{{short description|Australian actress}} {{BLP sources|date=April 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}} {{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}} {{infobox person | name = Maria Mercedes | birth_name = Maria Moutsidi | birth_place = [[Melbourne|Melbourne, Australia]] | birth_date = | occupation = Actress, performer, singer<ref name="ausstageMM">{{cite web|url=https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/pages/9765|title= Maria Mercedes |publisher= [[AusStage]]}}</ref> | known_for = ''[[Nine (musical)|Nine]]''<br>''[[Sunset Boulevard (musical)|Sunset Boulevard]]''<br> ''[[Love Never Dies (musical)|Love Never Dies]]''<br>''[[Neighbours]]''<br>''[[Kick (TV series)|Kick]]'' | years_active = 1973–present }}
'''Maria Moutsidis''' ({{langx|el|Μαρία Μουτσίδη|María Moutsídi}}), known professionally as '''Maria Mercedes''', is a [[Greek Australians|Greek-descended Australian]] television, film and stage actress, performer and singer. She is a [[mezzo soprano]]<ref name="ausstageMM"/><ref>{{cite news|url= https://neoskosmos.com/en/35069/a-migrant-daughters-struggle-to-identify/|title= A migrant daughter's struggle to identify|date=2016-03-02|work= [[Neos Kosmos (newspaper)|Neos Kosmos]] |access-date=2018-10-08|language= en-US}}</ref>
==Early life== Mercedes was born in Melbourne to parents George and Dionisia Moutsidis, a working class couple who emigrated via ship to Australia from Greece, seeking better prospects. Her father had been as aspiring actor in Greece.<ref name="NK"/><ref name="Maria's diamonds are forever">{{cite web|url= https://neoskosmos.com/en/2013/10/30/features/marias-diamonds-are-forever/ |title= Maria's diamonds are forever | publisher= [[Neos Kosmos (newspaper)|Neos Kosmos]] |date= 30 October 2013}}</ref> She attended [[Brunswick Secondary College|Brunswick High School]] in Melbourne.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-mercedes-b163482a?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app |title= Maria Mercedes | publisher= [[LinkedIn]]}}</ref>
==Career==
===Early career=== Mercedes' performing career began in 1973 after winning singing contests on both ''[[Young Talent Time]]'' and ''[[New Faces (Australian TV series)|New Faces]]''. After subsequently performing on ''[[The Graham Kennedy Show]]'', she was persuaded to change her last name from 'Moutsidis' to the stage name of 'Mercedes', after [[Graham Kennedy|Kennedy]] struggled to pronounce her name.<ref name="neoskosmos.com">{{cite web|url= https://neoskosmos.com/en/2018/10/22/life/stage/how-maria-mercedes-career-came-full-circle/ |title= How Maria Mercedes' career came full circle | publisher= [[Neos Kosmos (newspaper)|Neos Kosmos]] |date= 22 October 2018}}</ref> By the age of 16, she was singing around Australia, in concerts and variety shows.<ref name="Maria's diamonds are forever"/>
In 1981, she released a cover version of The Crystals' "[[Then He Kissed Me]]", which she performed live on ''[[Countdown (Australian TV program)|Countdown]]'' and ''[[Hey Hey It's Saturday]]''.
