Two Irishmen were found not-guilty on Monday of the murder of Paul Tavelardis, who died nearly two years ago in Sydney’s inner West. The duo have now flown back to Ireland.
Nathan Kelly and Christopher McLaughlin, tradies hailing from Donegal, were accused of murdering Paul Tavelardis on the night of December 29, 2018.
The pair had been living together in a flat in Summer Hill had been drinking for 12 hours when an altercation with Mr Tavelardis was sparked just after midnight in the middle of Grosvenor Cres.
Mr Tavelardis, 66, was left barely conscious, beaten and bleeding on the road with severe head injuries and later died at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital on January 7, 2019.
Paul Tavelardis, who died after he was bashed. Picture: Facebook
Several witnesses watched on and told police the two men repeatedly kicked and hit the man, who had been living in his car across the street from the Florida Court apartments.
However, Mr Kelly and Mr McLaughlin both pleaded not guilty to murder and argued at trial they were far too intoxicated to have formed the necessary intention to kill the total stranger. Following a month-long trial, a jury acquitted both men.
The not-guilty judgement has infuriated Mr Tavelardis’s son Bradley Tavelardis.
“The DPP were confident that a murder charge was more suitable, which is why the trial began, but to have all charges dropped is inconceivable,” Mr Tavelardis told The Daily Telegraph.
Paramedics treat Mr Tavelardis at the scene. Credit: News Corp Australia, Gordon McComiskie
“I have been living in a fog of utter disbelief and bewilderment since the ‘not guilty’ verdict on Monday.
“The bare fact remains that my father, a 66-year-old man who suffered from leukaemia, was beaten by two physically fit men in their early 20s and subsequently died from the related injuries.
“Visiting my dad in the hospital for the last time when he was in a coma, seeing the extent of his injuries and with my siblings, making the necessary decision to turn off his life support was the most harrowing moment of my life.”
Community and religious leaders will be empowered to respond to domestic and family violence through a new training program to begin next month.
Attorney General and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Mark Speakman said the accredited course, run by TAFE NSW, will give participants the tools and resources to help people who seek their guidance.
According to a spokesperson for the Department of Communities and Justice, the NSW Government is contacting religious and community groups, encouraging them to undergo the training.
NSW attorney general Mark Speakman. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP
“Religious and community leaders who work closely with their community, and regularly speak to their congregation, as well as leaders who work with families on matters of family disputes, are encouraged to apply,” a spokesperson said to The Greek Herald.
“The training provides participants with the knowledge and skills required to identify and respond to the needs of people who may be experiencing domestic and family violence, including responding to immediate intervention and support needs.”
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education and Acting Minister for Multiculturalism Geoff Lee said community and religious leaders are recognised and respected voices who will now be better equipped to support victims who seek their help.
“They can help promote healthy relationships and encourage perpetrators to change their behaviour and help victims seek the appropriate services and support,” Mr Lee said.
“The initial response when a disclosure is made can heavily affect the outcome for victims – so this training could very well save lives.”
Nobody ever said luxury was cheap. A brand new two-storey penthouse in Sydney Harbour is on the market for the first time ever, being valued at $39.8m.
Located in The Harrington Collection at The Rocks, the 483sqm penthouse takes in iconic views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera house and Circular Quay.
The rooftop terrace will have uninterrupted views. Photo: realestate.com.au
Laver Residential project director Dennis Vertzayias is co-selling the penthouse with colleague Sam Elbanna. Due to be completed in the middle of 2021, the residence is being marketed as a “never to be repeated opportunity”.
“The architectural design and quality of the finish represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we suspect will be popular with both local and offshore purchasers who are looking for their very own slice of The Rocks,” Vertzayias says.
The Harrington Collection is the first project to have gained approval in The Rocks in the past eight years. Photo: realestate.com.au
The property boasts a home cinema, wet bar, barbecue kitchen, landscaped gardens and a spa. All four bedrooms have a private ensuite bathroom with a marble vanity and a freestanding bathtub, as well as a private lounge, study and a walk-in wardrobe.
