Melina Kanakaredes

Filmography

 Melina Eleni Kanakaredes Constantinides profile,

 Melina Eleni Kanakaredes Constantinides (Greek: Μελίνα Ελένη Κανακαρίδου Κωνσταντινiδου) (born April 23, 1967) is a Daytime Emmy Award-nominated Greek-American actress. She is 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.

CBS confirmed in July 2010 that Kanakaredes would not be returning for the seventh season of CSI: NY.

Early life

Kanakaredes was born in Akron, Ohio, the daughter of Constance "Connie" Temo (b. 1936), a candy company owner, and Harry Kanakaredes (b. 1928), an insurance salesman. She is a second-generation Greek-American and is fluent in Greek. 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' grandfather Christ Temo. She has two sisters: Cornelia "Lia" (b. 1961) and Aretta Kanakaredes (b. 1962).

Kanakaredes attended Pittsburgh Musical Theater as a student. At age 8, Kanakaredes made her stage debut in a production of "Tom Sawyer" at Weathervane Playhouse in Akron, Ohio. She graduated from the Firestone High School in Akron. 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.

Career

Television

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 between 1999 and 2002, and as Det. Stella Bonasera on the CBS drama series CSI: NY. Kanakaredes left CSI: NY in 2010, after six seasons on the program.

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, The Practice, MTV's The Ben Stiller Show, and a Hallmark Hall of Fame adaptation of the Anne Tyler novel Saint Maybe.

Film

Kanakaredes' film appearances 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. She played the role of the Greek Goddess Athena in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.

Personal life

Kanakaredes married Peter Constantinides on September 6, 1992.Together, they have 2 daughters: Zoe (b. May 23, 2000) & Karina Eleni (b. January 25, 2003). She and her husband and a former restaurant consultant own the "Tria Greek Kuzina" in Powell, Ohio. When she was once asked why she doesn't use her husband's last name professionally, she stated, "it's even more difficult to pronounce than my maiden name."

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Other notes
1991-95	The Guiding Light	Eleni Andros	Nominated for a Soap Opera Digest award Nominated for a Daytime Emmy award (Twice)Won a PFSCA award
1994	Bleeding Hearts	Daphne
1995	Due South	Victoria Metcalfe	TV Series (3 episodes)
1995/6?	New York News	Angelina Villanova
1995	NYPD Blue	Benita Alden	TV Series (5 episodes)
1996	The Long Kiss Goodnight	Trin
1997	Leaving L.A.	Libby Galante	Episodes
1997	The Practice	Andrea Wexler	2 Episodes
1998	Dangerous Beauty	Livia
1998	Rounders	Barbara
1998	Saint Maybe	Rita
1999-2002	Providence	Dr Sydney Hansen	Won a TV Guide Award Nominated for a TV Guide Award (2000)
2001	15 minutes	Nicolette Karas
2005	Into the Fire	Catrina/Sabrina Hampton
2004 - 2010	CSI: NY	Detective Stella Bonasera	Won a Scream Award (2006) Nominated for a Scream Award (2007)
2010	Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief	Athena

(source:wikipedia)