You’re basically playing a Greek romantic stereotype. How do you go about it?

I try to keep the stereotype on the surface and then my job was to work under the surface to make a real character, a real person. As I was trying to find a lot of common things, I had to put some new things out there and finally I felt, “This is not a stereotype, this is a real person”.

So I might see someone just like you in Athens?

Greek society is not one thing, it’s about so many cultures. There are a lot of aspects of Greek culture. You can find a person like Poupi, but that isn’t a typical picture. Then again, I’d say we don’t have a typical picture.

Was “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” really big in Greece?

Yes it was. Me personally, I’ve seen that movie three or four times.

Were you a fan of Richard Dreyfuss?

I love his way of acting and when I first met him, I wanted a picture with him. I acted like a fan. I couldn’t believe that we were in the same movie and that we could be in the same frame together. I just couldn’t find a way to act normally around him. It was awkward.

He’s very politically active. Did you talk about politics?

We didn’t talk about politics, but we talked a lot about Ancient Greece and what was going on back then. I think he really admires the ancient Greek culture.

What was it like working with Nia?

It felt like we became friends in the first minute. I was more loose and open and I could speak in Greek to Nia so my feelings were easier to express.

Greece has this amazing history. Do these sacred sites wow you in the same way they do tourists?

Oh yes. I used to go and visit those sites all the time. I like to get the energy. When I had to work there, I felt like I used the area in the same way the ancient Greeks might have. I felt really linked with all those years of history.

Before you got this job, you were studying to be an engineer. Don’t engineering and acting seem kind of mutually exclusive?

Engineering is very practical. Acting is generally making theatre or movies or a story, the color of creation. You have to have inspiration to make it real. When I was studying Civil Engineering, I wanted to find something more artistic. I was looking to create a band or be in a band. Then I met a friend who wanted to audition for drama school and she asked me to watch her. I started talking to her like a director, telling her some of it was good but some of it didn’t feel real. And then eventually she got fed up and said, “OK, come on the stage and show me.” So I went up there and suddenly I thought, “This feels like what I want to do.”

You’re on a successful TV series in Greece. Can you walk down the street?

I can but I have to say a lot of hellos. I like to be surrounded by fans but I don’t like to be surrounded by paparazzi. Fans want to express their love. It’s good when people want to say, “I like your movie” and “I like the way you’re acting.” But the paparazzi just want to print a scoop or gossip.

So you have to be looking over your shoulder the whole time?

Yes. I remember when I was first on a TV series, I didn’t know how to deal with that stuff. I had some bad experiences. I’d turn on the TV and see myself trying to pick up a girl or something. And I’d be like, “No, this isn’t for the public.”

Do you have any plans to move to LA?

Well, I really like the experience I’ve had here and the entire film publicity campagin. I find it very interesting so I’d like to try and see if I can go further.

What about the idea of ‘kefi’? Is it really something important in your culture?

Yes, and not only in the movies. It’s not the power to break plates, it’s the way you look through your eyes, the way you laugh, the way you love, the source of your energy.

Have you ever lost your kefi?

Oh, yes many times. When you lose your kefi, you want to find it. When you find it, you want to make it better. When a friend of yours doesn’t have kefi, you have to support him and help him find his kefi again. Generally, it’s the energy we have, not just the energy but the quality of that energy.

How do you find your kefi level in Hollywood?

Not so different from the kefi in Athens. There’s a lot of stress and adrenaline. I see the same sort of thing in New York but it seems more low-key here in LA. I think when foreigners come here, they’re focused on their job, rather than spending time with friends because their friends are in Europe. So they have more focus on their job. If I was in Greece, my friends would be saying, “You’re there? I’m coming for a coffee” or “I’m coming to have a drink.” They wouldn’t care if I have to get up at 7am the next day.

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