Marlon Brando was the secret boyfriend of Irene Papas, a Greek singer and actress best known for appearing in the films “Zorba the Greek,” “The Guns of Navarone” and countless Greek tragedies.
Advertisement
Irene and Brando’s relationship became known after the demise of the latter. She met Brando in 1954, three years after her divorce from her first husband, Alkis Papas.
Irene and Brando had a long love affair, and as mentioned earlier, they kept their love affair secret.
It was fifty years after Brando’s demise that she declared her unreal love for him.
Irene recalled;
“I have never since loved a man as I loved Marlon. He was the great passion of my life, absolutely the man I cared about the most and also the one I esteemed most, two things that generally are difficult to reconcile”.
Advertisement
Brandon, an actor, was considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century and received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including;
- Two Academy Awards,
- Two Golden Globe Awards,
- One Cannes Film Festival Award and
- Three British Academy Film Awards.
Brando was also an activist for many causes, notably the civil rights movement and various Native American movements.
Sadly, Irene has passed away.
She passed away on Sept. 14, 2022, 11 days after celebrating her 96th birthday.
Greek Minister of Culture and Sport Lina Mendoni eulogized Irene, writing on Facebook;
“Magnificent, noble, dynamic, Irene Papa [sic] was the personification of Greek calling on the movie screen and the theater scene, an international star who exuded Greekness. With the power of her talent and the charm of her personality, she conquered the world of cinema and theater.”
Leave a Reply