Early life

Carides was born in Sydney, Australia, to a Greek father and an English mother. She began acting at the age of 12. Her first film was the hard hitting drama The Love Letters from Teralba Road starring Bryan Brown and Kris Macquade.

Career

Early in her career, Carides starred as Helena Angelopolous on the Australian television series Police Rescue, while also having acclaim for her films Strictly Ballroom and Brilliant Lies, receiving AFI Award nominations for each.

She is best known for her roles as Robin Spitz/Swallows in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and as Cousin Nikki in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the sequel television show My Big Fat Greek Life, and the sequel film My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.

Carides works in both America and Australia, credited with a host of film and television credits including Primary Colors, Year One and East of Everything. She also appeared in a guest spot of husband Anthony LaPaglia's television series Without A Trace.

She has volunteered as an actress with the Young Storytellers Program.

Personal life

Carides was married to actor Anthony LaPaglia, whom she met in Sydney in 1992. A year later they starred in the film Paperback Romance (a.k.a. Lucky Break). She and LaPaglia are the parents of daughter Bridget (born in January 2003). Gia Carides is sister to Zoe Carides, also an actress, and Danielle Carides, singer songwriter. Her brother in-law is doctor-turned-actor Jonathan LaPaglia.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1977	Love Letters from Teralba Road, TheThe Love Letters from Teralba Road	Maureen
1983	Midnite Spares	Ruth Mintos
1983	Phar Lap	Emma Woodcock
1984	Annie's Coming Out	Narrator
1985	Coca-Cola Kid, TheThe Coca-Cola Kid	Chambermaid
1985	Bliss	Lucy Joy
1987	Backlash	Nikki Iceton
1992	Greenkeeping	Gina
1992	Strictly Ballroom	Liz Holt
1992	Girl Who Came Late, TheThe Girl Who Came Late	Wendy
1994	Paperback Romance	Sophie
1995	Bad Company	Julie Ames
1996	Cottonwood, TheThe Cottonwood	Kathy
1996	Two If by Sea	Joan Rappaport (uncredited)
1996	Brilliant Lies	Susy Connor
1997	Lifebreath	Gale Pullman
1998	Primary Colors	Cashmere McLeod
1998	Letters from a Killer	Lita
1999	Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me	Robin Swallows
2000	Extreme Adventures of Super Dave, TheThe Extreme Adventures of Super Dave	Sandy	Video
2000	Maze	Julianne
2001	Jack the Dog	Georgia
2002	My Big Fat Greek Wedding	Cousin Nikki
2003	Exposed	Jade Blake
2005	One Last Thing...	Madelene
2006	Thank Heaven	Cybil
2006	Stick It	Alice Graham
2007	Trap, TheThe Trap	Clara	Short film
2009	Year One	Queen
2011	In Loco Parentis	Mum	Short film
2011	Burning Man	Carol
2015	This Isn't Funny	Gillian Jones
2016	My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2	Cousin Nikki

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1983	Country Practice, AA Country Practice	Tracy Power	Episode: "Hair of the Dog: Part 1" Episode: "Hair of the Dog: Part 2"
1984	Five Mile Creek	Beth	Episode: "Maggie"
1986	Studio 86		Episode: "Strawberry Girl" Episode: "Sisters in the Bathroom"
1989	Inside Running		TV series
1991	Boys from the Bush		Episode: "The Stuffed Platypus" Episode: "Poetic Galah"
1991	Acropolis Now	Haroula	Episode: "The Goddess"
1992	Resting Place, TheThe Resting Place	Sally	TV short
1992	Ultraman: Towards the Future	Jean Echo	13 episodes
1992-1993	Police Rescue	Helena Angelopoulos	7 episodes
1993	Seven Deadly Sins	Gluttony	TV miniseries
1995	Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space, TheThe Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space	Vesper, Vox's High Priestess	TV movie
1997	ER	Suzanne Alner	Episode: "You Bet Your Life"
1997	Firehouse	Charlotte Brooks	TV movie
1997	Devil's Child, TheThe Devil's Child	Eva	TV movie
1999	Secret Affair, AA Secret Affair	Mimi	TV movie
2003	My Big Fat Greek Life	Nikki	7 episodes
2003	Gladius	Additional Voices	Video game
2005	Without a Trace	Stephanie Patterson	Episode: "4.0"
2008-2009	East of Everything	Melanie Freedman	10 episodes
2011	Small Time Gangster	Darlene	8 episodes

[ Source: Wikipedia ]