===Stage=== Mercedes has appeared in numerous musical stage productions, having played Luisa Contini in ''[[Nine (musical)|Nine]]'', [[Grizabella]] in ''[[Cats (musical)|Cats]]'', Svetlana in ''[[Chess (musical)|Chess]]'', Mama Morton in ''[[Chicago (musical)|Chicago]]'', Miss Sherman in ''[[Fame (musical)|Fame]]'', the Wife in ''Seriously – Pet Shop Boys Reinterpreted'', Power woman in ''[[Menopause The Musical]]'', [[Madame Giry]] in [[Andrew Lloyd Webber|Andrew Lloyd Webber's]] sequel to ''[[Phantom of the Opera (1976 musical)|Phantom of the Opera]]'' – ''[[Love Never Dies (musical)|Love Never Dies]]'' and [[Melina Mercouri]] in ''Greek Goddess''.<ref name="Maria Mercedes">{{cite web|url= https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/74328 |title= Maria Mercedes | publisher= [[AusStage]]}}</ref>
From 1996 to 1997, Mercedes received critical acclaim starring as the alternate Norma Desmond in the original Australian production of [[Andrew Lloyd Webber|Andrew Lloyd Webber's]] ''[[Sunset Boulevard (musical)|Sunset Boulevard]]'' opposite [[Hugh Jackman]]. She eventually took over the role, giving almost 100 performances.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://theatregold1.mybigcommerce.com/sunset-boulevard-14/ |title= Sunset Boulevard | publisher= Theatregold}}</ref> In 2004, Mercedes was the first woman in the world to play Frank N Furter in ''[[The Rocky Horror Show]]''.<ref name="Maria's diamonds are forever"/> The performance was a charity show for "Variety", performed with the cast of ''[[Neighbours]]''. She had previously toured Australia, playing the role of Magenta in a 1985 production.<ref name="Maria Mercedes"/>
Together with Kiyomi Vella, Susie Ahern and [[Ben Mingay]], Mercedes performed in ''The Songs of James Bond'', a two-hour concert featuring twenty two songs from the [[James Bond]] films.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://neoskosmos.com/en/2013/10/30/features/marias-diamonds-are-forever/ |title= The Songs of James Bond | publisher= Australian Arts Review |date= 18 September 2013}}</ref>
In 2014 and 2015, Mercedes played [[opera]] star [[Maria Callas]] in the Terrence McNally play ''[[Master Class]]'' in Melbourne<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/theatre-review-master-class-a-masterful-tribute-to-maria-callas-20140821-106l0d.html|title=Theatre review: Master Class a masterful tribute to Maria Callas|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=21 August 2014 }}</ref> and at the [[Hayes Theatre]] in Sydney. In 2016, she joined the cast of the Greek-Australian migration play ''Taxithi'' by Helen Yotis Patterson, allowing her, for the first time in her theatrical career, to sing in Greek.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fortyfivedownstairs.com/wp2016/event/taxithi-an-australian-odyssey/2016-03-02/|title=TAXITHI: An Australian Odyssey|work=fortyfivedownstairs}}</ref><ref name="NK">{{cite web|url=http://neoskosmos.com/news/en/A-migrant-daughters-struggle-to-identify|title=A migrant daughter's struggle to identify|date=2 March 2016 }}</ref> In 2023, Mercedes took on the role of The Witch in a production of [[Stephen Sondheim|Stephen Sondheim's]] ''[[Into the Woods]]'' with the [[West Australian Opera]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://greekherald.com.au/culture/music/maria-mercedes-to-play-iconic-role-in-upcoming-musical-at-west-australian-opera/ |title= Maria Mercedes to play iconic role in upcoming musical at West Australian Opera | publisher= [[The Greek Herald]] |date= 1 December 2022}}</ref>
===Film and television=== Mercedes' film roles include Nurse Panicale in 1978 cult thriller ''[[Patrick (1978 film)|Patrick]]'' and Tasia in 1998 [[LGBTQ]] independent film ''[[Head On (1998 film)|Head On]]'' (alongside [[Alex Dimitriades]]). She was in 2004 film ''[[Dreams for Life]]'' playing the lead role of Ellen, a Greek woman hoping to make it as a dancer, much to the disapproval of her parents. She reprised her lauded stage role of [[Madame Giry]] in a 2012 film version of ''Love Never Dies''. The following year, she appeared in the 2013 remake of ''[[Patrick (2013 film)|Patrick]]'', this time playing the role of the doctor. In 2018, she played Helen in 2018 film ''The Taverna''.
Mercedes' television credits include two recurring roles as Irene Zervos and Yemmi Bakarta in cult series ''[[Prisoner (TV series)|Prisoner]]'' and also appeared as Detective Ayoub in its reimagining ''[[Wentworth (TV series)|Wentworth]]''. She appeared in a recurring capacity as Shirley Maclaine in soap opera ''[[E Street (TV series)|E Street]]'' in 1993, and then featured in two TV movies – 1995's ''[[Cody (TV series)|Cody: The Wrong Stuff]]'' and 1996's ''Whipping Boy''. Mercedes played recurring roles in long-running soap opera ''[[Neighbours]]'', firstly from 2004 to 2005 as [[List of Neighbours characters introduced in 2004|Lucia Cammeniti]], then in 2007 as [[List of Neighbours characters introduced in 2022|Estelle Petrides]]. That same year, she starred as Dora Mavros in [[SBS (Australian TV channel)|SBS]] miniseries ''[[Kick (TV series)|Kick]]''.