The Harrington Collection is the first residential project to have gained government approval in The Rocks in the last eight years. It will be home to 1000sqm of commercial office space, eight luxury retailers and a number of high-end eateries.
Stefanos Tsitsipas reached the quarterfinals of the Hamburg European Open by beating Pablo Cuevas 7-5, 6-4 on Thursday as he continues his warm-up for the French Open.
In a rematch of his only clay-court final win, Tsitsipas saved four break points at 4-4 in the first set and another at 5-5 before breaking Cuevas to take a 1-0 lead. He extended his unbeaten record against the Uruguayan to 3-0.
They last met when Tsitsipas beat Cuevas 6-3, 7-6 (4) in Estoril in May 2019 for his only tour-level title to date on clay. The Greek player, ranked sixth in the world, is building momentum on clay after losing in the first round in Rome last week.
Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas has beaten Great Britain’s Dan Evans to advance at the European Open. Photo: AAP
His quarterfinal opponent is Dusan Lajovic, who swept past eighth-seeded Karen Khachanov 6-1, 6-2 in their second-round match. Since the tour restarted amid the coronavirus pandemic, Khachanov has gone four tournaments without making the quarterfinals.
After knocking out top-seeded Daniil Medvedev in the first round, France’s Ugo Humbert followed it up with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Jiri Vesely to reach his first career ATP quarterfinal on clay.
He will face Casper Ruud after the Norwegian won 6-3, 6-3 against the sixth-seeded Fabio Fognini, who was champion in Hamburg in 2013.
Michael Sukkar MP is the latest Australian federal parliament member to pledge his support to the ‘Joint Justice Initiative’, launched by the Armenian-Australian, Assyrian-Australian and Greek-Australian communities.
The Melbourne MP, who is of Lebanese heritage, previously expressed his disappointment in the Australian government for not acknowledging the Armenian Genocide in December 2018.
During the House of Representatives debate honouring the 70th Anniversary of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide, Sukkar said we should call out the genocide “for what it is”.
“No amount of economic consequences and no amount of diplomacy should ever stop us from doing the decent thing as Australians and calling out the genocide for what it is,” Sukkar said.
“If the consequences with governments and countries like Turkey or Azerbaijan mean that economic consequences flow, I say so be it—and I know the Australian people will back this parliament all the way when taking that approach.”
Representatives of Australia’s Armenian, Assyrian, and Greek communities at Mural Hall. Photo: Asbarez
The Joint Justice Initiative was launched in Canberra during February month with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU), Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA) and Australian Hellenic Council (AHC).
It calls for national recognition of the 1915 Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire against its Christian Armenian, Assyrian and Greek populations.
“The addition of a Government Minister to our calls for Australian recognition of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides is further evidence that Turkey’s exported denialism is unwelcome in our country’s foreign policy,” said Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) Executive Director, Haig Kayserian.
“We thank Minister Sukkar for his support and conviction on this important issue on human rights.”
The Joint Justice Initiative has so far announced the support of Sukkar, Senator Louise Pratt, Warren Entsch, Joel Fitzgibbon MP, Andrew Wilkie MP, Julian Leeser MP, Michelle Rowland MP, Senator Paul Scarr, Tony Zappia MP, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Senator Hollie Hughes, Senator Rex Patrick, Mike Freelander MP, Senator Eric Abetz, Senator Larissa Waters, Senator Pat Dodson, Jason Falinski MP, Josh Burns MP, John Alexander MP, Senator Andrew Bragg and Bob Katter MP.
Cyprus is committed to reunification talks with estranged Turkish Cypriots but not at gunpoint, its president said on Thursday on a dispute which has deepened Greece-Turkey tensions and stymied European Union policy-making on Belarus.
A simmering decades-old conflict which split the east Mediterranean island’s Greek and Turkish Cypriots has come full circle with the issue featuring prominently in disputes between NATO allies Greece and Turkey, and now holding up EU plans to impose sanctions on Belarus.
