Elena Mandalis
Elena Mandalis | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Spouse | Damien Fotiou |
Elena Mandalis (Greek: Έλενα Μανδάλη), also known as Elle Mandalis, is an Australian television, film and stage actress of Greek descent.
She landed her first film role in Ana Kokkinos' Only the Brave (1994), for which she won the Open Craft Award for her performance at the 1994 Australian Film Institute Awards. She reunited with Kokkinos for the celebrated drama, Head On (1998). Both films explore the lives of second generation Greek Australians in Melbourne.
Career
She landed her first role as co-lead, Alex in Ana Kokkinos' Only the Brave (1994). Mandalis played a troubled, second generation Greek Australian and the film focused on her intense friendship with Vicki (Dora Kaskanis).[1] Mandalis won the Open Craft Award for her performance at the 1994 Australian Film Institute Awards (later known as the AACTA Awards).[2] The film was screened at film festivals around the world and won Best Film at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 1994.[3][4]
In 1997, she landed a part as a series regular, playing DJ Sarah, alongside Dominic Purcell in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Raw FM.[5]
Mandalis reunited with Kokkinos for Head On (1998) and appeared alongside Alex Dimitriades, who played the lead role, Ari. Mandalis plays Betty, female counterpart of Ari, in that they both rail against the conservative conventions of their Greek backgrounds.[6] The film, based on the 1995 novel Loaded by Christos Tsiolkas, received nine nominations at the 1998 Australian Film Institute Awards.[7]
The following year she played Jett for 25 episodes in the Australian science fiction television series, Thunderstone.[8]
In 2001, she guest starred as Salea in Secret Life of Us. The show was broadcast on Network Ten and on Channel 4 in the UK. It followed the personal and professional lives of a group of friends living in the Melbourne neighbourhood of St Kilda.[9][10]
In 2011, she had a recurring role in the fourth season of Network Ten police drama, Rush, alongside Rodger Corser. The following year she had a recurring role as Miss Papas in Tangle, with Ben Mendelsohn and Lincoln Younes.
In 2015, she appeared in Grant Scicluna's Australian drama film, Downriver, which premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival.
In 2018, she co-starred with Wayne Hope and Robyn Nevin in the ABC1 comedy series, Very Small Business.[11]
In 2022, she started in the Greek Australian-themed dark comedy thriller, Slant'.[2]
She is currently part of the ensemble cast of the Hobart-set ABC series, Bay of Fires, with Marta Dusseldorp. She also plays Connie, part of the jury in the legal drama series, The Twelve on Fox Showcase.
Filmography
Film appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Only the Brave | Alex | Dir. Ana Kokkinos Open Craft Award (for performance) - 1994 Australian Film Institute Awards |
| 1998 | Head On | Betty | Dir. Ana Kokkinos |
| 2004 | Heartworm | Rachaele | Short film Dir. Ben Chessell |
| 2009 | One Night | Antigone | Short film Dir. Alexandra Schepisi |
| 2013 | Quiz | Hairdresser | Short film Dir. Alistair Reid |
| 2015 | Downriver | Rita | Dir. Grant Scicluna |
| 2017 | Boy Saviour | Mother | Short film Dir. Arthur Angel |
| 2018 | The Story | The Woman | Short film Dir. Steven J. Tandy |
| 2022 | Slant | Kaye Kopoulos | Dir. James Vinson |
Personal life
Mandalis is married to her Head On co-star, Damien Fotiou, with whom she has two sons. The couple run a drama school in Melbourne.
References
- ^ Only the Brave National Film and Sound Archive. Retrieved on 13 July 2024
- ^ a b Coming soon: The ‘untold story’ of Aussie Greeks – Oh, and it’s set in the 90s Neos Kosmos. 25 May 2021
- ^ Selected Awards and Festivals Screen Australia. Retrieved on 13 July 2024
- ^ Melbourne International Film Festival Screen Australia. Retrieved on 13 July 2024
- ^ Raw FM – What You Can (1997) Australian Screen. Retrieved on 15 July 2024
- ^ Head On: I love you Betty National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. Retrieved on 12 July 2024
- ^ McWilliam, Kelly. “Head On: Centring the Other.” Ana Kokkinos: An Oeuvre of Outsiders, Edinburgh University Press, 2020, pp. 47–63. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3366/jj.7358670.7. Accessed 13 July 2024.
- ^ Thunderstone, Episode 3: This is not my past, I'm in the future National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. Retrieved on 14 July 2024
- ^ From BMX Bandits to The Secret Life of Us: 11 Australian classics new to Netflix The Guardian. 18 June 2021
- ^ The Secret Life of Us: episode guide australiantelevision.net. Retrieved on 15 July 2024
- ^ Wayne Hope and Robyn Butler: Back in Business 2018. Retrieved on 15 July 2024