Greek actor Alexandros Bourdoumis has criticised former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras for failing to attend the official premiere of Adults in the Room, the 2019 political drama in which Bourdoumis portrayed him.
Speaking on the talk show Enas ki Enas on Friday, August 14, Bourdoumis called his role in the Costa-Gavras film one of the greatest highlights of his career, but admitted he was disappointed by the politician's absence.
He said it made a very bad impression on him that Tsipras did not attend a screening, noting that it should be considered an honour when a world renowned filmmaker creates a project focused on a political figure.
Costa-Gavras, an Oscar winning director known for political thrillers such as Z and Missing, adapted the film from the memoir of former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis. The book details the tense 2015 negotiations between Greece and European creditors during the height of the national debt crisis.
Securing the Role
Bourdoumis described receiving the phone call from Costa-Gavras confirming he had won the role as an unforgettable moment. He revealed that he almost crashed his car when the director broke the news after a lengthy casting process.
The director initially instructed him to read the memoir by Varoufakis before filming began. Bourdoumis had to keep his casting secret from friends and partners while performing in a production of the musical Mamma Mia.
He recalled standing alone in the centre of the stadium during preparations for the show, shouting with excitement because he could not share the news with anyone except his parents.
Studying Tsipras and Power
To prepare for the performance, Bourdoumis meticulously studied archival video footage of public speeches and appearances by Tsipras to mirror his vocal tone, physical mannerisms, and expressions.
He explained that analysing speech patterns and body language helps an actor decode a character, observing that holding high political office inevitably alters a person's demeanor. He added that Costa-Gavras advised him on the poker face often adopted by leaders at the peak of power.
Tsipras served as Prime Minister of Greece from 2015 to 2019, leading the left-wing Syriza party through turbulent economic bailouts and a high-stakes national referendum on European Union financial terms in July 2015.
Reflecting on Tsipras' address to the nation prior to the 2015 bailout referendum, Bourdoumis said he detected underlying panic behind the prime minister's words. He suggested that Tsipras did not fully believe his own speech and secretly hoped voters would not choose to reject the bailout terms.
Political Backlash and the Red Button
The actor disclosed that taking on the portrayal made him a target for criticism across the political spectrum in Greece. He noted that right-wing critics opposed the production entirely, while left-wing figures were equally hostile toward the film.
Bourdoumis said the movie ultimately elevates Tsipras by showing him as a leader bound by overwhelming circumstances and political constraints rather than acting maliciously. He said critics viewed the prime minister as trapped, which shaped how the cast approached their roles.
He also referenced a central plot point in the film regarding whether Greek officials would press a symbolic red button to exit the eurozone. Bourdoumis revealed he once asked Varoufakis directly if he would have pressed the button, but received no answer from the former minister.
