Irene Papas, stage name of Eirini Lelekou (Chiliomodi, 1929 – Chiliomodi, 2022), was a Greek actress and singer, considered one of her country's greatest performers of the 20th century. Endowed with a powerful stage presence and an iconic face, she achieved international fame with films such as *The Guns of Navarone* (1961) and especially *Zorba the Greek* (1964). Her career is inextricably linked to the great figures of Greek tragedy, which she brought to the big screen in works directed by Michael Cacoyannis such as *Electra* (1962) and *The Trojan Women* (1971). She also worked extensively in Italy, becoming famous for her role as Penelope in the television miniseries *L'Odissea* (1968) and for her performance in Francesco Rosi's *Christ Stopped at Eboli* (1979). She was also a singer, known for her collaborations with the composer Vangelis. Throughout her long career, she received numerous awards, including the Best Actress award at the Thessaloniki Film Festival and the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Biennale in 2009.