Long before he became an NBA champion and one of basketball’s biggest stars, Giannis Antetokounmpo briefly stepped into the world of cinema — in an Australian production.
At just 16, Antetokounmpo and his mother Veronica appeared in Dead Europe (2012), a drama directed by Australian Tony Krawitz and adapted from Greek Australian Christos Tsiolkas’ novel of the same name.
The film premiered at the Sydney Film Festival that year.
Not many people knew this fun fact about the ‘Greek Freak’, and when a clip surfaced online, people were shocked.
Giannis himself came across it on Instagram and confirmed the fact.
“Yep that’s me,” he commented before another comment of his showing his amusement of seeing the clip.
“😂😂😂😂”
Parts of the movie were shot in Athens, where the Antetokounmpo family was living as undocumented immigrants struggling to survive.
Casting agents sought real-life authenticity for a refugee scene, and Giannis and his mother were chosen.
The teenager was credited as “Neighbour’s Son”, appearing under the misspelling “Giannis Adeto Kunbo” on IMDb.
His role was tiny — just two lines: “Quiet, please, it’s late” and “She is dead, gone.”
Veronica was also credited for her brief appearance.
For the family, the cameo provided a modest income at a time when Giannis and his brother Thanasis were selling goods on the streets of Athens to help make ends meet.
Within a year of its release, in 2013 Giannis declared for the NBA Draft and was selected 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks — the beginning of a meteoric rise to global superstardom.
Film clip below
