Greek actor Yannis Tsimitselis talks about his new Hallmark film ‘Love’s Greek to Me’

By Markos Papadatos

Greek actor Yannis Tsimitselis chatted with Markos Papadatos about his new romantic comedy “Love’s Greek to Me.”

Michael Robison directed the film from a script by Joie Botkin. Tsimitselis stars in “Love’s Greek to Me” alongside such actresses as Torrey DeVitto and Marina Sirtis (“Star Trek: Picard” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation”).

This original movie will premiere on Saturday, June 10 on the Hallmark Channel, as part of the network’s “June Weddings” programming event. “This movie was a really nice and memorable experience,” he said. “This movie was the first that I’ve made out of Greece yet one that will never play in Greece, which is the odd thing.”

“I met many great people and actors such as Torrey DeVitto, Marina Sirtis, and Dimitri Gripari. They were very nice people, and it was a warm atmosphere during the shooting of this film. After the filming, we spent time together, so it was a wonderful experience for me,” he said.

“I worked hard on this film, and I really hope it has the best outcome,” he acknowledged. “I am looking forward to see what happens.”

Particularly impressive was the fact that it was partially shot on location on the Greek island of Santorini, as well as Bulgaria. “Santorini is a gorgeous island,” he admitted.

“The only problem in Santorini was that there too much light there especially since all the houses were white. Regardless, it was a clean, Greek light, and it was a very beautiful island, and the same holds true for Bulgaria.”

“I am proud of this movie because it showcases the energy of us Greeks. Greeks are very dynamic and extroverted group of people, and we showcase our emotions very vividly. I invite everybody to visit not only Santorini, but the other beautiful Greek islands as well, which are infinite,” he said.

“I hope viewers are able to see the beauty of Greece in this film, and I hope the moms that watch it aren’t so overbearing to the brides, and I hope they give the couples some space so that they can be happy,” he said with a sweet laugh.

In “Love’s Greek to Me,” Ilana (Torrey DeVitto) is excited to visit Santorini with her Greek boyfriend Mike (Yannis Tsimitselis) for his sister’s wedding. When he surprises Ilana by proposing, she gets caught in the whirlwind of his overly enthusiastic mother Athena (Marina Sirtis). “I really enjoyed the script because it was a very Greek script,” he said.

“My mother wanted me to have a Greek Orthodox wedding and that overwhelmed Ilana, that forced her to have an Orthodox wedding. I liked being in Greece and speaking English in Greece. I can speak English, but not fluently, so it was a bit of a challenge for me to learn all of those lines in all of those scenes. It was the best experience this year for me,” he said.

On being an actor in the digital age, Tsimitselis said, “You have the opportunity for everybody to see the work that you do. Right now, I had three movies on Netflix, and that was very strange for us in Greece to have movies on Netflix.”

“Streaming is the future. You must do something to do globally because the market here in Greece is small so we need to export something outside of this country,” he said.

Regarding his Greek background, he shared that he is from the municipality of Messolonghi, which is located in western Greece. “I am not too far from Patra, and I live in Athens because the film, TV, and theater projects that I do are in Athens,” he said.

For young and aspiring actors, Tsimitselis encouraged them to “be patient.” “Everything will come, don’t rush things. Here in Greece, we say: ‘you need to have a good stomach to withstand all the difficulties that you are going to face.’ It’s not an easy job, you must love it but you must be patient,” he said.

On his definition of the word success, Tsimitselis shared, “To be happy and healthy, as well as making a living from doing what I love, which is acting. Also, going fishing with friends, going to see my favorite sports team (Olympiacos), and for time to pass nicely and smoothly. Everything else is extra.”

“My goal is to have contentment in life. I don’t care much about anything else. I am in love with my job, and even though I am working too much, I really enjoy it,” he added.

For his Greek fans, he expressed his appreciation. “Thank you for being patient with me, and for supporting me for the last 23 years. In Greece, I have done 16 serials, 20 movies, and about another 20 theatrical productions. Despite all these projects, my fans are still patient with me, they still love me and I love them in return very much,” he concluded.

For more information on Greek actor Yannis Tsimitselis, follow him on Instagram, and check out his IMDb page.

Photo Credit: Dimosthenis Christopoulos, Hallmark Media