Anna Kanakis

{{Infobox pageant titleholder

| name = Anna Kanakis

| title = Miss Italia 1977

| nationalcompetition=Miss Italia 1977
(Winner)
Miss World 1977
Miss Universe 1981
Miss Europe 1981
(2nd Runner-Up)

| image = Anna-kanakis-in-o-re-1918965 resize.jpg

| caption = Kanakis in 'O Re (1989)

| birth_name = Anna Maria Kanakis

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1962|02|01}}{{cite web |title=La splendida Anna Kanakis, com’è oggi e cosa fa: età, altezza, peso, primo e secondo marito, figli |url=https://www.tuttivip.it/televisione/anna-kanakis-eta-altezza-peso-marito-figli-vita-privata |website=www.tuttivip.it |publisher=Tutti VIP |access-date=2022-02-11 |language=Italian |date=9 October 2021}}

| birth_place = Messina, Italy

|death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2023|11|19|1962|02|01}}

|death_place = Rome, Italy

| height = 173 cm

| eye_color =

| hair_color =

| spouse = Claudio Simonetti (1981–?)
Marco Merati Foscarini (2004–2023)

}}

Anna Kanakis ({{langx|el|Άννα Κανάκη}}; 1 February 1962 – 19 November 2023) was an Italian actress, novelist, model and beauty pageant titleholder.

Life and career

Born in Messina from a Greek father from Crete and a Sicilian mother, in 1977 Kanakis was Miss Italy at 15 years old, being the younger winner at the time.{{cite web |title=La splendida Anna Kanakis, com’è oggi e cosa fa: età, altezza, peso, primo e secondo marito, figli |url=https://www.tuttivip.it/televisione/anna-kanakis-eta-altezza-peso-marito-figli-vita-privata |website=www.tuttivip.it |publisher=Tutti VIP |access-date=2022-02-11 |language=Italian |date=9 October 2021}}{{cite news |title=Addio ad Anna Kanakis, attrice e scrittrice, ex Miss Italia |url=https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/cultura/cinema/2023/11/21/addio-ad-anna-kanakis-attrice-e-scrittrice-ex-miss-italia_748f54a6-e176-48ce-9e0a-6069e122b98b.html |access-date=22 November 2023 |work=ANSA |date=21 November 2023 |language=it}} In 1981, she entered the Miss Universe competition. Kanakis worked in cinema as early as 1980, being mainly active in comedy films. In later years, her career transitioned to television, where she had leading roles in series and TV-movies.

Starting from You're So Mine When You Sleep, a 2010 novel about George Sand's life, Kanakis specialized in historical novels. Her last work was Don't judge me ("Non giudicarmi"), a novel about the life events of Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen.

Kanakis also had a brief political experience as national leader of Culture and Entertainment in the Democratic Union for the Republic.

Personal life and death

In 1981, Kanakis married the composer Claudio Simonetti, but their marriage only lasted a few years. From 2004, she was married to Marco Merati Foscarini, a descendant of Marco Foscarini, one of the last Doges of Venice. Kanakis had no children. She died of lymphoma on 19 November 2023, aged 61.{{cite news |title=Morta Anna Kanakis. È stata Miss Italia a 15 anni, poi attrice e scrittrice |url=https://www.vanityfair.it/article/morta-anna-kanakis-e-stata-miss-italia-a-15-anni-marito |access-date=22 November 2023 |work=Vanity Fair Italia |date=21 November 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Romano |first1=Alba |title=Gli ultimi mesi di Anna Kanakis prima della morte per il linfoma: «Ha lasciato tutti i suoi gioielli alla ricerca scientifica» |url=https://www.open.online/2024/11/22/anna-kanakis-morte-linfoma-testamento-ricerca-scientifica/ |access-date=23 November 2024 |work=Open |date=22 November 2024 |language=it-IT}}

Selected filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1981 \|Attila flagello di Dio \|Sirena \|
1983 \|Acapulco, prima spiaggia... a sinistra \|Marina \|
1983 \|Occhio, malocchio, prezzemolo e finocchio \|Customer \|
1983 \|The New Barbarians \|Alma \|Italian film; released in the U.S. as Warriors of the Wasteland
1983 \|2019, After the Fall of New York \|Eurac Officer Ania \|Italian film; original title 2019 - Dopo la caduta di New York
1983 \|Segni particolari: bellissimo \|Rosalia \|Credited as Anna Maria Kanakis
1989 \|'O Re \|The Brigand \|
1990 \|The Miser \|Elisa \|
1991 \|Money \|Anna Lupino \|
1991 \|Reflections in a Dark Sky \|Chim \|
1997 \|Gli inaffidabili \|Gena \|
2006 \|The Final Inquiry \|Claudia Procula \|Italian film; original title L'inchiesta

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1981

|Attila flagello di Dio

|Sirena

1983

|Acapulco, prima spiaggia... a sinistra

|Marina

1983

|Occhio, malocchio, prezzemolo e finocchio

|Customer

1983

|The New Barbarians

|Alma

|Italian film; released in the U.S. as Warriors of the Wasteland

1983

|2019, After the Fall of New York

|Eurac Officer Ania

|Italian film; original title 2019 - Dopo la caduta di New York

1983

|Segni particolari: bellissimo

|Rosalia

|Credited as Anna Maria Kanakis

1989

|'O Re

|The Brigand

1990

|The Miser

|Elisa

1991

|Money

|Anna Lupino

1991

|Reflections in a Dark Sky

|Chim

1997

|Gli inaffidabili

|Gena

2006

|The Final Inquiry

|Claudia Procula

|Italian film; original title L'inchiesta

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1990 \|A Season of Giants \|Sister Ilaria \|TV movie
1991 \|Young Catherine \|Countess Vorontsova \|TV mini-series
1995 \|La famiglia Ricordi \|Maria \|TV mini-series; 4 episodes
1999 \|Turn of the Century \|Giulia Cairo \|TV mini-series; original title Fine secolo; 5 episodes

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1990

|A Season of Giants

|Sister Ilaria

|TV movie

1991

|Young Catherine

|Countess Vorontsova