A historic night for cinema and the Greek diaspora! Cassandra Kulukundis has officially made history at the 98th Academy Awards, becoming the first-ever winner of the newly established Oscar for Best Achievement in Casting.
After decades of casting directors campaigning for institutional recognition, the Academy finally opened the door, and it was only fitting that Kulukundis—the “matchmaker” behind some of the most iconic ensembles in modern film—was the one to walk through it.
Her win for “One Battle After Another” (directed by Paul Thomas Anderson) is a testament to her unique gift for blending A-list legends like Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn with raw, undiscovered talent like newcomer Chase Infiniti.
The “Kulukundis Way” & Greek Heritage
While she has spent over 30 years shaping Hollywood, Cassandra’s identity is deeply anchored on the Greek island of Kasos. As a member of the storied Kulukundis shipping dynasty—a name synonymous with the “Greek Shipping Miracle”—she carries a legacy of Greek excellence and resilience.
Colleagues often attribute her sharp eye for “colorful, larger-than-life characters” to her upbringing, surrounded by the strong and eccentric personalities of her extended Greek family. This victory marks only the second time a Greek woman has received an Academy Award, following the legendary Katina Paxinou.
A 30-Year Partnership
The win also celebrates one of the greatest partnerships in film history. Kulukundis began as an intern on PTA’s debut film Hard Eight (1996) and has cast every one of his films since Magnolia (1999). In a touching moment during her speech, she joked to Anderson: “I have one before you, which is also crazy!” (though he later won for Directing and Screenplay that same night).
Cassandra dedicated her historic statue to the “unsung heroes” of the industry—the casting directors who never got the chance to stand on that stage or even see their names