EU member Cyprus – backed by Greece – is at odds with Turkey over maritime energy resources. It is blocking EU sanctions on Minsk until the bloc takes a tougher stance towards Ankara.
Turkish seismic research vessel Oruc Reis sails in the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey, November 12, 2018. REUTERS/Yoruk Isik/File Photo
“For the (Cyprus peace) talks to resume with realistic prospects for success, it is imperative to create an environment which will be conducive for constructive and good faith negotiations… not under conditions of intimidation or threats,” Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades said in an address to the U.N. General Assembly.
Turkey has dispatched survey vessels close to Cyprus in areas the Greek Cypriot government has licenced to multinationals to explore for oil and gas.
Cyprus was split after a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a brief coup engineered by the military then ruling Greece. The EU admitted the island into the bloc in 2004, represented internationally by its Greek Cypriot government which effectively controls only its south. Its north is a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and European Council President Charles Michel bump elbows after the news conference at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia, Cyprus September 16, 2020 [Yiannis Kourtoglou/Reuters]
The latest attempt at reunification between the two Cypriot sides collapsed in disarray in mid-2017. Each Cypriot side blames the other for the collapse.
Anastasiades, who heads Cyprus’s internationally-recognised government, repeated that his administration was willing to place any revenues from gas exploration into an escrow account for the Turkish Cypriot community.
An indictment has been launched at 18 customs officials, including the general manager of the İpsala Customs Station, who recently confessed to bribery on the Greece-Turkey border.
According to Hurriyet Daily News, officials reaped money from lorry drivers passing to and from Greece at the Erdine border, with excuses like they were missing papers.
Officials were asked by Turkish police why they accepted the bribes, with the officials saying they “had instalments to pay,” police sources claim.
Turkey-Greece border crossing a Erdine. Photo: Julian Nyca
Border officials reportedly collected bribes from lorry drivers, then passed on the funds to a senior Turkish official. The total amount was then shared once a fortnight.
Some 500 to 600 euros would go to the General Manager Mustafa Kemal Mısırlıoğlu, and the rest of the amount was split between others involved.
In the investigation, police found around 7,900 euros in an official’s house and 8,500 euros in another’s.
A report by two centre-left (S&D group) lawmakers also alleges that officials continue to accept bribes at the Bulgarian-Turkish border, refusing the entry of citizens without at least a 5 EUR bribe.
“I crossed the border in Bulgaria. We waited for a long ten hours. The border control police asked me for money. I had to put 10 EUR in the passport. If not, they’ll ask for it. If you refuse, you can wait for hours,” a source said in the report.
In the eyes of Bill Papastergiadis, there is an unquenchable flame. The flame of creation. Thanks to his tireless efforts, the work of the organisation which he leads, the Greek Community of Melbourne, has managed to become known all over the world.
That is why when he claims, in this exclusive interview with The Greek Herald, that “perhaps our organisation [The Greek Community of Melbourne] is the most active not only in Australia, but in the whole world,” he does not exaggerate.
His comment depicts a reality that the readers of The Greek Herald more or less already know. Interventions on burning issues of Hellenism, cultural events, educational programs for the preservation of the Greek language and the long list of initiatives to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Greek revolution, make the Greek Community of Melbourne the leading force of Greek expatriates. And Bill Papastergiadis the custodian of the community.
Mr Papastergiadis, a distinguished lawyer in Melbourne, was on time for his telephone appointment with The Greek Herald despite living in a constant vigilance.
Bill Papastergiadis is the President of the Greek Community of Melbourne. He is also a distinguished lawyer.
The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has led Melbourne to a second lockdown. The strict restrictive measures have created unprecedented conditions, which have affected Mr Papastergiadis, on a personal level as well.
“It is difficult. Imagine that in the several months that have passed, I have not seen my mother up close,” Mr Papastergiadis tells The Greek Herald.
