The sci-fi drama “The 100” on The CW is arguably where Canadian actress Marie Avgeropoulos gained the most notoriety for her role as the fierce Octavia Blake. Octavia was a minor detained for her parents’ crimes at the beginning of the series, which follows the inhabitants of an orbiting space arc 100 years after a nuclear apocalypse. Octavia, who had spent her whole existence in captivity, was the first person to return to Earth after the accident, and she developed into a free, powerful, and fierce character for the remainder of the series. From being an unregistered second child hidden under the floorboards to a formidable fighter, the Queen of the Grounders, and finally the warrior Blodreina, Octavia Blake has seen tremendous growth.
Octavia is incredibly powerful and occasionally quite frightful. What about the person portraying her? Is she as tough as the character she portrays on screen? The secret story of Marie Avgeropoulos is revealed here.
Her early career
Avgeropoulos appeared in cameos on “Supernatural,” “The Guard,” and “Harper’s Island” after relocating to Vancouver and approaching casting directors. She got her big break on Chris Columbus’ “I Love You Beth Cooper,” or what she called her “first genuine work,” in which she played Valli Wooley. Being so unfamiliar with a big movie, she admitted, “I was just so nervous, I had the jitterbugs.”
Later, Columbus made a U-turn and hired her for “Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief.” After that, Avgeropoulos worked with Steve Austin in “Hunt to Kill” and performed improv with Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in “50/50.” She was then given a role in “Cult,” a TV drama on The CW that focused on unexplained murders and events on a set of a TV show (kind of like “The X-Files” if it all took place on a show within a show). She joined “The 100” on The CW, but sadly “Cult” wasn’t really a hit with viewers and was cancelled after seven episodes.
Her run in with the law
It can be challenging to stay out of the paparazzi and tabloids when you’re a rising star. Avgeropoulos had one incident that made headlines and detracted from her otherwise stellar record, but it was ultimately revealed to be a total misunderstanding. In 2018, Avgeropoulos and her boyfriend, cameraman Quincy Paglaro from “The 100,” got into a late-night “domestic violence incident.” According to the press statement from the district attorney, the two “began bickering in a car on the 134 Freeway. Avgeropoulos is charged with repeatedly hitting the victim in the head, neck, and arm, causing minor wounds. When the victim dialled 911, Avgeropoulos was detained, according to E! News.
As they are both Canadian and are unsure of what might land them in jail in the United States, sources informed TMZ that the boyfriend called the police in the hopes that they would diffuse the issue rather than take her into custody. He “pleaded with the police not to take her away… and even afterwards bailed her out.” Avgeropoulos was charged with felony domestic violence, but the boyfriend steadfastly refused to file a report because “Marie was on new meds and mixed it with wine during dinner that evening, and she had a severe response,” and because she was “flailing” in the car and unintentionally hitting Paglaro. The accusations were dismissed. Paglaro and Avgeropoulos subsequently fell out of contact.
Playing Octavia Blake
She was initially drawn to the role of Octavia Blake on “The 100” because of The CW Avgerolpoulos’ love in the sci-fi genre. Wow, what would it be like to step foot on Earth for the first time, I thought when I first got the script. She told The Huffington Post, “When I realised that my character, Octavia, got to have her own Neil Armstrong moment, I couldn’t resist.
Avgeropoulos has been motivated by Octavia’s tenacity and might throughout the entire series.
“Octavia has long since been a part of me. I believe that I began working at this company when I was 23 years old, and I am now in my 30s. So it’s clear that we developed together. I believe that watching the progression from when I was a younger girl to the present truly reflects in the character. I have grown as an actress since the beginning and as a young woman in my personal life up till now. I’m very happy that the writing was constantly evolving, kept me on my toes, and also challenged me. Playing Octavia while work kept me entertained at all times, Avgeropoulos said to Brief Take.
According to Avgeropoulos, who has played Octavia Blake for seven seasons, “she’s become a part of who I am.” “She has undergone numerous changes as the seasons have changed, and we have evolved together throughout the years. I had the impression of playing six distinct women at once.
She had a pretty big health scare
Doctors had to remove a sizable tumour they had discovered in Avgerolpoulos’ neck, chest, and throat when she was 20 years old. Her vocal cords had to be removed by the surgeons. She explained the deep tone of her voice at Dutch Comic Con Winter 2019 by saying that she had vocal chords that had been removed and then replaced in the past due to the removal of a large tumour from her chest. Marie proudly sports a large scar on her chest, despite the fact that few people can see it. It’s my prize. I am reminded that I am as resilient as Marie.
The procedure does, however, have an impact on Avgerolpoulos’ capacity to scream. She told Brief Take, “Screaming doesn’t really work for me more than once or twice, or it falls silent for a couple of days. Which, for those around me, would not be a negative thing; they might be like, “Oh good. She stops talking. Yay!'”
