Greek actor Konstadinos Lahanas shows comedic skills in hit show ‘Lola’

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Konstadinos Bahamas

From the time Konstadinos Lahanas was a young boy, he always has been artistic. At the time, there was no preferred medium. He would paint a picture, or perform on a stage, and expressing himself in such a way was consistently a thrill. As he grew, his love of acting began to take over. He was able to express his emotions and change who he was for a brief moment, entertaining his audiences. He continues to do this today.

Now one of Greece’s most reputable actors, Lahanas shares his culture and talent with the world. His esteemed resume exemplifies the versatility he possesses, and his work on various film, television, and commercial projects have gone on to receive critical acclaim. These include popular television shows The Disappearance (I Exafanisi), Family Stories (Oikogeneiakes Istories), and I Have a Secret (Eho Ena Mystiko), the film The Pilgrim (O Proskinitis), and the popular Yoplait commercial, filmed in Croatia, which was shown all over Europe.

“I suppose the need to express my inner feelings was what initially sparked my interest in acting, and it has been my passion ever since,” said Lahanas.

When working on the popular Greek television series Lola, Lahanas once again captivated his audiences with his outstanding performance. Lola has over 200 episodes, and is distributed in Greek Television by Antenna TV. The series was directed by Kostas Kostopoulos and stars Christos Vasilolpoulos (Gregory) and Ada Livitsanou (Lola). The story is about a man (Leonidas) turning into a woman (Lola) through a magical spell activated by a disappointed and furious ex-girlfriend. Since that day, Leonidas struggles to continue his life and keep his job, by acting that his new female nature is his sister, Lola.

“I wanted to work on the hit television series of Lola, as it was based on a popular Brazilian hit television series that was brought to Greece. The high ratings the series had already acquired were intriguing to me, as was the story. I really wanted to participate and be a part of the cast in such a production,” said Lahanas.

Lahanas played a young friend of Gregory’s named George, a commercial manager. Alongside Gregory, George attempts to influence feelings of one Gregory’s ex-girlfriends. The requirements of this role were demanding, requiring Lahanas to convincingly flirt in a humorous way, while still telling the story.

“My character has to sell Gregory’s ex-girlfriend a product. Under Gregory’s guidance, my character was required to approach and flirt with his ex-girlfriend for the purpose of humiliating her in order for him to take revenge for her hurting him in the past,” Lahanas described. “I got into the mindset of the character by observing how men and women interact and how important it is to psychologically evaluate the behaviour of both sexes.”

When Lahanas was first approached about taking on the role in Lola, he immediately accepted. The producers had seen his performance in The Disappearance, and although the role was a dramatic one, they knew the actor was not only capable, but ideal, for the comedic role in Lola. They required an attractive and fit actor, and Lahanas was eager to make audiences laugh.

“What I liked the most about working on this project were the requirements to demonstrate specific social skills such as flirting and storytelling. as well as the importance of charm, in order to be convincing in this specific role. This was a fun attempt in trying out my comedic side and it was interesting, as it crossed a fine line between humiliation and admiration,” Lahanas described.

Many of Lahanas’ scenes in Lola, except for the scenes shot around the city, were filmed in one of Greece’s largest studios, Kappa Studios. Lahanas thoroughly enjoyed his time working on the show, and impressed all he worked with. The casting director on the show was so impressed with the actor that he immediately began recommending Lahanas for other projects, and is always eager to work alongside him once more. Lahana’s co-star, Christos Vasilopoulos, also said working with him was a great experience.

“I have the luck of being friends with Konstadinos ever since we worked together on Lola. Working with Konstadinos is always a very pleasant experience because he is a very positive and cooperative person. He always makes the person he is acting beside feel safe and cheerful,” said Vasilopoulos.

Lahanas’ performance in Lola was essential to the story of the episode, and the character development of the main character. Lahanas’ understood the responsibility of such a role, and gave an exemplary performance, as he is known to always do. However, at the end of the day, Lahanas is a storyteller, and like most storytellers, the message behind the words is always of vital importance.

“The story of the show is important, as it teaches the audience a lesson about behaviour between males and females. It really shows the kind of behaviour between a male and a female that can surface after a hurtful break up between a couple, as well as the consequences of seeking revenge. Audiences can really relate to the story, and see themselves in the characters, and as an actor, that is all you can ask for,” Lahanas concluded.

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