ACTOR
Olympia Dukakis
21 archived facts 3 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (21)
- #001
Olympia Dukakis's Best Supporting Actress Oscar statuette was stolen from her kitchen in 1989. The thief left only the nameplate behind.
- #002
In the 1950s, Olympia Dukakis worked as a physiotherapist to earn enough money to pay for her acting training.
- #003
On May 24, 2013, Olympia Dukakis was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Live Theatre at 6233 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Fellow Walk of Fame members Edward Asner and Diane Ladd were the guest speakers at the ceremony.
- #004
Olympia Dukakis was a cousin of Michael Dukakis, the 1988 Democratic U.S. presidential nominee. She spoke to him when she won her Oscar that spring.
- #005
Olympia Dukakis is the sister of actor Apollo Dukakis.
- #006
Olympia Dukakis is the daughter of Greek immigrants Constantine "Costa" Dukakis (1899-1975) and Alexandra "Alec" Dukakis (née Christos) (1901-1994).
- #007
Olympia Dukakis attended and graduated from Arlington High School in Arlington, Massachusetts.
- #008
Olympia Dukakis never retired from acting before her death.
- #009
Olympia Dukakis's favorite actress was Geraldine Page.
- #010
Olympia Dukakis was three months pregnant with her daughter Christina Zorich when she finished the off-Broadway play "Electra."
- #011
On February 28, 1965, Olympia Dukakis gave birth to her first child, Christina Zorich, at the age of 33. The child's father is her husband, Louis Zorich.
- #012
On September 19, 1968, Olympia Dukakis gave birth to her second child, Peter Zorich, at the age of 37. The child's father is her husband, Louis Zorich.
- #013
Olympia Dukakis studied acting with Peter Kass in Boston and has taught master classes at studios and universities around the world.
- #014
On February 4, 1971, Olympia Dukakis gave birth to her third child, Stefan Zorich, at the age of 39. The child's father is her husband, Louis Zorich.
- #015
In 1949, Olympia Dukakis had a nose job to remove a bump on the bridge of her nose.
- #016
Olympia Dukakis and Anita Gillette shared the same love interest on screen twice: Larry Haines in Search for Tomorrow (1951) and Vincent Gardenia in Moonstruck (1987).
- #017
Olympia Dukakis became the 95th actor to win an Oscar; on April 11, 1988, at the 60th Annual Academy Awards (1988), she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Moonstruck (1987).
- #018
Olympia Dukakis appeared in two films with Vincent Gardenia: Death Wish (1974) and Moonstruck (1987).
- #019
Olympia Dukakis is one of 25 actors who won an Oscar for a comedic performance; hers was for Moonstruck (1987). The others, in chronological order, are: Claudette Colbert (It Happened One Night (1934)), Loretta Young (The Farmer's Daughter (1947)), Josephine Hull (Harvey (1950)), Judy Holliday (Born Yesterday (1950)), Audrey Hepburn (Roman Holiday (1953)), Goldie Hawn (Cactus Flower (1969)), Glenda Jackson (A Touch of Class (1973)), Lee Grant (Shampoo (1975)), Diane Keaton (Annie Hall (1977)), Maggie Smith (California Suite (1978)), Mary Steenburgen (Melvin and Howard (1980)), Jessica Lange (Tootsie (1982)), Cher (Moonstruck (1987)), Jessica Tandy (Driving Miss Daisy (1989)), Mercedes Ruehl (The Fisher King (1991)), Dianne Wiest (Bullets Over Broadway (1994)), Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny (1992)), Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite (1995)), Frances McDormand (Fargo (1996)), Helen Hunt (As Good as It Gets (1997)), Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love (1998)), Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare in Love (1998)), Penélope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)) and Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook (2012)).
- #020
Olympia Dukakis has four grandchildren: Isabella, Sofia, Luka and Erlinda.
- #021
Olympia Dukakis was born on exactly the same date as actor James Tolkan.
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