She’s a philanthropist
Food for Life Vrindavan is a nonprofit organisation that “works to educate, empower, and serve the Vrindavan area of India,” according to Avgeropoulos. There are 1,500 girls on the waiting list for the charity’s fund for girls’ education in the area. According to Avgeropoulos, the company aims to “empower them to alter their lives and communities through a service-oriented approach committed to ethics and excellence. In rural India, only one girl out of every 100 attends college on average. She said: “Unfortunately, many of the remaining are lost to child marriage, will never be independent enough to choose their own course, and are frequently forced into an adult role at a very young age against their will. Avgeropoulos created a documentary series addressing the issue and ways that people may get involved through the #SheMustCount initiative.
She explained to Brief Take that in rural areas of India, such as Vrindavin, “where boys are considered more of an asset, young girls are considered a liability and aren’t given the option to be educated and get their own jobs and often they have to deal with child marriage, hunger, starvation, and all of these terrible obstacles that get in the way of them pursuing an education and being self-sufficient.” She called FLLV “a really wonderful charity to be a part of and to be sworn
She’s a proud Canadian
On June 17, 1986, Marie Avgeropoulos was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, beneath the “Sleeping Giant” range of mesas. Her love of nature and the great outdoors was influenced by the stunning surroundings. According to Civilian Magazine, she spent her formative years camping, shooting, fishing, and enjoying family picnics at a lake house. She referred to herself as a tomboy and a free-spirited “crazy youngster” to the publication. “The opportunities for outdoor exploration are boundless in this wonderfully rural and outdoorsy area. Fishing, camping, and sitting around campfires are some of my favourite memories. “The winters might get down to -40 degrees Fahrenheit and the summers were scorching with hordes of insects,” Avgeropoulos told Black Rabbit. She subsequently relocated to Vancouver at the beginning of her career and participated in a charity game with the Vancouver Whitecaps soccer team in 2019. Ever the Canadian.
At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Avgeropoulos travelled back to Canada to endure her initial quarantine.
“Since I’m from Canada, snow was still covering the ground when COVID first began. I’m so grateful that I don’t need to wear a parka to go outside, she said to Collider.
She’s a talented drummer
Avgeropoulos began playing the drums at the age of 14, which is late for studying a musical instrument. She nevertheless picked up the guitar right away, and she has been playing ever since. In actuality, Avgeropoulos used drumming as a sort of alternate entry point into the entertainment industry. According to Grumpy Magazine, she attended a drummer casting call in Vancouver with the help of a friend. Instead, a casting director there “discovered” her and began casting her in local commercials, which is how she eventually landed her big break in a Chris Columbus movie, which we’ll talk about in a moment.
However, Avgeropoulos is still a very talented drummer. She started a band named Praimfaya with other members of “The 100” cast and crew; Avgerolpoulos plays the drums, and they perform at charity events, wrap parties, and other venues. At the 2017 Maritime Labour Centre in Vancouver’s 4th Annual Hunkerdown Xmas Showdown, Praimfaya performed. At this benefit concert, bands from other CW shows like “Arrow,” “Supernatural,” “The Flash,” and “Riverdale” also played.
She’s also Greek
Avgeropoulos is of Greek ancestry, in case her last name wasn’t a dead giveaway. She cherishes her family history. On her Instagram, she frequently posts pictures from vacations to Greece or showing her support for Greek causes, sports teams, or flags. She also confesses her ardent devotion to the fried Greek cheese known as Saganaki. She acknowledged that being Greek has influenced her life in an interview with Imagista. “To begin with, I had to learn how to spell Avgeropoulos when first-graders were learning how to spell words with three letters. “All of a sudden, I was the smart kid,” she claimed. When she is need to travel for film or television production, the culture keeps her connected to her family. She remains grounded by maintaining contact with her roots. Food, boisterous families, Greek dancing—so many happy memories. She says, “Greek culture is lovely, and I’m pleased that it runs in my family.
She’s now part of the DC universe
Avgeropoulos has recently joined the world of comic books, specifically the DC side. In the animated movie “Wonder Woman: Bloodlines,” she provided the voice for the character Vanessa Kapatelis, also known as Silver Swan. Rosario Dawson provided the voice of Wonder Woman for the production, and Avgerolpoulos got to expand her experience as a villain. Avgeropoulos said to The Workprint at the 2019 New York Comic Con, “I’m incredibly thrilled to tell such a kickass narrative. It’s my very first animated feature I’ve ever done in my life.
Due to their common gothic backgrounds, the movie spends a significant amount of time in Silver Swan’s adolescence, which helped Avgeropoulos connect with the character. “I can relate, without a doubt. When I was in high school, I was gothic. As though I had just stated that out, I noticed that I was wearing a dog collar around my neck. That really did happen. I remember being that disobedient adolescent girl. I once had her identity. Did the writers realise that? Like, is this a coincidence, how did they do this? Weird.’ And I admire how bold she is in the face of dread yet continuing to act. That’s a fairly good message to convey to women in general, I think.
