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Maro Kontou: "My Grandmother Called Me a Whore" - The Impact of Her Reaction to My Acting Career
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Maro Kontou: "My Grandmother Called Me a Whore" - The Impact of Her Reaction to My Acting Career

From Ta Nea · (17h ago) Greek Critical tone

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Greek actress Maro Kontou revealed in an interview that her grandmother reacted negatively to her pursuing a career in acting, calling her a "whore."
  • Kontou described how this harsh judgment deeply affected her for years, causing her to adopt a serious and reserved demeanor.
  • The actress also shared details about her early life, including her growth spurt at 14, her mother's initial reluctance towards her artistic ambitions, and her eventual entry into the National Theatre's dance troupe.

In a candid interview on MEGA's new show "Pame mia volta?", beloved Greek actress Maro Kontou opened up about pivotal moments in her life and career, revealing a deeply personal struggle that shaped her for years. Her journey into the arts, which began with a passion for dance, was met with significant familial resistance, most notably from her grandmother.

When I was 14 years old, in about a year I grew 11 centimeters and started to be ashamed of my body. My arms and legs seemed large and awkward, and then my mother decided to send me to a dance school to exercise and improve my posture. That's where my great love for dance was born.

— Maro KontouRecounting the beginning of her journey into the arts.

Kontou recounted how, after a rapid growth spurt at age 14, she was sent to dance school to improve her posture. It was there that her love for dance blossomed. However, when she later received a scholarship offer for studies abroad, her mother was unsupportive, insisting she finish her schooling and work. A more dramatic obstacle arose when Kontou auditioned for the National Theatre's dance troupe. While she was accepted, her grandmother's reaction was severe. "She called me a whore, turned her back, and shut herself in her room," Kontou revealed, explaining that this harsh judgment profoundly impacted her.

When she heard about the scholarship, she told me, 'What abroad? You will finish high school, complete the school, and then you will go to work, just like me and your sister.'

— Maro KontouRecalling her mother's reaction to a scholarship offer for studies abroad.

This experience left Kontou feeling the need to be overly serious and reserved, suppressing her natural expressiveness for fear of validating her grandmother's cruel words. "I felt I had to be very serious, not to smile, not to be demonstrative, so as not to give cause and not to justify that harsh word that was said then," she explained.

I went to audition and out of 60 girls, they kept 20. I was among them.

— Maro KontouDescribing her successful audition for the National Theatre's dance troupe.

The interview also touched upon Kontou's early career steps, including her time in the dance troupe and her subsequent acting roles. Despite the initial hurdles and the lasting emotional scars, Kontou has become a prominent figure in Greek entertainment, her career a testament to her talent and perseverance. Her story highlights the complex interplay between personal ambition, family expectations, and the societal judgments that artists, particularly women, have historically faced.

My mother didn't have as much objection as my grandmother. She said I was a whore, turned her back, and shut herself in her room. This attitude affected me for many years.

— Maro KontouRecounting her grandmother's harsh reaction to her pursuing a career in the arts.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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