| Vassilis Vassilikos | |
| Nationality: | Greek |
| Parliament: | Hellenic |
| Constituency Mp: | National list |
| Term Start: | 7 July 2019 |
| Term End: | 22 April 2023 |
| Birth Name: | Vassilios N. Vassilikos |
| Birth Date: | 18 November 1933 |
| Birth Place: | Kavala, Greece |
| Death Place: | Athens, Greece |
| Resting Place: | First Cemetery of Athens |
| Party: | MeRA25 (2018–2019) SYRIZA (2019–2023) |
| Children: | Evridiki Vassilikou - Papantoniou |
| Education: | Anatolia College |
| Alma Mater: | Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Yale Drama School |
Vassilis Vassilikos (el|Βασίλης Βασιλικός, 18 November, 1933 – 30 November, 2023) was a Greek writer and diplomat. He was one of the top ten most translated Greek authors, according to UNESCO data.[1]
Vassilis Vassilikos was born in Kavala on November 18, 1933, to parents native to the island of Thasos. His father was a member of parliament with the Liberal Party, and his sister was a table tennis champion. He grew up in Thessaloniki, graduated law school there, studied television directing at Yale University's Drama School, and moved to Athens to work as a journalist.
Because of his political activities, he was forced into exile for seven years following the coup of 1967.[2] Although the regime fell, he continued to live and work abroad until his permanent return to Greece in 1994.
From 1981 to 1984, Vassilikos served as the deputy director of the Greek state television channel (ET1). From 1996 to 2004, he served as Greece's ambassador to UNESCO.
Vassilikos was married twice. His first marriage was with a woman named Mimi, with whom he founded a publishing house. They later divorced because she became a nun. In 1983, he married a lyrical singer, Vasso Papantoniou (born 1939), with whom he had a daughter, Evridiki.
He died on 30 November 2023, at the age of 90. He was buried at the First Cemetery of Athens on December 4.[3] Vassilikos is survived by his wife, Greek soprano Vaso Papantoniou, and their daughter.[4]
Vassilikos published over 100 books, including novels, plays, and poetry. His best-known work is the political novel Z (1967), which has been translated into 32 languages and was the basis of the award-winning film Z directed by Costa-Gavras (with music by Mikis Theodorakis). It also inspired the Indian film Shanghai (2012 film).
Vassilikos ran in the 2014 Greek local elections as a PASOK candidate for counsellor in the city of Athens.[5]
In the 2019 Greek legislative election, he was elected Member of Parliament with Syriza.