Melina Kanakaredes Biography

Melina Constantinides (née and a.k.a. Melina Eleni Kanakaredes; born April 23, 1967 in Akron, Ohio) is a Greek-American actress best known for her starring role as Dr. Sydney Hansen on Providence. She is a second-generation Greek and is fluent in the Greek language. Her family owns and runs a candy store in Akron called "Temo's Chocolate Company," and she and her husband own a Greek restaurant in the Columbus, Ohio, suburb of Powell, Ohio.

She graduated from Firestone High School in Akron and attended the Ohio State University, where she competed in synchronized swimming and was first runner-up in the Miss Ohio pageant.
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She transferred to Point Park College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater.

She married Peter Constantinades, a chef and restauranteer on September 6, 1992 and has two daughters, Zoe (b. May 23, 2000) and Karina Eleni (b. January 25, 2003).

Her other television roles include: CSI: NY as Det. Stella Bonasera, NYPD Blue as Benita Alden (1995), and Guiding Light as Eleni Andros Cooper (1991- 1995).

She was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards for her role on Guiding Light.

She had guest roles in Northern Exposure, Due South, Oz and The Practice. She was considered for the lead role in My Big Fat Greek Wedding but had to turn it down due to pregnancy.

MELINA KANAKAREDES PICTURES

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MELINA KANAKAREDES BIOGRAPHY