10+1 Greek Entertainment Movers and Shakers of 2013

Here are 11 Greeks that made an impact in the entertainment field this past year.

Adele Exarchopoulos
Greek-French beauty Adele Exarchopoulos won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival for her portrayal of a teen girl who falls in love with an older woman in “Blue Is the Warmest Color,” in addition to taking home honors as Best Actress from various critics’ associations.

Orianthi
Rock goddess Orianthi Panagaris, better known simply as Orianthi, has jammed alongside some of the most legendary musicians in history. The Greek-Australian guitarist/singer-songwriter has played with the likes of Santana, the late Michael Jackson, and Alice Cooper — to name a few — and she’s well on her way to becoming a legend in her own right. She released her latest album, Heaven In This Hell, to rave reviews this year.

Ted Leonsis
Ted Leonsis is not only a sports team owner, venture capital investor, filmmaker, and author, but he is also a philanthropist and is involved in numerous goodwill efforts such as the Hellenic Initiative. The Greek-American has been recognized for many of his achievements, including making the list of Top 10 Creative Executives in America and Top 20 Most Powerful People in Sports. He is also an award-winning producer of documentaries, and the founder and chairman of SnagFilms.

Elli Avram
Greek-Swedish actress Elli Avram, who represented Miss Greece 2010 Beauty Talent, is becoming a rising star in Bollywood. She made her big-screen Bollywood debut in October in “Mickey Virus,” and appeared as a celebrity contestant during Season 7 of “Bigg Boss,” the biggest reality show in India.

Lianne La Havas
Lianne La Havas embarked on her first U.S. tour in 2013, performing at sold out shows across the country. The 23-year-old Greek-Jamaican musician’s latest release, Is Your Love Big Enough?, was named iTunes Album of the Year at the end of 2012 and we see big things ahead for her.

Nia Vardalos
The Greek-Canadian/American actress/writer/producer/director/mom added New York Times best-selling author to her list of credits after releasing “Insant Mom,” a book that reveals a lot about her private life, including fertility struggles that ultimately led to the adoption of a beautiful little girl with her husband Ian Gomez.

Nikolaj Arcel
Greek-Danish director and writer Nikolaj Arcel was nominated for an Academy Award in 2013 for his film, “A Royal Affair.” Arcel, whose father is from Denmark and mother from Mytiline, Greece, is also an accomplished screenwriter, having penned the Swedish version of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” as well as many other feature films. He is currently the only director with two films on the official Danish top ten box office list.

Costa-Gavras
Considered one of the world’s living legends in cinema, Greek-born filmmaker Costa-Gavras was bestowed with the title of French Knighthood. His 1969 political thriller “Z,” based on the novel by Vassilis Vassilikos, won the Best Foreign Film Oscar. He was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2013 Mumbai Film Festival, and in talking exclusively to Greek Reporter, revealed that he is planning to make a movie on the political situation in Greece and the rise of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party.

John Stamos
Celebrating his 50th birthday in 2013, Greek-American John Stamos has proved he’s still got it. Named “Hottie of the Year” by E! News, the actor was everywhere in 2013, making appearances on many television shows, hosting his own Yahoo! program, “Losing It with John Stamos,” and he was nominated for a People’s Choice Award. He even reunited with his “Full House” band, performing songs from his Jesse Katsopolis days on a late-night talk show.

Dave Bautista
Greek-Filipino wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista (also known as “Batista”) was cast in a major leading role this year — Drax the Destroyer in the Disney/Marvel Studios-produced action/adventure sci-fi “Guardians of the Galaxy.” He also appeared in the 2013 blockbuster film “Riddick,” and will make a confirmed return to wrestling in 2014.

Alexander Payne
Filmmaker Alexander Payne’s latest project, “Nebraska,” has been steamrolling through awards nominations. From Spirit Awards to Golden Globes, the film, which the Academy Award-winner shot in his home state, has been receiving praise from audiences and critics alike. In addition, the Greek-American director was honored at the 2013 Savannah Film Festival with the “Outstanding Achievement in Cinema” award.