Irene Papas
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- September 3, 1929
- Died
- September 14, 2022
- Birthplace
- Chiliomodi, Corinth, Greece
Irene Papas or Pappas (Greek: Ειρήνη Παππά, romanized: Eiríni Pappá, born Eirini Lelekou [Ειρήνη Λελέκου]; 3 September 1929 – 14 September 2022) was a distinguished Greek actress and singer whose international career spanned more than five decades and encompassed over 70 films. She gained worldwide recognition for her passionate, statuesque performances and her classical Greek beauty, becoming one of the most iconic figures in Greek and international cinema. Born in Chiliomodi, Corinthia, she studied at the National Theatre Drama School. She began her career in theatre and film in the late 1940s. She achieved international acclaim through her collaboration with director Michael Cacoyannis, starring in film adaptations of ancient tragedies such as "Electra" (1962), "Iphigenia" (1977), and "The Trojan Women" (1971)—the latter alongside Katharine Hepburn and Vanessa Redgrave. At the same time, she appeared in major international productions such as "The Guns of Navarone" (1961)—alongside Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn—Michael Cacoyannis’s "Zorba the Greek" (1964), Costa-Gavras’s political thriller "Z" (1969), and the epic production "The Message" (1976). Beyond acting, she also distinguished herself in music, collaborating with renowned artists such as Vangelis Papathanassiou (on the album "Odes") and Mikis Theodorakis. Irene Papas received numerous awards at international festivals, including the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival in 2009. She passed away in 2022 at the age of 93, leaving behind an invaluable cultural legacy.
Filmography
1821 at the Cinema 2021
as (archive footage)
Morceaux de Cannes 2021
Actor
Il falso bugiardo 2008
as Self (archive footage)
A Talking Picture 2003
as Helena
...and the train leaves for the sky 2001
as Elena Michailovna
Captain Corelli's Mandolin 2001
as Drosoula
Yerma 1999
as Vieja pagana
Inquietude 1998
as Mother
Party 1996
as Irene
Jacob 1994
as Rebekka
- Un Amore Rubato
Un Amore Rubato 1993
Actor
Lettera da Parigi 1993
as Gina
Up, Down and Sideways 1992
as Μαρία
Island 1989
as Marquise
Plato's Banquet 1989
as Diotime
High Season 1987
as Penelope
Chronicle of a Death Foretold 1987
as Madre de Angela
Sweet Country 1987
as Mrs. Araya
A Child Called Jesus 1987
as Old Maria
The Assisi Underground 1985
as Mother Giuseppina
Into the Night 1985
as Shaheen Parvici
Afghanistan For What? 1984
Actor
Erendira 1983
as Grandmother Amadis
The Deserter 1983
as Mariangela
The Balad of Mamelouk 1982
as Mamluk's Mother
Lion of the Desert 1981
as Mabrouka
L'assistente sociale tutto pepe... 1981
as La Signora
Ring of Darkness 1979
as Raffaella
Bloodline 1979
as Simonetta Palazzi
Christ Stopped at Eboli 1979
as Giulia Venere
Iphigenia 1977
as Klytaimnistra
Blood Wedding 1977
as La mère
Moses the Lawgiver 1976
as Zippora
The Message 1976
as Hind
Bambina 1974
as Raimonda Spina
The Battle of Sutjeska 1973
as Borina majka
1931: Once Upon a Time in New York 1973
as Donna Mimma
Don't Torture a Duckling 1972
as Dona Aurelia Avallone
N.P. - The Secret 1972
as Casalinga
The Murder of Julius Caesar 1972
as Calpurnia
Roma bene 1971
as Elena Teopoulos
Oasis of Fear 1971
as Barbara Slater
The Trojan Women 1971
as Helen
Anne of the Thousand Days 1969
as Queen Catherine
A Dream of Kings 1969
as Caliope
The Odyssey 1969
as Penelope
Z 1969
as Hélène
Le avventure di Ulisse 1969
as Penelope
Behold Man - The Survivors 1969
as Anna
The Brotherhood 1968
as Ida Ginetta
The Desperate Ones 1967
as Ajmi
Witness Out of Hell 1967
as Lea Weiss
We Still Kill the Old Way 1967
as Luisa Roscio
Trap for the Assassin 1966
as Julia de Noirville
The Steps 1966
as Joana
Zorba the Greek 1964
as Widow
The Moon-Spinners 1964
as Sophia
Electra 1962
as Elektra
Antigone 1961
as Antigone
The Guns of Navarone 1961
as Maria Pappadimos
The Lake of Sighs 1959
as Frosyni
Pssst ... girls! 1959
as Eleni
Bouboulina 1959
as Laskarina Bouboulina
Tribute to a Bad Man 1956
as Jocasta Constantine
The Missing Scientists 1954
as Gina
Attila 1954
as Grune
Theodora, Slave Empress 1954
as Faidia
Vortice 1953
as Clara
The Man From Cairo 1953
as Yvonne Lebeau
The Unfaithfuls 1953
as Luisa Azzali
Dead City 1951
as Lena
Fallen Angels 1948
as Liana
Credits from TMDB.