Melina Kanakaredes
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
Born in 1967 and raised in Akron, Ohio, Melina Kanakaredes was a performer even as a child. She attended Ohio State University before transferring to Point Park College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There, she performed in the local theaters while earning a BA in Theater Arts. Her first onscreen role came on the daytime soap opera "Guiding Light" (CBS, 1952-2009). She was nominated twice for a Daytime Emmy Award for her portrayal of Eleni Andros Cooper on the show. Her first primetime series experience was a series regular role on "New York News" (CBS, 1995), starring Mary Tyler Moore and Madeleine Kahn. After that series ended, she played a recurring role on "NYPD Blue" (ABC, 1993-2005) and was a series regular on the short-lived "Leaving LA" (ABC, 1997) an office comedy about the Los Angeles coroner. Kanakaredes had her biggest success to date with "Providence" (NBC, 1999-2002). She played the leading role on the show about a big city plastic surgeon who returns to her small hometown. The series ended its run in 2002, after five seasons, but Kanakaredes did not stop to take a break, appearing in a supporting roles before returning to a spot as a series regular on "CSI: NY" (CBS, 2004-2013). After six seasons, Kanakaredes left the series and continued to appear in supporting roles before returning to series TV in the medical drama "The Resident" (Fox 2018- ).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Life Events
1989
Moved to NYC to pursue career
1991
Portrayed Greek immigrant Eleni Andros on CBS' "Guiding Light"
1994
Made feature film debut in "Bleeding Hearts"
1995
Played a woman from Mountie Benton Fraser's past on two-part season finale of "Due South" (CBS)
1995
Series debut as regular, portrayed journalist Angela Villanova on short-lived CBS drama "New York News"
1995
Played recurring role of Jimmy Smits' journalist girlfriend on ABC's "NYPD Blue"
1997
Co-starred on short-lived ABC drama "Leaving L.A."
1998
Landed small role in John Dahl's "Rounders"
1998
Played a Courtesan in "Dangerous Beauty"
1999
Played Dr. Sydney Hansenas, a surgeon who returns to her New England home on NBC's "Providence"
2000
Played a TV journalist opposite Robert De Niro in "15 Minutes"
2004
Starred opposite Gary Sinise on "CSI: NY" (CBS) as the show's lead female forensic investigator
2005
Co-starred with Sean Patrick Flanery and JoBeth Williams in Michael Phelan's "Into the Fire"
2010
Cast as Athena, goddess of wisdom and Battle Strategies in the adaptation "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief"
2013
Cast opposite Dwayne Johnson in action drama "Snitch"
2018
Co-starred on "The Resident"
Family
Companions
