Gia Carides

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Gia Carides bigraphy, stories - Australian actress

Gia Carides : biography

7 June 1964 –

Gia Carides (born 7 June 1964) is an Australian actress. She is best known for her portrayals of Liz Holt in Strictly Ballroom, Susy Connor in Brilliant Lies, and Cousin Nikki in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1977 The|Love Letters from Teralba Road}} Maureen
1983 Midnite Spares Ruth
1983 Phar Lap Emma
1984 Annie’s Coming Out Narrator
1985 The|Coca-Cola Kid}} Chambermaid
1985 Bliss Lucy Joy
1987 Backlash Nikki Iceton
1992 Greenkeeping Gina
1992 Strictly Ballroom Liz Holt
1992 The|Girl Who Came Late}} Wendy
1994 Paperback Romance Sophie
1995 Bad Company Julie Ames
1996 The|Cottonwood|nolink=1}} Kathy
1996 Two If by Sea Joan Rappaport (uncredited)
1996 Brilliant Lies Susy Connor
1997 Lifebreath Gale Pullman
1998 Primary Colors Cashmere McLeod
1998 Letters from a Killer Lita
1999 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Robin Swallows
2000 The|Extreme Adventures of Super Dave}} Sandy Video
2000 Maze Julianne
2001 Jack the Dog Georgia
2002 My Big Fat Greek Wedding Cousin Nikki
2003 Exposed Jade Blake
2005 One Last Thing… Madelene
2006 Thank Heaven Cybil
2006 Stick It Alice Graham
2007 The|Trap|nolink=1}} Clara Short film
2009 Year One Queen
2011 In Loco Parentis Mum Short film
2011 Burning Man Carol
2012 White Camellias Completed
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1983 A|Country Practice}} Tracy Power Episode: "Hair of the Dog: Part 1"Episode: "Hair of the Dog: Part 2"
1984 Five Mile Creek Beth Episode: "Maggie"
1986 Studio 86 Episode: "Strawberry Girl"Episode: "Sisters in the Bathroom"
1989 Inside Running TV series
1991 Boys from the Bush Episode: "The Stuffed Platypus"Episode: "Poetic Galah"
1991 Acropolis Now Haroula Episode: "The Goddess"
1992 The|Resting Place|nolink=1}} Sally TV short
1992 Ultraman: Towards the Future Jean Echo 13 episodes
1992-1993 Police Rescue Helena Angelopoulos 7 episodes
1993 Seven Deadly Sins Gluttony TV miniseries
1995 The|Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space}} Vesper, Vox’s High Priestess TV movie
1997 ER Suzanne Alner Episode: "You Bet Your Life"
1997 Firehouse Charlotte Brooks TV movie
1997 The|Devil’s Child}} Eva TV movie
1999 A|Secret Affair|nolink=1}} Mimi TV movie
2003 My Big Fat Greek Life Nikki 7 episodes
2003 Gladius Additional Voices Video game
2005 Without a Trace Stephanie Patterson Episode: "4.0"
2008-2009 East of Everything Melanie Freedman 10 episodes
2011 Small Time Gangster Darlene 8 episodes

Career

Early in her career, Carides starred as ‘Helena Angelopolous’ on the Australian television series Police Rescue, while also having acclaim for her films Strictly Ballroom and Brilliant Lies, receiving AFI Award nominations for each.

She is best known for her roles as Robin Spitz/Swallows in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and as Cousin Nikki in My Big Fat Greek Wedding and the sequel television show My Big Fat Greek Life.

Carides works in both America and Australia, credited with a host of film and television credits including Primary Colors, Year One and East of Everything. She’s also appeared in a guest spot of husband Anthony LaPaglia’s television series Without A Trace.

She has volunteered as an actress with the Young Storytellers Program. Gia is active in fundraising for building schools in Africa and Ethiopia with Save The Children.

Early life

Carides was born in Sydney, Australia, to a Greek father and an English mother. She began acting at the age of 12. Her first film was a hard hitting drama starring alongside Bryan Brown and Kris Macquade.

Personal life

Carides is married to actor Anthony LaPaglia, whom she met in Sydney in 1992. A year later they starred in the film Paperback Romance (a.k.a. Lucky Break). She and LaPaglia are the parents of daughter Bridget (born in January 2003). Gia Carides is sister to Zoe Carides, also an actress, and Danielle Carides, singer songwriter. Her brother in-law meanwhile is doctor-turned-actor Jonathan LaPaglia (from New York Undercover).