Maria Mercedes is an Australian actress who has many credits in television, movies, and theatre.
Mercedes has had starring roles in the television comedy/variety series Greeks on the Roof as Poppy, the mother of Effie, and in the comedy series Kick as Dora Mavros. She has also appeared in Neighbours in a recurring role as Lucia Cammeniti.
Mercedes is known for her two appearances in the cult television series Prisoner. In 1979, she played Greek prisoner Irene Zervos, and in 1985 she returned to the series to play another ethnic inmate, Yemil Bakarta. Mercedes' first movie role was as Nurse Panicale in the Australian Gothic thriller, Patrick. Mercedes appeared in the movie Head On with Alex Dimitriades, playing the role of Tasia. Mercedes starred as the alternate Norma Desmond, lead character in the original Australian production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard at the Regent Theatre, Melbourne in 1996/1997 alongside Hugh Jackman as Joe Gillis. She gave almost 100 performances. In 2003, she starred in the critically acclaimed independent film by Anna Kannava, Dreams for Life. Mercedes was nominated for Best Actress in the Cypress International Film Festival for her role as Ellen in Dreams for Life.
In 2006 and 2007, she starred in the musical Pet Shop Boys Re-Interpretered in Melbourne for the 'Midsummer Festival' at Chapel Off Chapel, and at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland in 2007.
In 2008 and 2009, Mercedes toured nationally in Menopause The Musical.
She is currently starring as Madame Giry in Melbourne in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies at the Regent Theatre.