The world-famous Greek actress Irene Pappas has died at the age of 93.
The person who shared the screen with Anthony Quinn in the cult film by Greek director Michael Kakoianis, Zorba the Greek, suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. “Irene Pappas personified the Greek beauty on screen and on stage,” the Greek Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, immediately replied.
By her real name Irene Liliko, the actress has played in about sixty films during her career, and has shared the label with other international celebrities, including Yves Montand, Kirk Douglas, Richard Burton, Gregory Peck or Jon Voight.
They first made her on the stage boards, which prepared her to play the female celebrity of Greek antiquity, notably Antigone, Electra, Helen of Troy or Iphigenia. In 2003 she played her last film “A Spoken Film” by Portuguese director Manuel de Oliveira.
Her career was marked by several international awards including a Best Actress award at the Berlin Film Festival (1961), followed by an Academy Award for her role as the assassinated vice widow in z From Costa Javras (1969). In 2009, the Golden Lion of Venice rewards his entire career.