“We have been in lockdown for several months. The government is aiming to eradicate the virus before lifting the restrictive measures. There is also a curfew after 9 pm and we can only leave our homes for about an hour. The police are very strict. Things are quite difficult.”
The professional impact and the psychological aspects of COVID-19:
Mr Papastergiadis’ daily life in the law firm he owns has changed drastically.
“We employ about 190 people and in this case all of them work from home,” says the President of the Greek Community of Melbourne.
“The impact on the community is great. Our important program of events has been interrupted, which includes concerts, theatrical productions, seminars, training programs, major festivals, such as the film festival and the Food festival. These are events that have been postponed and this is causing the frightening impact that I described to you at the beginning.
“There is also the psychological aspect to what is happening. There is terrifying stress in the local community. I was talking to a doctor and he revealed to me that half of the patients he sees are prescribed Valium. There will be a long way to return to normalcy. It has already been a long time.”
His meeting with Mikakos and his optimism:
The losses in Melbourne from COVID-19 plunged the community into mourning. The “cost of life” was unbearable for the Greek community and Bill Papastergiadis is one of the people who sought answers to this painful issue.
“We are all devastated. I want to clarify something though. A few days ago, I had a meeting with Victoria’s Health Minister, Jenny Mikakos, and I asked her what happened as we had several victims from a Greek community compared to the total population of Victoria,” Mr Papastergiadis says.
“What she answered was that this was not for certain, since the numbers of casualties from the community show that proportionally there weren’t that many victims. Most of the victims came from the Australian community in general. It is an interesting observation because the media report that the losses of the community reached 20 percent.
“Problems with nursing homes and deaths are not exclusively a Greek issue. There were many nursing homes that faced significant problems, with some even reaching the point of closure. Of course, there were also Greek nursing homes, which were greatly impacted. Some lost up to 20% of their residents.
In August, Bill Papastergiadis (picture here with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, centre) called on the Federal Government to investigate what went wrong in Victoria’s aged care sector.
“As a community we mourn the losses. We mourn in a way that we never have before because we are not allowed to attend funerals, to express our grief for the loss and to offer psychological support to the people who are mourning,” Mr Papastergiadis says.
The health crisis creates a great deal of uncertainty for all of us. Some approach it with unspeakable pessimism and others with restrained optimism.
Which side is Bill Papastergiadis on?
“I am an optimist by nature. People are resilient. I do not underestimate the difficulties caused by the pandemic. Both psychologically and financially,” he says.
“But I’m optimistic about what I read. With the advent of an effective vaccine, I do believe that we will recover at some point within 2021. Then, I believe that our organisation, the Greek Community of Melbourne, will be able to offer educational and cultural support to the community.”
The horrible economic situation and the meeting with Andrews:
When we, hopefully, overcome the health crisis, the difficult course of economic recovery will begin. As Mr Papastergiadis describes, the current economic situation in Melbourne is “horrible.”
“The economic situation is horrible. Many small businesses have closed in the last six months and this means that unemployment has risen significantly. Let me remind you that Melbourne was a very vibrant economy, where unemployment was very low in the past decades. Almost 3 to 4 percent. Estimates now indicate that we will reach 10 percent,” Mr Papastergiadis explains.
“Also, many members of the community in Melbourne are newcomers to Australia and would work in hotels, cafes, restaurants. The hospitality and tourism industry, that is. This industry has been very affected by the restrictive measures.”
Bill Papastergiadis with Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews (left).
Complaints to Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, about the extension of the state of emergency in the state are numerous from various bodies. We asked Bill Papastergiadis for his opinion.
“I will express our community’s views on the lockdown directly to Premier Daniel Andrews in the coming weeks and immediately afterwards, we will inform our members, so that there is a boost of optimism and clear information for what is going to happen from now on.”
The flourishing Greek Community of Melbourne as a reference point for Hellenism:
The program of events for the Greek Community of Melbourne are ample. It is an organisation that aims to preserve with great effort and creative vision the principles and values of Hellenism.
“I believe that we are perhaps the most active organisation of the Greek community in the world,” claims Bill Papastergiadis to The Greek Herald.
