Biography
Eleanna Finokalioti is from Greece. She was born in Athens and spent her childhood and teenage years in Crete and Rhodes islands. She is an actress and singer. Right after high school she joined the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She studied Mathematics for a short time, but her true goal was to study theatre. She started attending Acting courses at the "Theatre of Changes", Music at the National Conservatory of Athens and Dance classes. The next year she joined Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, from which she graduated in 2011, getting her Bachelor's Degree in Performing Arts, with distinction. Eleanna started acting since a very young age, having her first lead role in Grease in 2004, with the theatrical team of Reading High School, England, where she was attending part time courses. In 2010, while still being a student, she won the 2nd Best Actress Award for her performance as Juliet in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, in the Olive Festival of Milan. In 2012, right after graduating, Eleanna had her first lead role as a professional in the theatrical play Mia Amygdalia Anthizi sti Nekri Gi, in Paramythia Theatre, Athens . The play's song, Anatoli mou, was written for her to perform, by the acclaimed Greek composer and singer P. Thalassinos. In 2013, she had the lead role of Electra in Ruins of Passion, in Topos Allou Theatre, Athens. The same year she performed as The Rose in Oscar Wilde's The Nightingale and the Rose, in Argo Theatre, Athens. In 2014, also in Argo Theatre, Athens, she had the lead role of Alice in Wonderland in the theatrical play Ta Paramithia To Skasan. Argo Theatre has a 300-person capacity and both shows were on for more than 80 performances each. Also, in 2014, Eleanna participated in the ensemble of the theatrical play Idomeneus, directed by Katerina Evangelatos, in the Athens and Epidaurus Festival. In 2015, Eleanna, stood out from the ensemble in the successful musical Pios ti Zoi mou- Mikis Theodorakis, in Badminton Theatre, Athens. Badminton Theatre has a 2.450-person capacity and all the performances were sold out. The same year and for two years in a row Eleanna performed with great success in the theatrical play To Kaplani tis Vitrinas, in the Vretania and Avacio Theatres, Athens, having supporting roles. The play, due to its successful performances in Athens, was also presented in Megaron Mousikis Thessalonikis, the co-capital of Greece. In 2016, she participated in the ensemble of Thucydides Dramaticus, which was presented in Theatro Technis Theatre, Athens and in Eschylia Festival. The play was organized by Hellenic Education & Research Center and funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and consisted of students and graduates of Drama School and Classics from Greece, Turkey and the USA. In 2017, Eleanna performed in the ensemble of The Bacchae, which was presented in the Ancient Stadium of Epidaurus. The play was part of the Closing Ceremony of the Epidaurus Lyceum - The International School of Ancient Drama, in which Eleanna was accepted with a scholarship due to her established talent. The same year she performed as a solo singer in Gia Sena, a musical presented in El Convento Del Arte Stage, Athens. In 2018, Eleanna stood out from the ensemble in the successful musical Cabaret, by J. Masteroff, which was presented in Pallas Theatre, Athens. Pallas Theatre is the oldest and most famous theatre of Athens and has a 1.500-person capacity. The same year she performed as a supporting actor and also as the main singer in Efthalia tou Galata, covering the most emotional scenes of the play and meeting with great success. The play was presented in Mikro Gloria Theatre, Athens and all the performances were sold out. Due to its success, the play toured in the summer of 2018 all over Greece. In 2019, Eleanna had a supporting role in Chtypokardia sto Thranio, which was presented in Ivi Theatre, Athens. The same year she had one of the lead roles in Notre - Dame de Paris, by Victor Hugo, which was presented in Pallas Theatre, Athens, experiencing great success. All of these years Eleanna continued her training, attending Acting, Dancing and Singing courses to develop her talent. She also performed in many more theatrical shows, mostly as an actor, but at the same time she developed her career as a singer. Since 2009 she has performed as the lead singer in more than 50 live concerts, in Athens mainly, but also in many places and festivals all over Greece. In 2017, she released her first studio album with the acclaimed classical guitarist P. Margaris Taxidia Psichis (by Polymusic), after a year of sold out performances at Clap Music Stage, Michael Cacoyannis Foundation, Athens. Immediately after its release, the album made it to the Top 15 of the Official IFPI Charts of Greece. The years that followed, Eleanna toured all over Greece, including the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, to present her album and gave many interviews in websites, radio stations and newspapers, on the occasion of the album release. Eleanna has also made her first steps in the Film industry and commercials. In 2011 she had her first lead role in I Fonissa (2012- S. Arkenti Productions- Best Feature Film in Ionian International Digital Film Festival_ Greece 2013). In 2015 she had supporting roles in The Penal Colony (2017- L. Aliksanyan, M. Cizek Productions- Best Makeup & Best Set Design Award in Cinergo International Film Festival _ Greece 2019, Best Director Award in Sydney Indie Film Festival _ Australia 2017 and Official Selection of the Festival de Cannes) and in Ein Sommer in Griechenland (2015-Ithaca Productions, G. Papavasileiou, ZDF Channel Germany). In 2018 she had the featured role of the famous Greek singer Tzeni Vanou in The Waiter (2018- Filmiki Productions, S. Krikris), a film awarded in many festivals around the world. She had the lead role in two commercials: Samsung Active Dual (2016- airing in Jordan) and Asfour Crystal (2014- airing in Greece). Eleanna visited New York for the first time in May 2019 to develop her skills in Musical Theatre, which is her passion. For the next 3 months she attended intensive courses in Singing with N. Weiss and P. Carroll and Dancing Masterclasses (Broadway Dance Center, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Steps on Broadway). Eleanna speaks and acts in Greek and English.
