Meet Michael Dukakis | Actor & writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michael Dukakis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael, why did you pursue a creative career?
It started as a necessity. Acting opened the door to a magical world. Escaping through my imagination helped me transform the harsh reality I was experiencing. Stage acting started when I was 12. Real salvation! It helped me get away from a difficult childhood and start planning for a better adulthood. Today, acting and writing for film are still helping me explore imaginary worlds and enhance my reality. The more I fantasize and live within imaginary circumstances, and the more I empathize with other human beings, the more colorful and meaningful my life becomes.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
My art is shaped by a mix of passion and empathy combined with some drama, as well as kindness and love. I believe love is at the core of all humankind and if the circumstances allow, we only want to do good and be useful.

So I’m working on being myself without fear, expanding my range, supporting my authentic voice, and not measuring or comparing myself to others.

I got to where I am today with lots of hard work as well as guidance from great mentors. I also want to thank, for the progress being made, one of the best acting studios in L.A., Diana Castle’s The Imagined Life®, my current creative home.

The journey wasn’t easy and I’m not going into details because it’ll make some people sad. The important thing is the inner need that made me overcome the obstacles, which included living in three different countries (Greece, U.K., U.S.A.). Changing countries means you start from zero, so all the work I did in Greece for ten years, didn’t matter when I came here. But, of course, the positive aspect to those changes was an even greater ability to adapt quickly.

What helps me overcome challenges is having a solid daily routine, practicing acting, singing, reading, and writing, as well as working out. This helps me keep in touch with my craft and my sanity –not wait for the next booking to keep going.

Therapy was one of the biggest benefits I got along the way. It transformed my perspective. It helped me become more attracted by positive energy and stay away from toxic situations.

Maybe one of the greatest things I have to offer is some incredible stories that must be told. And I’m grateful this is getting recognized by the screenplay competitions to which I’ve been submitting my scripts. Also, because of personal experiences, I’ve become a strong supporter of all human rights. Most of my writing and acting is about supporting the underdogs and all those facing injustice or mistreatment. The scripts I have ready to shoot or sell explore environmental and climate change, child abuse as well as LGBTQ+ issues.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m not going to suggest restaurants and bars. There are so many great places here that I can’t do all of them justice by mentioning only a few. But, for sure, I would take my friend to the lighthouse in Palos Verdes, the Observatory, the RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, the Magic Castle, Venice canals and Santa Monica, Disneyland, as well as Downtown LA for a late-night drink on a nice rooftop with spectacular views.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I was fortunate enough to have a few great supporters on this journey. I would like to dedicate this shout-out to Greek-American professor Diana Savas. She believed in the quality of my storytelling and helped me find my way in L.A. I’m grateful and honored to call her a dear friend. I was also fortunate to have a few great professional acting supporters on this journey, in particular, my acting coach and friend, the legendary Olympia Dukakis whom we lost a few months ago. She was one of a kind, a very special, gracious, unpretentious, humble person, whose work and honesty affected me deeply. May she rest in peace and her dynamic life offer warmth and optimism to the people who loved her.

Website: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm8900232/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaeldukakisactor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaeldukakisactor/

Image Credits
Johnny Buzzerio
Logan McAllister
Arti Onil