“I would like to give your readers an overview of the cultural and educational programs offered by our organisation. We built a 15-storey cultural center, in which there are Greek companies, a Greek bank, and on all six floors the cultural and educational events of the Community are hosted free of charge.
The Greek Community of Melbourne has been holding virtual seminars of Greek history and culture.
“Now, our new project is the construction of a building nearby, which already exists, and this will cost about $5 million dollars and will be the meeting point for our youth.
“We will receive funding and are in contact with the University of Melbourne, which is one of the top 20 in the world, and a center will be set up for the teaching and study of the Greek language. We have also completed work on the Alphington Grammar School. In recent decades, this school has been recognised as one of the best in Melbourne and Victoria in general.
“We have also commissioned the construction of a replica of the Parthenon in Melbourne, which will adorn the exterior of the Greek Community building in Melbourne. The same marble that the Parthenon has will be used and I believe it will be ready by the beginning of 2021.
“In addition, we will create six more schools, including some for children of new migrants. We will also create a music school, while we also have 14 seminars with prominent academics on the history and culture of Hellenism.
The Greek Community of Melbourne holds a number of cultural events.
“We organise a series of major festivals, such as the Lonsdale Festival, the Writers Festival, Food festival, which attract thousands of visitors each year.
“We also took action and brought the Medical Tourism Association to Australia, with the President, George Patoulis, to ensure that we can take tourists from Australia to Greece.
“We persuaded the Victorian government and invested about $4 million to bring the Greek national football team here. We hosted the basketball team, too,” Bill Papastergiadis says with a passionate torrent of speech, which emphasises the passion he has for Hellenism.
1821 at the core of events for next year:
200 years since the Greek revolution is an experience that each of us will only live once in a lifetime. This seems to be known to Mr. Papastergiadis who, with his associates, has formed a rich program of events.
“The Greek Community of Melbourne is preparing a detailed and multifaceted program of events to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the revolution. In collaboration with the state government, the Archdiocese, the Consulate General of Greece, we have created a large program of events, which will last for about a year,” Bills says before describing the program in a bit more detail.
This year’s Antipodes Festival in Melbourne before the coronavirus outbreak. Photo: The Greek Herald.
“The Antipodes 2021 Festival will be dedicated to the Greek Centennial. We will organise a big dance party as part of the festive program. There will be a series of lectures with top academics and other speakers.
“A Musical Odyssey, asymphonic tribute to the great Greek composers and musicians. The Festival of Greek Writers, the Culinary Festival of Greece 2021 and of course a Youth Conference, where young Greek Australians will get together to discuss issues that concern them. Of course, the 27th Greek Film Festival. It is a very rich program.”
Papastergiadis’ ambition with regards to the Greek language and the future of the Community:
But what is the greatest ambition of the leader of this important organisation for the community?
“To ensure that there will be a smooth transition of the leadership of the organisation to the next generation. That there will be continuous progress in the activities of the organisation.
“Let us all continue to be active in the Community to bring the new generation of leadership to our organisation. For example, on our board we have many members of the community, both third and fourth generation.
Bill Papastergiadis wants to ensure that there will be a smooth transition of the leadership of the organisation to the next generation.
“We need continuity, consistency, so that our organisation survives and progresses.”
At the same time, Mr Papastergiadis does what is humanly possible to be able to preserve the Greek language for future generations.
“The issue of community language is important in Australia in general for the last 20 years. We are trying to deal with it. We have 16 Greek schools in operation, plus the Alphington Grammar School. But it is a main problem.”
His second home, Greece, and the concern with Turkey:
Bill Papastergiadis was a frequent visitor to Greece before COVID-19 invaded our lives.
“Under normal circumstances I travel three to four times a year to Greece. I love Greece. I also try to stay connected with Greece, with ministers, with museums, with organisations so that we can keep in touch with them. I love Greece, everything that has to do with language, history, language, philotimo. That’s why I became involved with the Greek community. Greece is my second home.”