Mercedes had guest roles in several police procedural series ''[[Division 4]]'', ''[[Homicide (Australian TV series)|Homicide]]'', ''[[Bluey (1976 TV series)|Bluey]]'' and ''[[Cop Shop]]''. She guested in drama ''[[Patrol Boat (TV series)|Patrol Boat]]'', police series ''[[Special Squad (Australian TV series)|Special Squad]]'', sci-fi series ''[[Thunderstone (TV series)|Thunderstone]]'', detective mystery ''[[Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries]]'' and its spin-off ''[[Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries]]'' and comedy drama ''[[House Husbands]]''. Mercedes also had guest roles in the ''[[Underbelly (TV series)|Underbelly]]'' spin-off ''[[Fat Tony & Co.]]'' (based on the true story of criminal [[Tony Mokbel|Tony Mokbel's]] capture in Greece), comedy web miniseries ''[[Footballer Wants a Wife]]'', sci-fi mystery-drama ''[[Bloom (TV series)|Bloom]]'' and drama-thriller ''[[The Tourist (TV series)|The Tourist]]'' (along side Irish actor [[Jamie Dornan]] and an international cast).
Mercedes has also performed as a singer on numerous variety shows including ''[[Young Talent Time]]'', ''[[New Faces (Australian TV series)|New Faces]]'', ''[[In Melbourne Tonight]]'', ''[[The Don Lane Show]]'', ''[[Good Morning Australia (1992 TV program)|Good Morning Australia]]'', ''[[Midday (Australian TV program)|The Midday Show]]'', ''[[Bandstand (TV program)|Bandstand]]'', ''[[The Mike Walsh Show]]'', ''[[Countdown (Australian TV program)|Countdown]]'', ''[[Hey Hey It's Saturday]]'' and ''[[Greeks on the Roof]]''. She continues to perform in concerts and at events, and also mentors emerging performance artists.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://mariamercedes.com.au/page/ |title=Maria Mercedes – Biography |publisher= mariamercedes.com.au}}</ref> She cites her musical influences as being [[Shirley Bassey]] and [[Cher]].<ref name="neoskosmos.com"/>
==Personal life== Mercedes has been open about having been sexually abused at the hands of a [[Hawthorn, Victoria|Hawthorn]]-based Greek doctor in Melbourne, before the age of 21, leading to her suffering from panic attacks and chronic anxiety. In total, 48 women came forward to accuse the since retired doctor of similar incidents occurring between 1978 and 2004. The case was brought before court, before ultimately being dropped due to the doctor being deemed 'unfit to face trial' due to cognitive impairment. He handed in his licence and retired in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://neoskosmos.com/en/2018/11/23/news/australia/how-maria-moutsidis-found-the-strength-to-face-a-haunting-experience-from-her-past/ |title= How Maria Moutsidis found the strength to face a haunting experience from her past | publisher= [[Neos Kosmos (newspaper)|Neos Kosmos]] |date= 23 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://neoskosmos.com/en/2018/12/19/news/australia/police-probe-over-retired-greek-australian-gp-accused-of-sex-abuse/ |title= Police probe over retired Greek Australian GP accused of sex abuse | publisher= [[Neos Kosmos (newspaper)|Neos Kosmos]] |date= 19 December 2018}}</ref>
==Filmography==
