Greek actress Vana Barba has revealed she stayed away from television for years because she feared looking like a monster in close-up camera shots.
Speaking to OK magazine about her upcoming return to television in the drama series Ble Ores, Barba explained how her struggles with body image and ageing kept her off screen. She also addressed the broader public debate surrounding cosmetic clinics and unverified youth treatments following the death of singer Giorgos Mazonakis.
Fears over close-up camera shots
Barba stated that she wants to challenge societal taboos and stereotypes that link a woman's value strictly to her youthful appearance. Describing herself as rebellious, she said women should not be terrified of growing older, calling ageing a natural and beautiful process.
She questioned why society treats older women as if they should be discarded into Kaiadas, referring to the ancient Spartan chasm used for executions. Barba added that she has now overcome her personal fears, embraced her current appearance, and hopes other women her age will do the same.
Cosmetic surgery debate following singer's death
The actress connected her personal reflections to the recent death of popular singer Giorgos Mazonakis, who had undergone plasmapheresis treatment. Barba argued that the singer's passing exposed dangerous, high-risk practices within the cosmetic industry that had previously remained hidden from public scrutiny.
Citing composer Stavros Xarchakos, who described Mazonakis as the last folk idol and the only pop persona to transition into traditional Greek bouzouki music, Barba said his stature amplified public focus on vanity. She noted that widespread anxiety led people to seek risky injections, with some individuals turning to manicure workers performing illegal aesthetic procedures with forged documents.
Regrets over youthful cosmetic procedures
Barba admitted that she had sought out cosmetic procedures when she was 22 years old, driven by anxiety over beauty and career survival. She reflected that doctors should have turned her away given her young age and healthy body, rather than agreeing to perform unnecessary treatments.
She praised ethical practitioners who refuse to perform unnatural alterations on young women, stating she respects doctors who refuse to transform clients into ducks or groupers. Although she avoided doctors she characterized as criminal, Barba acknowledged making youthful mistakes before relying on her instincts in later years.
Lessons from Hollywood and veteran actors
Barba identified veteran Greek actress Irene Papas as her ultimate role model for ageing gracefully without undergoing cosmetic operations. She explained that watching Papas grow older naturally inspired her to resist further procedures out of fear that facial disfigurement would ruin her long-standing relationship with the public.
She also pointed to international examples of beauty-related pressure, referencing a Hollywood film starring Kevin Spacey as well as actress Marilyn Monroe, who died from barbiturates after being trapped by her public image. Barba concluded that while public caution may increase following recent revelations, cosmetic quackery in Greece will likely persist due to human vanity.
