Bio
A graduate both from the University of Piraeus (Athens, Greece) with a Bachelor of Business Administration and the Drama School of Athens, Eva-Maria Leonardou is a diversely educated individual. She was discovered at a very young age by the Oscar Nominated Greek Writer and Director Nikos Foskolos, who gave her the opportunity to star on the biggest Greek Network. As the Lead Series Regular, she raised the ratings of the show from 28 to 50% and put the Show in the Number 1 Slot of all Greek programming. A year later she was given the Female Lead in the longest lasting TV Show in Greece, where she raised the ratings from 18 to 40% and was awarded by the Network for her �priceless contribution to the long lasting success of the TV Series "I Lampsi". Soon thereafter she received the honor to perform at Herod�s Ancient Theatre in front of 5,000 people.
Having met success quite early in her own country, in 2004, Eva-Maria Leonardou gave up a flourishing career to spread her wings and fly to America to follow her childhood dream. Within a year, she was recognized by the United States as an �ALIEN OF EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY IN ACTING� and was offered permanent resident status.
She guest-starred in the movie RIVALS OF JESUS for National Geographic in 2005 next to Alex Veadov (WE OWN THE NIGHT, Nominated in Cannes Film Festival).
In 2007 she made her first directing attempt with the short film WORK OF ART, of which she was also the Writer, Executive Producer and Protagonist. WORK OF ART was selected among 12,000 submissions and passed to the second round of Steven Spielberg's Directing Contest ON THE LOT. She was asked to direct another short film for the Contest. Within a week she wrote, directed, produced and acted in the comedy LIKE A VIRGIN, which she successfully delivered on time.
Since then, Eva-Maria Leonardou starred in the Feature Film ON A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT directed by Ezequiel and wrote her second Feature Screenplay 2012, THE YEAR THE KNIGHTS DIED, which is currently under development.
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