As The Aegean prepares to hit cinemas across Australia on May 16 thanks to Radioactive Pictures, audiences can expect a stirring tale of grief, hope, and unexpected friendship set against the breathtaking backdrop of Kythira.
At the heart of this moving film is Costas Mandylor, the acclaimed Greek Australian actor known for his roles in Saw and Picket Fences, who returns to his ancestral homeland to take on the role of Hector — a widowed sailor struggling with loss and loneliness.
In this exclusive interview with The Greek Herald, Mandylor opens up about what drew him to the project, his experience filming in Greece, and the deeply personal process of embodying a character so raw and human.
With a standout cast including rap artist LIGHT and rising star Nicky Dune, The Aegean is not just a cinematic journey through the Aegean Sea — it’s a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit.
You’ve had a long and successful career in Hollywood — what drew you to return to Greece for this deeply emotional role in The Aegean?
I was fortunate enough to be called by Jacob, who is the director. We didn’t know each other before, and you never know what kind of conversation you’re going to have – but I’ve found that when you’re authentic, and people have like minded values of authenticity, things work out. We went and worked our asses off in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, and we made something special – and I have no regrets, just beautiful memories!
Hector is a man dealing with grief, loneliness, and the feeling of being forgotten. What was your process for connecting with such a vulnerable and layered character?
You’re drawing emotions oftentimes from your imagination, but where possible informed by your own experience. We’ve all had lonely times in life, and you go to your imagination and your experience of that, and build the character out from there. If you’ve lived a little bit of life, you have those experiences to bring to the table.
The film explores powerful themes of friendship and human connection. How did your dynamic with Nicky Dune (Theodore) help bring that relationship to life on screen?
When I met Nicky, I found that as a human being he has this beauty and innocence. You go off the person and the traits they project, and he had a wonderful quality about him; I followed his lead a little bit, followed his humanity, and threw my humanity in there also. There are qualities of people that shine on the screen, and we shine together in this film.
You filmed on the island of Kythira— do you have a personal connection to the island? Was there something about the landscape or being back in your ancestral homeland that shaped your performance?
Every day was amazing, we would wake up in the dark and Jacob and I would drive to set, and when the sun started to rise on set it was a wonder. If I could make every movie in my life in Greece after that experience I would, it was great. The island itself is magical, with so many thousands of years of history and such a fantastic community. I’ve said that for months and months after the movie finished. I had no connection to Kythira specifically prior to filming, but I got very attached to the place and the people while being there and will certainly be back!
The Aegean is visually stunning, but also emotionally raw. Was there a particular moment during filming that stayed with you, either as an actor or personally?
When there was confrontation between Theodore and Hector, it hit me. It happens between fathers and sons, nephews and nieces, husbands and wives, across all sorts of relationships. And then, of course, playing an older character on the island with my daughter also there with me (who is also in the film) – it just touched me. The spirit of Greece was present in everything we did. I remember waking up one morning in the town of Avlemonas and I saw the crew diving off the cliffs, enjoying their weekend, and it’s a memory that stays with me and brings me joy.
What do you hope Australian and international audiences take away from Hector’s journey — and from this film more broadly?
I hope they take away a desire for compassion. Loneliness is something that a lot of people go through, but ultimately as Anthony Quinn said in Zorba – if you lose hope, find it again and live. Live while you can. Don’t just exist, live.
Is there anything else you’d like to say?
In many ways my first Hollywood father was Anthony Quinn, and I thought of him many many times when we were shooting this film. If anything, I was channeling him and I hope the audience responds to the characters in this film with some kind of touching, loving memory.
The Aegean is coming to cinemas around Australia from 16 May 2025, having already played successful screenings at the Brisbane International Film Festival and the Greek Film Festivals in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The film has also recently been selected for the Greek International Film Festival Tour of Canada.
Tickets and times for The Aegean are available here: https://linktr.ee/TheAegeanAUS