===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- | 1978 || ''[[Patrick (1978 film)|Patrick]]'' || Nurse Panicale || Feature film |- | 1998 || ''[[Head On (1998 film)|Head On]]'' || Tasia || Feature film |- | 2004 || ''[[Dreams for Life]]'' || Ellen || Feature film |- | 2012 || ''[[Love Never Dies (2012 film)|Love Never Dies]]'' || [[Madame Giry]] || Feature film |- | 2013 || ''[[Patrick (2013 film)|Patrick]]'' || Ed's Doctor || Feature film (remake) |- | 2019 || ''[[The Taverna]]'' || Helen || Feature film |- | 2023 || ''So Much Smoke'' || Angelina || Short film |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- | 1974; 1975 | ''[[Division 4]]'' | Factory Girl / Christina Lamorica | 2 episodes |- | 1975 | ''[[Homicide (Australian TV series)|Homicide]]'' | Francesca Carlotti / Anna Petrelli | 2 episodes |- | 1977 | ''[[Bluey (1976 TV series)|Bluey]]'' | Teresa | Episode 18: "Stop the Press" |- | 1978 | ''[[Cop Shop]]'' | Judy | 1 episode |- | 1979 | ''[[Patrol Boat (TV series)|Patrol Boat]]'' | | Episode: "Which Way's Mecca?" |- | 1979; 1984–1985 | ''[[Prisoner (TV series)|Prisoner]]'' | Irene Zervos / Yemmi Bakarta | 5 episodes / 10 episodes |- | 1984 | ''[[Special Squad (Australian TV series)|Special Squad]]'' | Maria Baxter | Episode 28: "Hot Streets" |- | 1993 | ''[[E Street (TV series)|E Street]]'' | Shirley Maclaine | 4 episodes |- | 1995 | ''[[Cody (TV series)|Cody: The Wrong Stuff]]'' | Raquel | TV movie |- | 1996 | ''[[Whipping Boy (film)|Whipping Boy]]'' | Saphra | TV movie |- | 1999 | ''[[Thunderstone (TV series)|Thunderstone]]'' | Ivana | 2 episodes |- | 2003 | ''[[Greeks on the Roof]]'' | Poppy | 11 episodes |- | 2004–2005; 2007; 2022 | ''[[Neighbours]]'' | [[List of Neighbours characters introduced in 2004|Lucia Cammeniti]] / [[List of Neighbours characters introduced in 2022|Estelle Petrides]] | 6 episodes / 16 episodes |- | 2007 | ''[[Kick (TV series)|Kick]]'' | Dora Mavros | Miniseries, 13 episodes |- | 2012 | ''[[Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries]]'' | Madame Breda | Episode: "Cocaine Blues" |- | 2013 | ''[[House Husbands]]'' | Mrs. Panas | 1 episode |- | 2014 | ''[[Fat Tony & Co]]'' | Agape Makrakanis | 1 episode |- | 2015 | ''[[Footballer Wants a Wife]]'' | Mama | 2 episodes |- | 2017–2018 | ''[[Wentworth (TV series)|Wentworth]]'' | Detective Ayoub | 3 episodes |- | 2019 | ''[[Bloom (TV series)|Bloom]]'' | Margot | 3 episodes |- | 2019 | ''[[Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries]]'' | Joyce Hirsch | Episode: "Just Murdered" |- | rowspan="2" | 2022 | ''[[The Tourist (TV series)|The Tourist]]'' | Freddie Lanagan | 2 episodes |- | | ''[[Neighbours]]'' | [[List of Neighbours characters introduced in 2004|Lucia Cammeniti]] / [[List of Neighbours characters introduced in 2022|Estelle Petrides]] | 6 episodes / 16 episodes |}
===Other appearances=== {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | rowspan="2" |1973 | ''[[New Faces (Australian TV series)|New Faces]]'' | Contestant | 3 episodes |- | ''[[Young Talent Time]]'' | Contestant (singing "This Is My Life") | 1 episode |- | 1973; 1975 |''[[The Graham Kennedy Show]]'' | Performer / singer | 2 episodes |- | 1974 | ''Ted Hamilton's Musical World'' | Singer | 1 episode |- | 1974–1975 | ''[[The Ernie Sigley Show]]'' | Regular performer / singer | 11 episodes |- | rowspan="3" |1975 | ''[[Young Talent Time]]'' | Guest performer | 1 episode |- | ''[[The Don Lane Show]]'' | Singer / Performer (singing "[[I Feel the Earth Move|I Feel The Earth Move]]") | TV series, 1 episode |- | ''Australian Popular Song Festival'' | Singer / performer | TV special |- | 1976 | ''Bandstand '76'' | Singer | TV series, 1 episode |- | 1978 |''[[The Don Lane Show]]'' | Singer / performer | 1 episode |- | 1981 | ''[[Countdown (Australian TV program)|Countdown]]'' | Performer