Melina Kanakaredes

Melina Kanakaredes, a Greek American actress, first caught the public's eye as Dr. Sydney Hansen on the NBC drama Providence, a role that earned her a TV Guide Award in 2000. But her path to prime time began in Akron, Ohio, where she was born to parents who ran a candy company and sold insurance. Her love of musical theater, inspired by Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera, led to community theater performances, including a debut at age eight in Tom Sawyer.

Kanakaredes studied music, dance, and theater at Ohio State University before transferring to Point Park College in Pittsburgh. She then moved to New York City, working in off-Broadway plays and commercials. Her television career took off with a recurring role on NYPD Blue and a string of series like New York News and Leaving L.A. She also received two Emmy nominations for her work on Guiding Light.

Her big-screen credits include 15 Minutes with Robert De Niro, Rounders, Dangerous Beauty, and The Long Kiss Goodnight. In 2004, she joined the cast of CSI: NY, and the same year, a film she shot, Into the Fire, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Kanakaredes also became a celebrity spokesperson for Maybelline. She has brown hair, green eyes, stands 5'7" tall, and has a slim build. She enjoys reading, swimming, Pilates, travel to Greece, and follows the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Bulls. She lives with her family in Los Angeles.