Elena Mandalis (), also known as Elle Mandalis, is an Australian television, film and stage actress of Greek descent.
She is known for her roles in Ana Kokkinos' films Only the Brave (1994) and Head On (1998), both of which explore the lives of second generation Greek Australians in Melbourne.
Career Mandalis landed her first film role as co-lead, Alex in Ana Kokkinos' Only the Brave (1994), for which she won the Open Craft Award for her performance at the 1994 Australian Film Institute Awards. She played a troubled, second generation Greek Australian lesbian, and the film focused on her intense friendship with Vicki (Dora Kaskanis).Only the Brave National Film and Sound Archive. Retrieved on 13 July 2024 Mandalis won the Open Craft Award for her performance at the 1994 Australian Film Institute Awards (later known as the AACTA Awards).Coming soon: The ‘untold story’ of Aussie Greeks – Oh, and it’s set in the 90s Neos Kosmos. 25 May 2021 The film was screened at film festivals around the world and won Best Film at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 1994.Selected Awards and Festivals Screen Australia. Retrieved on 13 July 2024Melbourne International Film Festival Screen Australia. Retrieved on 13 July 2024
In 1995, she guest starred in the ABC1 series, Correlli, with Hugh Jackman, in one of his earliest roles. In 1997, she landed a part as a series regular, playing DJ Sarah, alongside Dominic Purcell in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation series, Raw FM.Raw FM – What You Can (1997) Australian Screen. Retrieved on 15 July 2024
Mandalis reunited with Kokkinos for the celebrated drama film Head On (1998) and appeared alongside Alex Dimitriades, who played the lead role, Ari. Mandalis plays Betty, the female counterpart of Ari, in that they both rail against the conservative conventions of their Greek backgrounds and look to sex and drugs as an escape.Head On: I love you Betty National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. Retrieved on 12 July 2024 The film, based on the 1995 novel Loaded by Christos Tsiolkas, received nine nominations at the 1998 Australian Film Institute Awards.McWilliam, Kelly. “Head On: Centring the Other.” Ana Kokkinos: An Oeuvre of Outsiders, Edinburgh University Press, 2020, pp. 47–63. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3366/jj.7358670.7. Accessed 13 July 2024.
The following year she played Jett for 25 episodes in the Australian science fiction television series, Thunderstone.Thunderstone, Episode 3: This is not my past, I'm in the future National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. Retrieved on 14 July 2024 In 2000, she had a guest role in the Eric Bana-starring soap opera, Something in the Air on ABC1.
In 2001, Mandalis guest starred as Salea in Secret Life of Us. The show was broadcast on Network Ten and on Channel 4 in the UK. It followed the personal and professional lives of a group of twenty-somethings, including Claudia Karvan, living in the Melbourne neighbourhood of St Kilda.From BMX Bandits to The Secret Life of Us: 11 Australian classics new to Netflix The Guardian. 18 June 2021The Secret Life of Us: episode guide australiantelevision.net. Retrieved on 15 July 2024
In 2011, she had a recurring role in the fourth season of Network Ten police drama, Rush, alongside Rodger Corser. The following year she had a recurring role as Miss Papas in Tangle, with Ben Mendelsohn and Lincoln Younes.
In 2015, she appeared in Grant Scicluna's Australian drama film, Downriver, which premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival. In the same year, she was chosen as reader for a selection of poetry by second generation Greek Australians on Radio National.Program: Southern Sun, Aegean Light—The poetry of second-generation Greek-Australian poets ABC Radio National. 27 May 2015
In 2018, Mandalis co-starred with Wayne Hope and Robyn Nevin in the ABC1 comedy series, Very Small Business.Wayne Hope and Robyn Butler: Back in Business 2018. Retrieved on 15 July 2024
In 2021, she was directed by Ana Kokkinos in the ABC TV anthology drama series, Fires. The series is set against the background of the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season.
In 2022, she starred in the Australian dark comedy thriller, Slant. Her role was written especially for her.
