Saturday, 23 June 2018 / Published in Interviews

Taming the waves

Actor G. Hraniotis interview

From the school of Physical Education and Sport Science on a theatre stage and from Dominican Republic on live stages and in the waves of Tinos. This is George Chraniotis, an actor that,contrary to his success and the roles he has played, is considered to be the boy next door. Let’s get to know him better….

By Popi Kouzoupi

Good morning George. When did you say “I want to be an actor”? Why did you make that decision?I wasn’t dreaming of being an actor since I was a child. As many things in my life there comes a time when I wonder about things. A time like that I went past Diomides Fotiades school, I got in, I made some questions and I decided to become an actor . As I was already a student at the School of Physical Education and Sport Science in Komotoni, I kept studying in both schools. I graduated from school Themelio having already started to play roles and in television series like “Vanilla-Chocolate” and “Missing”.

People at large got to know you through series you took part in, but there are roles in the theater you have played, which are very special. Is there a role that is very important to you?It is very difficult for me to choose just one role, as there are many of them which I regard as landmarks in my career. I would like to mention “The caretaker” by Harold Pinter, where I played with George Kimoulis who was the director of the play as well, “Madame Flo” where I played with Antigoni Valakou and that role was the last of her career and finally the most amusing one, “Fuga”, directed by Nikos Haniotakis. Every evening I changed from a male criminal into a paralyzed grandmother. It was a very enjoyable season.

In your spare time what do you enjoy doing? Do you have a hobby? Recently we find you in Tinos taming the waves. Tell us some things about your favorite sport.I have many hobbies and I like doing many things in my spare time. Skate, cycling, sup, hiking on the mountain or yoga are very important to me but the most important of all is surfing. After the significance of human presence, the hours on my surfboard are priceless. And when I am not allowed to travel to Portugal or Latin America, due to my professional commitments, I am in a wonderful place, in elegant Tinos- that’s the way I like to call the island- and I enjoy the sun and the sea. Of course I enjoy a good film or a good book in the same way. There are so many times with myself which are very important to me.

What brought you to Aeolus island? What do you like most?It was my intense desire to leave Athens. So I came to Tinos. The roar and the crowds were very annoying. Everybody was obsessed with his mobile phone screen. What I like most about Tinos is the close connection with nature, life by the sea, people that look into your eyes, take time to gaze at the horizon and enjoy the beauty of life.

What would you like to find in Tinos that doesn’t exist yet?I would like for Tinos to have an open air movie theater and I dispose both my experience and my will to the authorities and local people in order to make it happen. Contribution makes me feel good.

Joining the famous reality television game show, you indicated that goals and success have no age limit. What are your goals for the future?I have decided to grow younger instead of growing older. To get rid of things instead of burdening myself with. Everybody starts with an empty bucket which is filled with experiences during his life. My own bucket is now full of experiences and it’s cleanup time. What I should keep and what I should leave behind. Where and how I want to live. Whose eyes I want to look into and what makes me feel full.

Where can we find you this summer? Will there be enough spare time for you in order to enjoy your favorite island?If there isn’t spare time I will make some. I’m going to take part in two films. The first one will take place in the end of May in Peloponnese and the second one later. At the same time we write a script, with my friend Panos Dimitropoulos and I discuss future participation’s in plays for next winter. And of course….stay tuned for our band’s, “Imitate your mother”, live concerts. One of our concerts will take place in Tinos for sure.