She started doing her own stunts
Avgeropoulos’s upbringing in the Canadian woods undoubtedly made him an energetic guy. “Whenever I played any sport, I always felt strong. I was a tomboy growing up, so it’s no surprise that Octavia turned out to be the same. I played volleyball and basketball growing up. Two Harley Davidson motorcycles are mine. I adore riding horses. I really enjoy snowboarding. Anytime I can use my athleticism while portraying serious characters, it’s extremely wonderful. I enjoy it, she said to Collider.
She began performing some of her own stunts on “The 100,” as is only logical. It has been a lot of pleasure to use my athleticism and to play such a significant role in Octavia’s story arc in order to grow her as a character. As she explained to Brief Take, “this show has given me the opportunity to learn how to ride a horse, wield a sword, and work with fantastic stunt teams to use my body to construct Octavia from this young girl that evolves into a warrior.
Avgeropoulos was given the opportunity to take even more intricate risks in “The 100″‘s final season. “I had the good fortune to perform a stunt I had never done before. Octavia is a fighter and a warrior both mentally and physically. She never surrenders. But this season, I had the opportunity to pick up a brand-new talent on the job, which was both exciting and slightly terrifying.
She started out in broadcast journalism
It wasn’t always Avgerolpoulos’ intention to appear in movies and television. She actually wanted to share the news with everyone at first. I didn’t always want to be an actress, exactly. I studied television broadcast journalism in college,” she admitted to In Love Magazine. But after two years in the programme, she understood that the industry wasn’t encouraging. “At first, I believed that I wanted to earn a living by telling stories, but I soon understood that it wasn’t just those kinds of stories. I recognise how essential the news is, but I personally found it rather disheartening to hear mostly negative news from 9 to 5.
In order to decide what she wanted to pursue after leaving the school, she took a few months off and went travelling through Europe. She subsequently relocated to Vancouver at that time, and she attended the drummer audition that was described earlier. From there, her career took off. She didn’t entirely waste her time working in broadcast journalism. She “grew a thick skin and [got] used to hearing the word no” in the harsh world of the news, according to Civilian Magazine, which would undoubtedly aid her in her acting career.
The 100 didn’t really get a goodbye party
The cast of “The 100,” which aired on The CW in 2020, had to wrap up the season just as the COVID-19 epidemic was getting started. Despite finishing the show miraculously, they were unable to throw a wrap party or recognise their seven seasons. Because we didn’t get to have a wrap party, celebrate, or actually say goodbye to one another, it was tough for me to compartmentalise the reality that we all spent seven years of our lives crafting this great story of ‘The 100.’ The hardest part for me was that. But I’m so glad we got to the end of the show,” she told Collider.
She continued by observing that it was really strange to leave a show about the end of the world and enter a real world that felt ominous. After spending seven years producing a fake apocalypse show, it felt incredibly ironically providential to suddenly find one in real life. And even though I had played Octavia Blake for such a long time, I still didn’t feel completely ready, as I’m sure many people don’t at the moment. It’s intriguing to have to see a tale develop on TV while also having everyone else experience it.
What’s next for Marie
Avgeropoulos has been taking it easy during the epidemic since the seven-season run of “The 100″ is over. He has since moved on to new endeavours. She first went to Canada for some much-needed rest. I’ve now successfully learned how to prepare just about every food on the planet six times in a row. Yeah! And exercising in the morning on the Peloton bike,” she said to Brief Take.
The independent police comedy “Super Dicks” and the drama “Butterfly in the Typewriter,” which tells the tale of “troubled author John Kennedy Toole and his struggle to bring his comic masterpiece ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’ to print,” are two upcoming projects that Avgeropoulos has listed on her IMDB page. Susan Sarandon, Diane Kruger, and Cary Elwes are also featured in the latter film.
Who else she’s dated
Avgeropoulos had previously been in relationships with several other renowned persons, despite the fact that the boyfriend from the arrest event was in the background rather than in front of the camera. Her most well-known relationship is without a doubt with Taylor Lautner, her co-star in “Tracers.” She and the “Twilight” actor first connected in 2013 while filming the parkour action movie. They were later spotted out and about in New York City and Los Angeles holding hands and generally being adorable. But they parted ways in 2014. In January 2015, E! reported that the pair had split up a few months earlier and that “it was perfectly amicable.”
In addition, Avgeropoulos was seeing Shawn Roberts, a Canadian actor who has starred in several zombie movies like “Land of the Dead,” “Diary of the Dead,” and the “Resident Evil” series. But most recently, Avgeropoulos appears content with stuntman and actor Alain Moussi from Canada. The two met while filming the action movie “Jiu Jitsu,” which they both starred in alongside Nicolas Cage, according to Glamour Buff. They celebrated their second anniversary in Greece in June 2021 after she made the relationship Instagram official in June 2020.
Marie Avgeropoulos will undoubtedly be fierce in whatever she does next.
