hall of Fame adaptation of the Anne Tyler novel Saint Maybe.
Her appearances in movies include The Long Kiss Goodnight as Trin and 15 Minutes as Nicolette Karas, the girlfriend of Robert De Niro's character. She was considered for the lead role in My Big Fat Greek Wedding but had to turn it down due to her pregnancy.[1]
[edit] Personal life
Kanakaredes was born in Akron, Ohio, in a Greek-American family.[2] She is a second-generation Greek-American and is fluent in Greek.[3] Her two maternal uncles own and run a candy store in Akron called "Temo's Candy Company," a chocolate store established in its current location by Kanakaredes' great-uncle Christ Temo.[4] Melina's sister is an attorney in Akron, Ohio.
Melina Kanakaredes graduated from the Firestone High School in Akron.[2] She attended Ohio State University for a short time, and then transferred to Point Park College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Point Park in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater arts.[5]
She married Peter Constantinides[6] on September 6, 1992.[citation needed] The couple have two daughters, Zoe (b.May 23,2000) and Karina Eleni (b.January 25,2003).[6] She and her husband and a former restaurant consultant,[6] own the "Tria Greek Kuzina"[7] in Powell, Ohio.
[edit] Filmography
| Film | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bleeding Hearts | Daphne | |
| The Guiding Light | Eleni Andros | TV Series
Nominated for a Soap Opera Digest award (1994) Nominated for a Soap Opera Digest award (1994) Nominated for a Daytime Emmy award Nominated for a Daytime Emmy award Won a PFSCA award |
| Due South | Victoria Metclafe | TV Series (3 episodes) |
| New York News | Angelina Villanova | |
| NYPD Blue | Benita Alden | TV Series (5 episodes) |
| The Long Kiss Goodnight | Trin | |
| Leaving L.A. | Libby Galante | |
| The Practice | Andrea Wexler | |
| Dangerous Beauty | Livia | |
| Rounders | Barbara | |
| Saint Maybe | Rita | |
| 15 minutes | Nicolette Karas | |
| Providence | Dr Sydney Hansen | Won a TV Guide Award (2001)
Nominated for a TV Guide Award (2000) |
| CSI: NY | Detective Stella Bonasera | 2004 to present
Won a Scream Award (2006) Nominated for a Scream Award (2007) |
| Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief | Athena | forthcoming film |
[edit] References
- ^ Pierce, Scott D. (2003-02-16). "Mega-hit 'Wedding' had in a suspicious beginning". Deseret News (Salt Lake City. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20030216/ai_n11378238. Retrieved on 2008-07-11.
- ^ a b Profile from "Women in Akron History" from a University of Akron website
- ^ Whitfield, Fredricka (2002-10-02). "Interview with Melina Kanakaredes". CNN. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0210/04/lt.09.html. Retrieved on 2008-07-11.
- ^ Temo's candy is an Easter tradition in Akron, a March 2007 Akron Beacon Journal article via Topix.net
- ^ Past Distinguished Alumni from the Point Park University website
- ^ a b c Kanakaredes savors her married life from USA Today
- ^ Official website for Tria Greek Kuzina
