Today we’d like to introduce you to Kalliopi Chaska.
Kalliopi, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m originally from Rhodes, an island in the south of Greece. Coming from an artistic family, I was immersed in the arts from a very young age, performing in theater productions in the island and across the country such as The Seagull and Romeo and Juliet.
At 18, I moved to Athens to focus on my acting career and shortly after, I got cast as Roxie Hart in the Greek production of Chicago The Musical, a dream role and an incredible opportunity that opened many doors for me. While performing in Chicago, I was seen by a casting director working for a major TV network and was asked to join the 2nd season of an already very successful TV show, Tamam, which I did.
A couple of years later, I moved to Boston, MA to where I studied Drama and Voice Performance at Berklee College of Music. In Boston, I met some great filmmakers that I was lucky to later work with.
Neurosis, produced by DKA Productions, was my first film as the lead character. A phycological thriller revolving around Dolores, a mentalist who profits from temporarily treating PTSD patients, until things get out of hand. The success of Neurosis, lead to Paranoia, my second film with DKA Productions, which is based on the same character involved in new adventures. Both Neurosis and Paranoia will be premiering this year on Amazon Prime.
Later followed Off Beat, a drama about overcoming your insecurities. Off Beat premiered this year as an official selection at the Pasadena International Film Festival and then went to win 3rd place at the Independent Shorts Awards, and Best Picture, Screenplay and Sound Design at both the Los Angeles and Boston Redstones Film Festival.
Right before quarantine, I finished filming a family comedy named Woke Grandpa, about the relationship between a grandpa and his granddaughter.
I’m currently based in Los Angeles and waiting for the industry to open again to go straight back into filming!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I always knew that moving to the other side of the world to pursue a career in the arts could have never been a smooth journey. Also the expectations put on us by society in an industry where success is largely depended on luck can make the journey overwhelming for young creators. However, the great acting opportunities I have had since coming to LA and all the projects that are in line for the near future have really made it all worth it!
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m an actress originally from Greece and now based in Los Angeles. I have been working in the film and TV industry as well as the theater, and I’m also professionally trained in singing and dancing. My professional experience from both the European and the US industry, as well as my Greek heritage and knowledge of languages and accents, I believe will make me stand out in Hollywood!
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
First, I’m excited about Neurosis and Paranoia premiering this year on Amazon Prime. Additionally in 2021, I’m waiting on the release of Snow Day, a comedy drama about a group of friends and their relationship dynamics, where I play the adventurous Maia.
I’ve currently started filming Firsts, a coming-of-age feature about two teens that are driving to college together and observing life while away from home for the first time. The screenplay was written by me, while I’m also playing one of the two teens.
Later this summer I’ll be shooting Rabbit Scream, a romance drama about two girls that are incapable of expressing their true emotions about each other while living in a post-apocalyptic world, directed by a brilliant filmmaker named Nicole Larinde.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kalliopichaska.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kalliopichaska/
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