Thaao: My uncle traced our family back and it turned out that about three or four hundred years ago we were almost a princely family, so maybe all the arrogance I've displayed in the past isn't only a cover for insecurity. When I went to Athens and the clerk said, "Penghlis. Are you from the Penghlis family?" it was a tremendous pleasure. When I was a child, I used to ask my father, "Why is Grandma's nose so enormous?" He said it was because we came from such a high breed of Greek, and that my grandmother believed it so much she kept her head very high and her nose grew. She was naturally aristocratic. You'd never run into her arms; you'd greet her with a kiss on the cheek. You would never dare misbehave in front of her. By comparison, my mother is very down to earth with her grandchildren. She's a doer, and a tremendous giver.
Thaao: When I left home, I had to lie and tell my family it would be for a month, and even they thought I was a black sheep, a loser. I come from a very conservative Greek family - one which doesn't believe in breaking tradition. I had two hundred dollars in my pocket, but I knew I would have to make it on my own, because my drive was tremendous. I had to prove that I would make something of myself, and to do that I had to release all those regimented ideas I'd been taught about how life should be and learn a whole different set of values.
Thaao studied acting under the legendary acting coach and theatre director, Milton Katselas, in New York.
In 2003, Penghlis was nominated for the Soap Opera Digest Award for Favorite Return for his return to the cast of Days of Our Lives.
Thaao received a Pre-Nomination in the Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor in 2003 and 2005.
While in Greece recently, Thaao was able to indulge his lifelong fascination with archaeology by viewing and researching over 60,000 documents, letters and diaries of a famous archeologist who is the subject of his latest screenplay.
Penghlis made his New York stage debut in the critically acclaimed off-Broadway play 'Jockeys.'
Thaao moved from Australia to New York City initially to study art history and fashion.
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