Mandalis is part of the ensemble cast of the Hobart-set ABC series, Bay of Fires, with Marta Dusseldorp, which premiered in 2023. She also plays Connie, part of the jury in the second season of legal drama series, The Twelve on Fox Showcase, with Sam Neill.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1994 Only the Brave Alex Dir. Ana KokkinosOpen Craft Award (for performance) - 1994 Australian Film Institute Awards1998 Head On Betty Dir. Ana Kokkinos 2003 The Forest Tanya Short filmDir. Jo Kennedy 2004 Heartworm Rachaele Short filmDir. Ben Chessell 2009 One Night Antigone Short filmDir. Alexandra Schepisi 2013 Quiz Hairdresser Short filmDir. Alistair Reid 2015 Downriver Rita Dir. Grant Scicluna 2017 Boy Saviour Mother Short filmDir. Arthur Angel 2018 The Story The Woman Short filmDir. Steven J. Tandy 2022 Slant Kaye Kopoulos Dir. James Vinson
Television Year Title Role Notes 1994 A Country Practice Aleki Vlahos TV series, 1 episode: "Love Potion Number Nine"1995 Correlli Kim Miniseries, episode 7: "Wishin' and Hopin'" 1997–1998 Raw FM Sarah Tomic Series regular13 episodes 1999–2000 Thunderstone Jett TV series, 25 episodes 2000 Something in the Air Cheryl Stephanopoulas TV series, 2 episodes 2001 The Secret Life of Us Salea TV series, season 1, 2 episodes2002 MDA Tina Morello TV series, season 1, episode 6: "Damned If You Do/Damned If..." Marshall Law The Woman Miniseries, 1 episode 2003 Blue Heelers Constable Paula Milburn TV series, season 10, 2 episodes2005 Scooter: Secret Agent Constable Barnes TV series, season 1, episode 9 Last Man Standing Margot TV series, season 1, episode 13 2009 Dirt Game Annie Miniseries, 2 episodes 2010 Dead Gorgeous Mrs Miller TV series, 4 episodes2011 Offspring Jane TV series, season 2, episode 11: "Complications" Rush Anna Vargas TV series, season 4, 8 episodes 2012 Tangle Miss Papas TV series, season 3, 5 episodes 2016–2018 Nowhere Boys Anna TV series, seasons 3–4, 5 episodes 2017 Utopia Marissa TV series, season 1, episode 8: "Independence Day"2018 Back in Very Small Business Olivia Micheledes TV series, season 1, 8 episodes How to Stay Married Eileen TV series, season 1, episode 4 The Housemate Reinbough's mum TV series, season 1, episode 4: Richmond's Next Top Housemate" 2020 AussieWood Irena Wood 2021 Fires Collette Miniseries, episode 5 2023–present Bay of Fires Kerry TV series, seasons 1–2, 15 episodes 2024 The Twelve Connie d'Angelo TV series, season 2, 7 episodes
Theatre Year Title Role Notes 2002 Bearhunt Chunky Move Studios, Melbourne with The Hoist Theatre Group 2007 All The Way to the Top Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with Pregnant Goldfish Productions for Short+Sweet Snoop (reading) Kimbo Melbourne Theatre Company
Personal life Mandalis is married to her Head On co-star, Damien Fotiou, with whom she has two sons. The couple run Melbourne drama school, Brave Studios and children's drama school Greentree Acting School in Mebourne's Footscray, a sister school to Brave Studios.
Mandalis credits the role of her background in her career: “being Greek is the reason my acting career is what it is today”, adding that her Greek Australian part in Only the Brave "launched" her acting career. Early in her career, however, she was not considered for non-Greek roles: “In the early 90’s being an actress of Greek heritage in Australia was both a blessing and, in a way, a curse,” And that “In the days before screen diversity was really embraced, I was viewed by many as only being Greek[…] If the surname didn’t end in ‘opoulos’ I would never be asked to audition.”
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