Ellie Patrikios to Star in New Film on the Life of Rudolph Valentino

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Acclaimed actress Ellie Patrikios stars in “Silent Life: The Story of the Lady in Black,” a new film based on the life of silent movie idol Rudolph Valentino from director Vlad Kozlov. The movie is set for release later this year.

In the film, the British-born Patrikios plays the role of Vera Fredova, a young ballet dancer with a deep admiration for the iconic silent screen superstar

“I loved working on this film. I did a lot of research on Rudolph’s life. It was great to re-enact this real-life ballerina (who lived just down the road from me!),” she said. “I got to use simple ballet skills that I had been trained in from my previous school, ‘Tring Park School For The Performing Arts’ in England.”

The cast includes Sherilyn Fenn (“Wild at Heart”), Isabella Rosselini (“Blue Velvet”), Franco Nero (“John Wick: Chapter 3”), Terry Moore (“Peyton Place”), Monte Markham (We Are Still Here”), Paul Rodriguez (“Blood Work”) and Jack Osbourne (“Austin Powers in Goldmember”).

The fact Patrikios was playing an actual person from the past was especially exciting for her as she studied the life of Valentino and those around him.

Born in London, Patrikios at age 2 moved to Greece, where she gained an appreciation for the arts early on as she was exposed to acting, dancing and music from the start.

“I grew up on a Greek Island called Kefalonia. I always thought I would grow up to become an Archeologist because I had great interest in finding fossils with my parents’ friends I looked up to who are archeologists,” she recalled. “Further from collecting fossils, I was always putting on shows. I’d perform for my parents, family, friends, other people in the village. Telling real stories I had either witnessed that day, or made-up stories I would imagine. I was definitely a storyteller from a young age.”

In 2000, a British film crew arrived at the island to shoot “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin,” starring John Hurt, Penelope Cruz and Nicolas Cage and that experience would forever change her life.

“I was 7 at the time. Because the island is so small, I was sort of introduced to film on the outskirts, watching some of the scenes take place in a small town called Lassi, and hearing the director call “Action”. It was exhilarating. One night at a Greek Taverna the cast and crew were having their dinner near my parents and I. They were all so friendly and talkative, and I remember it was after sitting with Penelope Cruz and chatting, she told me she is an actress and what that entailed, that was the defining moment. I knew my story-telling would be as an actress.”

Inspired by actors; Nicole Kidman, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep and others, Patrikios returned to England as a teenager and began studying drama, dance and musical theatre at an Arts school until she was 18. She would ultimately move to the U.S.at age 19 where she attended New York Film Academy, earning a Bachelor’s Degree.

After graduating she landed a guest star role on the FX TV series "Snowfall," working alongside Damson Idris (“Outside the Wire”) and Amin Joseph (“To Live and Let Live”). She also appeared in Universal Pictures’ theatrical release of "Santa Stole Our Dog: Merry Doggone Christmas" by Bryan Michael Stoller (The writer of “Filmmaking for Dummies”), and “Body of Sin,” a film from Olson Brothers and Premiere Entertainment Group where she had a leading role.

As for her plans ahead, Patrikios remains committed to exploring her passion for portraying unique characters. “I am a sucker for period dramas, action and adventure, and sci-fi, I love a good rom-com and definitely see myself being in one in the near future, that alongside a musical feature, absolutely!”

Patrikios is on Facebook, Instagram and IMDB.