with band Toy Show (singing "[[Then He Kissed Me]]") | TV series, 1 episode |- | 1988 | ''[[Hey Hey It's Saturday]]'' | Performer (singing "My Husband Makes Movies") | 1 episode |- | 1988–1989 | ''[[The Bert Newton Show]]'' | Regular performer | 8 episodes |- | 1989 | ''[[Hey Hey It's Saturday]]'' | Performer (singing "[[I Know Him So Well]]" with Jodie Gillies) | 1 episode |- | rowspan="2" |1997 | ''[[Hey Hey It's Saturday]]'' | Performer (singing "Promises, Promises" with Jackie Rees) | 1 episode |- | ''[[Sale of the Century (Australian game show)|Sale of the Century]]'' | Guest | 1 episode |}
==Theatre== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Venue / Company |- | 1980 || ''Maria Mercedes'' || Herself || Palais Royale, Newcastle |- | 1985 || ''[[The Rocky Horror Show]]'' || Magenta / Usherette || VIC, TAS & ACT tour |- | 1988 || ''[[Cats (musical)|Cats]]'' || [[Grizabella]] || [[Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne]] with [[Cameron Mackintosh|Cameron Mackintosh Productions]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://theatregold1.mybigcommerce.com/cats-18/ | title=Cats - 18 }}</ref> |- | 1987–1988 || ''[[Nine (musical)|Nine]]'' || Luisa Contini || [[Comedy Theatre, Melbourne]], [[Adelaide Festival Centre|Festival Theatre, Adelaide]], [[Queensland Performing Arts Centre|Lyric Theatre, Brisbane]], [[Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney]] |- | 1990 || ''[[Chess (musical)|Chess]]'' || Svetlana Sergievsky || [[Theatre Royal, Sydney]] |- | 1991 || ''[[Forbidden Broadway]]'' || Liza / Barbra / Chita || Kinselas, Sydney |- | 1991 || ''Wherefore Art Thou Cabaret?'' || || Hayden Room, Sydney |- | 1992 || ''Shadow and Splendour'' || Sophie Lenz / Mozart singer || Suncorp Theatre, Brisbane for [[Queensland Theatre|QTC]] & [[State Theatre Company of South Australia|STCSA]] |- | 1993 || ''[[A Bedfull of Foreigners]]'' || || West End Rialto, Brisbane, [[Seymour Centre]], [[Adelaide Festival Centre|Playhouse Adelaide]] |- | 1996 || ''[[And the World Goes ‘Round]]'' || || [[Sydney Opera House]] |- | 1996 || ''[[Sunset Boulevard (musical)|Sunset Boulevard]]'' || Norma Desmond || [[Regent Theatre, Melbourne]] |- | 1997 || ''A One Night Stand with the Stars of Australian Musical Theatre'' || Singer || [[Melbourne Athenaeum]] |- | 1999 || ''[[Zorba (musical)|Zorba the Greek]]'' || The Leader || [[Capitol Theatre, Sydney]] |- | 2000 || ''[[Gypsy (musical)|Gypsy]]'' || Miss Mazeppa || [[State Theatre (Melbourne)|State Theatre, Melbourne]] for [[The Production Company]] |- | 2000 || ''[[Chicago (musical)|Chicago]]'' || Mama Morton || [[Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne]], [[Queensland Performing Arts Centre|Lyric Theatre, Brisbane]] & Asian tour |- | 2001 || ''[[The Vagina Monologues]]'' || || |- | 2000; 2002 || ''[[Fame (musical)|Fame]]'' || Miss Sherman || [[Adelaide Festival Centre|Adelaide Festival Theatre]] & Asian tour |- | 2004 || ''[[The Rocky Horror Show]]'' (charity show for [[Variety, the Children's Charity|Variety]]) || Dr Frank N Furter || with the cast of ''[[Neighbours]]'' |- | 2006; 2007 || ''Seriously – Pet Shop Boys Reinterpreted'' || The Wife || [[Chapel Off Chapel]] for [[Midsumma Festival]], [[Edinburgh Festival Fringe|Edinburgh Fringe Festival]] |- | 2008–2010 || ''[[Menopause The Musical]]'' || Power Woman / The Soap Star || Australian tour |- | 2010 || ''Words and Music from Life's a Circus & More'' || || Notes, Newtown |- | 2012 || ''[[Love Never