The recent tension with Turkey has not ended and it is logical that the community is overwhelmed by anxiety about the developments.
Bill Papastergiadis has met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who’s residence is in Turkey.
“I am concerned about the tension in the relations between the two countries. We are trying to exert our influence on the Australian Government. With the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque, we immediately asked the government to take a stand,” Mr Papastergiadis says.
“We contacted the Prime Minister again to offer support for the tension that has arisen in the Eastern Mediterranean. I am concerned and what we are trying to do is to influence our government to offer support to the Greek government.”
The biggest obstacle to investment in Greece and aid:
The Greek Community of Melbourne is trying to contribute to the improvement of the economy in Greece, thanks to the vigilance shown by Bill Papastergiadis.
“Let me give you an example. This year, in collaboration with the Government of Victoria, we would have funded a program where around 100 companies would travel to Greece to consider investment opportunities.
“It obviously will not happen this year, but we will do it next year. There is significant interest from Australia in investing. We all want to invest. But there are three major problems. The bureaucracy, possible corruption and the justice system. I am a good friend of Mr Tsiaras but I have told him that the administration of justice in Greece is a big problem. Also, in tourism. The Turkish people have four tourist offices in Australia and we have none. These are issues that need to be improved.”
Bill Papastergiadis speaking at the Delphi Economic Forum.
Mitsotakis, who kept his word on the expatriate vote, and whether Papastergiadis will go into Greek politics:
The bill on expatriate voting was clearly a topic for discussion with expatriate organisations. We asked the opinion of Bill Papastergiadis on the subject.
“I am satisfied because Mr Mitsotakis and Mr Theodorikakos kept their word. They promised me that they would bring the bill to Parliament and they kept their word. For me this means a lot. Unfortunately, the bill excludes almost 80 to 90 percent of Greek Australians in the region. This is the big problem of the bill. However, it is a very positive, first step.”
Of course, with the momentum that Bill Papastergiadis has, we would not be surprised if he sought to govern in Greece. We asked him if he has such an ambition.
“It is not in my immediate plans. I get great satisfaction from my work with our organisation, the Greek Community of Melbourne, but also with my legal employment. Therefore, my involvement with politics in Greece is not in my immediate plans,” concluded Mr Papastergiadis.
A woman who admitted drinking and smoking cannabis prior to a high-speed crash that killed her seven-year-old son and close friend in May last year has pleaded guilty to causing their deaths.
Andrea Groening, 25, pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to dangerous driving causing the deaths of Mehali Anastasios Pastrikos and 21-year-old Wade Williams and serious harm to a man in another vehicle.
The court heard Groening had only had her Ps for about six weeks when she ran a red light at the intersection of Berrimah Rd and Tiger Brennan Dr at more than 40km/h over the limit on May 22.
Andrea Groening pleaded guilty to three charges relating to the fatal crash. Photo: ABC News/ Felicity James.
Her barrister, Nicola McCarron, told the court she did not remember anything immediately leading up to the crash, including where the trio had been or what they were doing.
Ms McCarron said Groening had dropped her two young daughters with a babysitter and was at home where Mr Williams was cooking Mehali’s favourite meal before the pair had some drinks.
She said Groening did not remember smoking cannabis but accepted she did because of her positive reading and the fact she had “fallen into a bad routine” of smoking it after putting the children to bed to relax following the recent death of her partner in an earlier crash on the Roper Hwy.
“Her very next memory is lying on the road and looking at the stars, after that she recalls waking up in hospital where she heard the devastating news,” she said.
“When she heard that news she just wanted to die.”
Two people were killed and Tiger Brennan Drive was closed for hours after the crash. Photo: ABC Darwin / Mitchell Abram.
In arguing for Justice Dean Mildren to consider imposing a home detention order, Ms McCarron said her client had “no explanation or memory as to why the three of them were in the car that night,” which she said was an “unusual occurrence.”
“She would never normally have taken Mehali anywhere on a school night, especially at that hour of the night,” she said.
