Honestly, if you haven’t noticed Elena Kampouris yet, you probably aren't looking at your screen. She’s that rare kind of actor who can pivot from a massive, loud-mouthed Greek family reunion to a gritty cult drama without breaking a sweat. Most people know her as Paris Miller—the perpetually stressed daughter in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding sequels—but there’s so much more to her resume than just spanakopita and family drama.
She's been working since she was 15. That’s a long time in Hollywood years.
The Breakout: My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Beyond
It’s impossible to talk about elena kampouris movies and tv shows without starting with the Portokalos family. When she landed the role of Paris in My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016), it wasn’t just another gig; it was personal. She’s actually Greek-American. Her father is from Kasos, Greece, and she grew up in a household where the original 2002 movie was basically a holy text.
Playing Paris allowed her to channel that specific "smothered but loved" energy that defined the franchise. By the time My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 rolled around in 2023, she had evolved the character from a sulky high schooler into a complex college student navigating her own messy romance with Aristotle (played by Elias Kacavas). It was a huge hit for fans because it felt like watching a real person grow up.
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The Dark Side of Elena's Roles
If you think she’s just a "rom-com daughter," you're dead wrong. Kampouris has a weirdly specific talent for picking roles that are, well, pretty dark.
Take Sacred Lies (2018). She played Minnow Bly, a girl who escapes a cult after twelve years only to end up in juvenile detention... and she's missing both her hands. Yeah. It’s heavy stuff. She worked with an amputee consultant to make sure her physical movements were authentic, and honestly, the performance is haunting. It’s probably her best work to date, even if it was tucked away on Facebook Watch and Peacock.
Then there’s Jupiter’s Legacy. Netflix poured a ton of money into this superhero epic in 2021. Kampouris played Chloe Sampson, the rebellious, drug-addled daughter of the world’s greatest superheroes. She was great. The show? Well, Netflix cancelled it after one season. It was a bummer for fans who wanted to see her character’s redemption arc, but it proved she could hold her own in a massive CGI-heavy production.
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A Career Built on Variety
She doesn't stay in one lane.
- Labor Day (2013): One of her first big film roles, playing the young Rachel McCann.
- Men, Women & Children (2014): A super bleak look at how the internet ruins us. She played Allison Doss, a girl struggling with an eating disorder.
- Before I Fall (2017): She was Juliet Sykes, the "weird girl" who gets bullied. It’s a tragic role, and she basically carries the emotional weight of the movie's climax.
- Wifelike (2022): This one is a trip. It’s a sci-fi thriller where she plays an AI companion.
- Vindicta (2023): A gritty slasher where she plays a rookie paramedic caught in a game of revenge.
It’s kind of wild to look at those titles side-by-side. One minute she’s in a bright, sunny field in Greece, and the next she’s covered in fake blood in a Vancouver basement.
Why She’s Actually Underestimated
A lot of actors get stuck. They find one "vibe" and they ride it until the wheels fall off. Kampouris seems to actively avoid that. Even her Broadway debut in Les Liaisons Dangereuses (2016) saw her playing Cécile Volanges, a naive teenager being manipulated by aristocrats. She’s constantly jumping between innocence and trauma.
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She also hasn't moved to LA full-time. She’s famously stayed close to her New Jersey roots, often helping out at her father’s wine shop when she isn’t filming. That groundedness shows up in her acting. There’s a lack of "Hollywood gloss" to her performances that makes her feel way more relatable than most of her peers.
What's Next for Elena Kampouris?
As we move through 2026, her trajectory is still pointing up. Her latest project, Here Now (also known as Fino alla fine), directed by Gabriele Muccino, shows her expanding into international cinema. It’s a high-stakes thriller set over the course of 24 hours in Palermo. It’s a massive departure from her US-based work and suggests she’s looking to become a global name rather than just a domestic star.
If you’re looking to catch up on her work, start with Sacred Lies for the acting chops and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 for the vibes.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Watch "Sacred Lies" on Peacock: If you only know her from comedies, this will completely change your perspective on her range.
- Follow her Instagram for project updates: She’s surprisingly low-key but occasionally shares behind-the-scenes looks at her indie projects.
- Look for "Wifelike" if you enjoy Black Mirror-style sci-fi: It’s an underrated gem that tackles some pretty uncomfortable themes about technology and ownership.
She’s not just a "rising star" anymore. She’s a seasoned pro who has survived the Netflix cancellation machine and the pressures of a massive film franchise. Whatever she does next, it probably won't be what you expect.