# Gia Carides
**Gia Carides** (born 1964; credited as Georgia Carr in *Phar Lap*) is an Australian film, stage, and television actress and screenwriter, best known for playing Liz Holt in *Strictly Ballroom* (1992) and Cousin Nikki across the *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* franchise.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964) • [2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14226-gia-carides?language=en-US) • [9](https://www.multiculturalaustralia.edu.au/doc/marinos_1.pdf) Her screen career spans from 1977 to the present, with credits in Australian cinema, Hollywood comedies, and American television series.[2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14226-gia-carides?language=en-US)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1964, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; credited as Georgia Carr in *Phar Lap*[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964) • [9](https://www.multiculturalaustralia.edu.au/doc/marinos_1.pdf) |
| First screen credit | Maureen in *The Love Letters from Teralba Road* (1977)[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964) |
| Breakthrough role | Liz Holt in *Strictly Ballroom* (1992); Australian Film Institute nomination, best supporting actress[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964) |
| Signature franchise | Cousin Nikki in *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* (2002), *My Big Fat Greek Life* (2003), *My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2* (2016), and *My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3* (2023)[2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14226-gia-carides?language=en-US) |
| Other known films | Robin Swallows in *Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me* (1999); Cashmere McLeod in *Primary Colors* (1998)[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964) |
| Awards nominations | AFI supporting actress (*Strictly Ballroom*, 1992); AFI lead actress (*Brilliant Lies*, 1996); SAG ensemble cast (*My Big Fat Greek Wedding*, 2003)[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964) |
| Writing credit | Co-screenwriter of *Backlash* (1986), in which she also acted[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964) |
## Early life and career beginnings
Carides was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, in 1964, and her sister Zoe Carides is also an actress.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964) According to IMDb, she has worked as an actress since age 12 in film and theater.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0137140) Her first listed screen appearance came as a child, playing Maureen in *The Love Letters from Teralba Road* (1977).[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964)
Through the 1980s she built a record in Australian film, with roles in *Phar Lap* (1983) as Emma, *Midnite Spares* (1983), *Bliss* (1985) as Lucy Joy, and *The Coca-Cola Kid* (1985).[2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14226-gia-carides?language=en-US) She also worked behind the camera early on: she co-wrote the screenplay for *Backlash* (1986) and played Nikki Iceton in the same film.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964) On Australian television she played Helena Angelopolous in *Police Rescue* (1992–1993) and Jean Echo in the miniseries *Ultraman: Towards the Future* (1990).[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964)
## Strictly Ballroom and Australian recognition
**Breakthrough.** Carides played Liz Holt, Scott Hastings's dance partner, in [Baz Luhrmann](https://www.edgepedia.org/baz-luhrmann)'s *Strictly Ballroom* (1992).[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964) In the film's plot, Liz loses her place as Scott's partner after his impulsive behavior on the dance floor, and Fran from the beginners' class steps in to replace her.[4](https://www.nfsa.gov.au/stories/articles/conversation-strictly-ballroom-paul-mercurio-and-tara-morice) The role earned her an Australian Film Institute Award nomination for best actress in a supporting role in 1992.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964) A second AFI nomination followed for best actress in a leading role in 1996, for *Brilliant Lies*, in which she played Susy Connor.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964) A 1997 Daily Bruin profile described her at that point as an established actress in Australia, appearing that summer in *Brilliant Lies* and *Paperback Romance* (released as *Lucky Break* in some markets, with Carides as Sophie).[5](https://dailybruin.com/1997/08/10/carides-finds-her-place-in-ame) • [1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964)
## Hollywood work
In the late 1990s Carides moved into American productions. She played Cashmere McLeod in *Primary Colors* (1998) and Robin Swallows in *Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me* (1999).[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964) [Television](https://www.edgepedia.org/television) credits from this period include an episode of *ER* (1997, as Suzanne Alner), the HBO movie *Letters from a Killer* (1999, as Lita), and *Without a Trace* (2005).[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964) • [2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14226-gia-carides?language=en-US) She also appeared on stage as Marie Oldam in *Working Title* at the American Jewish Theatre in New York City in 1996, and contributed additional voices to the LucasFilm video game *Gladius* (2003).[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964)
## The My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise
Carides's most widely recognized role is Cousin Nikki in *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* (2002), the comedy centered on the Portokalos family.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964) Nikki is one of the bickering cousins in the extended family, trading insults with her brother Angelo ([Joey Fatone](https://www.edgepedia.org/joey-fatone)) in scenes such as the dispute over who opens the family travel agency and dry cleaning businesses.[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259446/characters/nm0137140/) The cast, together, received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination in 2003 for outstanding performance by the cast of a theatrical motion picture.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964)
She continued the role across the franchise: the CBS series *My Big Fat Greek Life* (2003, seven episodes), *My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2* (2016), and *My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3* (2023), in which the family travels to Greece for a reunion.[2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14226-gia-carides?language=en-US) In interviews promoting the third film, Carides and Fatone described shooting on location in Athens and Corfu, and noted the gap since the earlier films: the first was made 22 years before, the second seven years before.[7](https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8nl3w9)
## Later career
Her credits from the 2010s onward include *Burning Man* (2011), *Small Time Gangster* (2011, eight episodes), *East of Everything* (2008, ten episodes), *[Big Little Lies](https://www.edgepedia.org/big-little-lies-tv-series)* (Melissa, five episodes across the 2017 and 2019 seasons), *Twin Peaks: The Return* (2017), *Filthy Rich* (2020, six episodes), *[Penguin Bloom](https://www.edgepedia.org/penguin-bloom)* (2021, as Megan), and the animated *[Back to the Outback](https://www.edgepedia.org/back-to-the-outback)* (2021, voicing Doreen).[2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14226-gia-carides?language=en-US) • [8](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-15723/filmographie/) More recent work includes the Australian series *Austin* (2024, as Mel Hogan) and the animated film *In Your Dreams* (2025, as the voice of Nightmara).[2](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14226-gia-carides?language=en-US)
## Personal life
Carides married the actor [Anthony LaPaglia](https://www.edgepedia.org/anthony-lapaglia) in September 1998; they have a daughter, Bridget.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964)
## References
1. [Carides, Gia 1964–, Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television via Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/carides-gia-1964)
2. [Gia Carides, The Movie Database (TMDB)](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14226-gia-carides?language=en-US)
3. [Gia Carides, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0137140)
4. [In conversation: Strictly Ballroom with Paul Mercurio and Tara Morice, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia](https://www.nfsa.gov.au/stories/articles/conversation-strictly-ballroom-paul-mercurio-and-tara-morice)
5. [Carides finds her place in America, Daily Bruin (1997)](https://dailybruin.com/1997/08/10/carides-finds-her-place-in-ame)
6. [Gia Carides: Cousin Nikki, My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259446/characters/nm0137140/)
7. [My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3: Joey Fatone and Gia Carides interview, Dailymotion](https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8nl3w9)
8. [Gia Carides: Filmographie, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-15723/filmographie/)
9. [Robert De Niro’s Waiting](https://www.multiculturalaustralia.edu.au/doc/marinos_1.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Australian actors › Surnames A to D*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license