Crown Prosecutor, Stephen Geary, said victim impact statements tendered to the court revealed Mehali was greatly missed by his extended family and Mr Williams was a father of three boys himself, who were now without a dad.
“One can’t help but be moved when reading the circumstances of how people came to know about the events that bring us to court today and the ongoing trauma and sense of loss in losing a much loved child,” he said.
Mr Geary said while Groening’s own loss of her young son was “punishment in itself,” the offending was so serious she “must go to jail”.
“For many years to come for the rest of her life this offender will have to live with what she’s done to her own child and two other men,” he said.
“(But) there’s just absolutely no excuse for driving in this way on that particular night.
“It would be manifestly inadequate if there was a fully suspended sentence regarding this matter, it’s just too serious.”
Groening returns to court for sentencing on October 14 where Justice Mildren indicated he would be likely to impose a term of actual imprisonment followed by a possible period of home detention.
Antonia Eugenia Vardalos, popularly known as Nia Vardalos, is a Greek Canadian actress who became well-known for her role in the Oscar nominated film, ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding.’ She is also a screenwriter, director and producer.
On this day in 1962, Nia was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. To mark the occasion of her birthday, we take a look back at her impressive film career so far!
Early Life:
Nia is the daughter of Greek Canadian parents – Doreen Christakos, a bookkeeper and homemaker, and Constantine “Gus” Vardalos, a land developer who was born in Kalavryta, Greece.
She attended St. George School and later, Shaftesbury High School in Winnipeg.
Nia Vardalos is the daughter of Greek Canadian parents.
She developed an interest in acting at a young age, performing at a local theatre company named Rainbow Stage. Eventually, she was able to get a scholarship to Ryerson University in Toronto.
After two years, Nia joined Toronto’s Second City theatre group, shortly after which she moved to Chicago’s Second City stage.
Personal Life:
Nia married the American actor Ian Gomez in September 1993. They adopted a daughter in 2009. In 2018, Nia filed for divorce from Gomez after 25 years of marriage.
Career:
Nia began her acting career on TV doing minor roles in shows such as ‘The Drew Carey Show’ (1997), ‘Boy Meets World’ (1998-99), ‘Two Guys and a Girl’ (1999) and ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ (2000).
She made her film debut with a role in the film ‘No Experience Necessary’ in the mid-1990s.
But she truly rose to popularity after she played the lead role in the 2002 hit film ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’.
She made a name for herself in the 2002 hit film ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding.’
The film, which was directed by Joel Zwick and written by Nia, became a huge success, grossing more than $368 million on a mere budget of $5 million.
The film was also nominated for an Oscar for ‘Best Original Screenplay.’
The success of the film inspired the TV series ‘My Big Fat Greek Life,’ which began airing from 2003. Nia played the lead role and served as the director and executive producer of the series.
Over the next few years, she appeared in the movies ‘Connie and Carla’ (2004), ‘My Life in Ruins’ (2009), ‘I Hate Valentine’s Day’ (2009), and ‘For a Good Time, Call…’ (2012).
The TV shows she has appeared in over the years include: ‘My Boys’ (2008), ‘Drop Dead Diva’ (2009), ‘Cougar Town’ (2009), ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ (2012), ‘Star vs. The Forces of Evil’ (2015) and ‘The Catch’ (2016).
Nia Vardalos was also the lead actress in My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.
In 2016, she worked as the writer and the lead actress of ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.’ The film was directed by Kirk Jones. It was a commercial success, though it didn’t do as well as the original.
Awards:
Nia was nominated for an Oscar in 2003 for ‘Best Original Screenplay’ for her writing in the film ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding.’
Her acting in the film earned her a nomination for the ‘Golden Globe Award’ for ‘Best Performance by an Actress.’
Other awards won by Nia include: the ‘American Screenwriting Association Award,’ ‘Canadian Comedy Award,’ and the ‘Phoenix Film Critics Society Award,’ which she won for her work in the film ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding.’
