Entertainment icon, human rights activist, wife, mother, and Oscar winning actress Olympia Dukakis is the subject of a new documentary in production. “Olympia: Undefined,” a film directed by New York filmmaker Harry Mavromichalis promises to be a personal look into the heart and soul of one of the greatest actors of our generation.
In a career spanning over fifty years, Ms. Dukakis has left a mark on Hollywood with some of the unique and compelling roles and characters she has portrayed, as much as her honest and open personality— never shying away from sharing her opinion when politically correct or not.
A genteel southern belle in Steel Magnolias, her interactions with Shirley MacLaine, are some of the most memorable moments in cinematic history.
She’s played Jennifer Aniston’s mother in the 90s romantic comedy Picture Perfect and the wife of an Alzheimer’s victim in the critically-acclaimed Away From Her. In the 2011 Canadian-American adventure comedy-drama Cloudburst, she plays a foul-mouthed lesbian grandmother who runs off in a Bonnie and Clyde-esque race to marry her girlfriend. She’s also had a Harold and Maude-like storyline with Zach Galifianakis on HBO’s Bored To Death for three episodes with scenes that were nothing less than hilariously brilliant.
One of her most memorable portrayals was that of transsexual landlady, Anna Madrigal, in the controversial TV miniseries, Tales of The City. Based on Armistead Maupin’s 1970s newspaper serial, Tales debuted in 1993 and was followed by sequels in 1998 and 2001. One of Ms. Madrigal’s unforgettable lines, “I have no objection to anything,” could also define Dukakis’ feisty personality.
Best known, however, for her Academy Award-winning performance in Moonstruck, few people know that, at 83 years old, Olympia is booked solid for the next three years with films, television, theater, and workshops around the globe.
The feature-length documentary follows Dukakis through three continuous years of life and features fellow actors, film executives and friends who have worked with Dukakis throughout her career. Whoopie Goldberg, Fox Films CEO Jim Gianopulos and Melina Kanakaredes are amongst those interviewed.
The production team has turned to crowd funding to reach their goal of raising $100,000 by June 20, 2014. Currently, the entire production has been backed by deferred payments and out of pocket expenses on the part of the production team.
For more info on how you can help get OLYMPIA: UNDEFINED made, and to see the trailer check out the production’s KickStarter page.