Irene Papas Family, Politics, Awards, Net Worth

Irene Papas was a Greek actress, politician and singer whose career spanned more than five decades and starred in over 70 films.

However, she gained international recognition through such popular award-winning films as;

• The Guns of Navarone (1961),
• Zorba the Greek (1964) and
• Z (1969).

She was born on 3 September 1926 and died 14 September 2022 at age 96.

Greece’s ministry of culture confirmed the screen icon’s death in a statement;

“Majestic, stately, dynamic, Irene Papas was the personification of Greek beauty on cinema screens and on the stage, an international star who radiated Greekness.”

“With the power of her talent and the charm of her personality, she conquered the world of cinema and theater.”

Irene Papas family

Irene Papas was born Irene Lelekou on Sept. 3, 1926 to parents Eleni Prevezanou and Stavros Lelekos in the village of Chiliomodi, outside Corinth, Greece.

Her mother, Eleni Prevezanou and father Stavros Lelekos were both teachers.

Her mother was a schoolteacher and her father, taught classical drama at the Sofikós school in Corinth.

Irene was married twice; firstly to Alkis Papis from 1947 – 1951 and then to José Kohn in 1957, there are no records regarding her children.

Irene and Kohn’s marriage was annulled later.

She was not married at time of death.

Irene Papas politics

Papas was strongly involved in politics.

A lifelong liberal, she called for a “cultural boycott” against the “Fourth Reich” (the military government of Greece at that time), in 1967.

Her opposition to the regime sent her, and other artists such as Theodorakis, whose songs she sang, into exile when the military junta came to power in Greece in 1967, after which she moved into temporary exile in Italy and New York.

When the junta fell in 1974, she returned to Greece, spending time both in Athens and in her family’s village house in Chiliomodi, as well as continuing to work in Rome.

Irene Papas awards

Irene was appreciated globally and she won several awards and honors, including;

• 1961: 11th Berlin International Film Festival (Best Actress, for the film Antigone)
• 1962: Thessaloniki International Film Festival (Best Actress, for the film Elektra)
• 1971: National Board of Review (Best Actress, for the film The Trojan Women)
• 1987 Venice Film Festival jury president
• 1993: Golden Arrow Award for lifetime achievement, at Hamptons International Film Festival
• 1993: Flaiano Prize for Theatre (Career Award)
• 2009: Leone d’oro alla carriera (Golden Lion career award), Venice Biennale

She received the honours of Commander of the Order of the Phoenix in Greece, Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres in France, and Commander of the Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise in Spain.

In 2017, it was announced that the National Theatre of Greece’s drama school would move to a new “Irene Papas – Athens School” on Agiou Konstantinou Street in Athens from 2018.

Irene Papas net worth

Papas had an estimated net worth of $5 million at time of death.