鈥84, 鈥88 took advantage of remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic to launch a second career 鈥 on the silver screen.
Now include a major role in a feature-length Christmas movie, 鈥,鈥 a recurring role in the Discovery reality series 鈥淧ower of Attorney: Don Worley,鈥 and leading parts in soon-to-be-released productions.
鈥淎t this point in my life, I鈥檓 very lucky to be able to pursue this passion,鈥 says Panagopoulos. 鈥淚鈥檓 59 years old, and I feel like I鈥檝e only just begun in this new journey.鈥
Panagopoulos, who earned a B.S. in computer science and an M.S. in computer engineering here, worked full time as director of faculty development and support for online learning in the for more than a decade. She retired in June 2020 to pursue acting seriously, while continuing to teach online classes as an adjunct faculty member.聽
Success didn鈥檛 come overnight, though.
Panagopoulos had spent 12 years honing her acting skills at a community theater based in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Shortly before the pandemic hit, a fellow thespian suggested that she had the right personality for film and television.
She went about building her second career methodically. First, she created a profile on Backstage.com 鈥 鈥渓ike Match.com, but for directors and actors鈥 鈥 and began auditioning online for parts in student and independent films. Directors mostly tapped her to play moms, lawyers and professors.
Once she鈥檇 built a portfolio, she signed up with three professional casting agencies, including Grant Wilfley Casting in New York, which led to a brief appearance on the hit television series 鈥淭he Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.鈥
鈥淭he quality of 鈥楳rs. Maisel鈥 was so high in every aspect 鈥 the wardrobe, hair and makeup. They treated us all as if we were leads,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t was so exciting to be in that environment.鈥
Panagopoulos landed her first speaking role in an Amazon Prime Video miniseries, the drama 鈥淲hen Night Stands Fast.鈥 After that, she began getting more roles, including the mother of the main character in 鈥淭was the Night.鈥 She now has speaking parts in three more films and television shows that are in postproduction, and she鈥檚 a member of the Screen Actors Guild.
鈥淚 love every role that I鈥檓 in,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 put everything into it, even if it鈥檚 just that one moment, that one look.鈥
Shortly before Christmas 2021, Panagopoulos was feted at her first red carpet event when 鈥淭was the Night鈥 premiered at a movie theater in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
鈥淚t was surreal 鈥 it was just like being at the Oscars,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 felt like a movie star, and I was approached for autographs at the reception after the film.鈥
Yet she鈥檚 still very much part of the university community. Six months after retiring, she went back to work part time because UML needed help providing tech support to students and faculty studying and teaching online instead of in person. She also continues teaching online.聽
鈥淚 love teaching, and I love to support faculty and students. I love the university; my heart is there,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like a family, so I鈥檓 happy to do that while I pursue this other passion.鈥澛
She encourages others with Hollywood dreams to put in the effort to make them come true.聽
鈥淎nyone can do it, but you have to make it happen for yourself,鈥 she says. 鈥淵ou have to do it for the love of it, not the money, because otherwise it鈥檚 overwhelming. But if you do it for the love of it, it鈥檚 not work 鈥 it鈥檚 exciting!鈥