Sotiris Tzelios

Sotiris Tzelios, straight outta Melbourne with Greek roots and a wild streak, has built one of those careers that makes you wonder if the man ever sits still. He’s popped up on big and small screens, working alongside legends like Taika Waititi in “Time Bandits,” Warwick Thornton and the likes of Sam Neill in “Sweet Country,” and even did his thing with Michael Rymer on “Fires.” The dude basically collects iconic directors like some people collect vinyl. Growing up as a first-gen Aussie in a Greek-Austrian family (yeah, bit of Schwarzenegger vibes in there), Sotiri learned early how to blend in and stand out at the same time. You know that feeling of never quite fitting anywhere? He jokes about it—everyone’s probably his cousin, no matter where he lands. So he’s a chameleon; from bricklaying in London to DJing in wild Melbourne bars and teaching English in Austria, he’s seen it all. He’s that guy who can switch up his accent in a flash and actually feels more Australian in Greece than he ever did at home. Chasing summer like it’s a lifestyle, he ran kite-surfing schools all over—Greece, Tunisia, Fiji, you name it. But Melbourne called him back and, after meeting his wife, he dove into theatre, snagged roles in films, did MC gigs, commercials, even worked as an extra. Sotiri’s lived through the highs and the hustle, and it’s all that real-life grit that lets him slip so easily into any character. Right now? He’s literally living on the road in a box truck with his wife and a chihuahua, still chasing whatever comes next.