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Olympia Dukakis Biography

Birth Name:Olympia Dukakis

Birth Place:Lowell, Massachusetts, United States

Profession Actress, Producer

Fast Facts

  • She has won the National Arts Club Medal of Honor
  • The Greek America Foundation honored her with its Lifetime Achievement Award
  • Graduated from Arlington High School in Arlington, Massachusetts, where she has been inducted into the Arlington High School Hall of Fame, then went on to Boston University
  • Quote: "I appreciate that my work is seen and understood and feels relevant to people․"
  • Gained respect in classic and contemporary theater
  • Versatile enough to play a variety of ethnicities in a whole gambit of genres, she didn't gain fame outside of the East coast theater community until she performed in "Moonstruck" at the age of 56
  • A burglar stole her Best Supporting Actress Oscar statuette from her kitchen in 1989, leaving her nameplate behind
  • Gives lectures on a wide range of topics, including the theater, feminism, Alzheimer's Disease, diabetes and osteoporosis
  • Taught acting at the New York University graduate school for fourteen years
  • Began carrying a knife when she was 12 years old for safety on her walk to and from school

Awards

  • 1987KCFCC Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
  • 1987LAFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
  • 1987NBR Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
  • 1987NYFCC Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 1988Oscar-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: winner
  • 1988American Comedy Award-Funniest Supporting Female Performer - Motion Picture or TV: winner
  • 1988Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: winner
  • 1989BAFTA Film Award-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
  • 1990American Comedy Award-Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1991Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special: nominated
  • 1993American Television Award-Best Actress in a Miniseries: nominated
  • 1993Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: nominated
  • 1994BAFTA TV Award-Best Actress: nominated
  • 1998Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie: nominated
  • 1999Actor-Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries: nominated
  • 1999OFTA Television Award-Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries: winner
  • 1999Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie: nominated
  • 1999Golden Satellite Award-Best Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television: nominated
  • 2003Grand Jury Award-Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film: winner
  • 2004Chlotrudis Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 2004Genie-Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
  • 2006Movies for Grownups Award-Best Grownup Love Story: nominated
  • 2007Special Award from Festival Main Partner-: winner
  • 2008Movies for Grownups Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
  • 2012FilmOut Festival Award-Best Actress: winner
  • 2012Jury Award-Best Actress: winner
  • 2012Golden Space Needle Award-Best Actress: nominated
  • 2013Jury Prize-Best Actress: winner
  • 2013Festival Award-Best Supporting Actress in a Feature Film: nominated
  • 2015Canadian Screen Award-Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Series: nominated
  • 2019IOWF Award-Best Actress: nominated
  • 2019Maverick Movie Award-Best Supporting Actress, Webseries: nominated
  • 2020Best Documentary-Documentary: nominated
  • 2020Best Film-Best Film: nominated
  • 2021Legacy Award-Women of Excellence: winner
  • 2022Film Festival Award-Best Drama: winner
  • 2022Platinum Award-Best Performance: winner