Dies (musical)|Love Never Dies]]'' (sequel to ''[[Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)|Phantom of the Opera]])'' || [[Madame Giry]] || [[Capitol Theatre, Sydney]], [[Regent Theatre, Melbourne]] |- | 2013 || ''The Songs of James Bond'' concert || Singer || [[Melbourne Athenaeum]] |- | 2014–2016 || ''[[Master Class]]'' || [[Maria Callas]] || [[Fortyfivedownstairs|Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne]], [[Hayes Theatre|Hayes Theatre Sydney]], [[Geelong Arts Centre]], Whitehorse Centre, [[Frankston Arts Centre]] |- | 2017 || ''Greek Goddess'' || Melina Mercouri || Black Box Theatre, Melbourne, [[West Melbourne Gasworks|Gasworks Theatre, Melbourne]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://artsreview.com.au/maria-mercedes-greek-goddess/ | title=Maria Mercedes: Greek Goddess | date=27 June 2017 }}</ref> |- | 2016; 2019 || ''Taxithi – An Australian Odyssey'' || The Greek Fate || [[Fortyfivedownstairs]], [[Adelaide Festival Centre|Space Theatre, Adelaide]] |- | 2019–2020 || ''Anthem'' || || [[Arts Centre Melbourne|Playhouse, Melbourne]], [[Roslyn Packer Theatre]] with [[Performing Lines]] for [[Melbourne International Arts Festival]] & [[Sydney Festival]] |- | 2023 || ''[[Bloom (musical)|Bloom]]'' || Betty / Chef || [[Arts Centre Melbourne|Playhouse, Melbourne]] with [[Melbourne Theatre Company|MTC]] |- | 2023 || ''[[Into the Woods]]'' || The Witch || [[West Australian Opera]] |- | 2024 || ''[[Candide (operetta)|Candide]]'' || Old Lady || [[Palais Theatre|Palais Theatre, Melbourne]] |- | 2025 || ''[[Bloom (musical)|Bloom]]'' (Sydney transfer) || Betty/Chef || [[Roslyn Packer Theatre]] with [[Sydney Theatre Company]] |- | 2026 || ''[[Ned Kelly (musical)|Ned Kelly]]'' || Ma Kelly|| Her Majesty's Theatre, [[Ballarat]], [[University of Melbourne Student Union|Union Theatre, Melbourne]] with [[Victorian Opera]] |} <ref name="Maria Mercedes"/>
==Awards== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Work !! Award !! Category !! Result |- | 1987 || ''[[Nine (musical)|Nine: The Musical]]'' || [[ARIA Music Awards|ARIA Award]] || [[ARIA Award for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album|Best Original Soundtrack or Cast Album]] || {{won}} |- | 1987 || ''[[Nine (musical)|Nine: The Musical]]'' || [[Green Room Awards|Green Room Award]] || Best Actress in a Musical || {{nom}} |- | 1988 || ''[[Nine (musical)|Nine: The Musical]]'' || [[Sydney Theatre Awards|Sydney Theatre Critics Awards]] || Best Actress in a Musical || {{nom}} |- | 1991 || ''[[Forbidden Broadway (musical)|Firbidden Broadway: The Musical]]'' || [[Mo Awards|Mo Award]] || || {{won}} |- | 2006 || ''[[Dreams for Life]]'' || [[Cyprus International Film Festival]] || Best Actress in a Leading Role || {{nom}} |- | 2015 || ''[[Master Class]]'' || [[Green Room Awards|Green Room Award]] || Outstanding Female Performer (Independent Theatre) || {{won}} |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=0580224|name=Maria Mercedes}} * Website: https://mariamercades.com.au {{authority control}} *Album Recording 2024 * https://mariamercedes.hearnow.com/
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mercedes, Maria}} [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Australian people of Greek descent]] [[Category:Australian film actresses]] [[Category:Australian musical theatre actresses]] [[Category:Australian soap opera actresses]] [[Category:20th-century Australian actresses]] [[Category:21st-century Australian actresses]]