Michael Greco, best known to UK television viewers as Beppe di Marco, the brooding and mysterious ex-policeman who graced Albert Square from 1998 to 2002, has had a varied career since leaving EastEnders.
Since his departure from the soap, Greco has quietly carved out a diverse and robust career that now includes a significant role in a blockbuster Hollywood franchise, a high-stakes position in the professional poker world, and a deeply personal off-screen transformation.
While he was once a staple of British tabloid culture and soap award circuits, Greco is far from being a forgotten figure. However, his journey from Walford to global recognition has largely gone unnoticed.
A world away from the cobbled streets of Walford, Greco landed a role in the 2023 film The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, a high-profile prequel to the original Hunger Games series directed by Francis Lawrence. In the film, Greco portrays Strabo Plinth, the ruthless sponsor of the Games and father to Sejanus Plinth, one of the movie's main characters.
In recent years, Greco has stunned many fans with an impressive physical transformation, which he attributes to intermittent fasting and a disciplined lifestyle. Now at 55, he regularly posts updates from the gym, earning admiration and awe from followers impressed by his toned physique, reports the Mirror.
EastEnders legend Michael Greco has gone viral with his rippling eight pack, proudly proclaiming "Nearer 60 than 50! Never too old to get an eight pack!" in a 2023 Instagram post. He's been vocal in interviews about the significance of staying consistent and maintaining the right mindset, particularly for those of mature years.
"There's a lot on social media about fitness, but it's from people in their late teens or early 30s," he observed. "I'm approaching 56 and I'm in the best shape I've ever been in."
His routine is no walk in the park. Greco swears by hitting the gym three to four times a week, sticking to intermittent fasting between 2pm and 8pm, and practicing moderation over restriction.
Despite this disciplined approach, he confesses, "I do have a little bit of chocolate each day," emphasising balance above all.
Greco even teased that he might soon step up as the mature age group's champion of health, spotting a gap in the market: "Joe Wicks has cornered the health market, but maybe there is room for someone a bit older to invigorate people in their 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s," he mused.
The actor is best remembered for joining the EastEnders cast back in 1998 as Beppe di Marco, the mysterious single dad with a murky vice squad backstory. His introduction was part of bringing in the Di Marco family, set to take on the legendary Mitchells.
While his on-screen relatives were phased out by 2000, Beppe's character stayed on, wrapped up in love affairs, family drama and business ventures, including taking over club E20, until he departed two years later.
His departure from the spotlight was abrupt and, as Greco himself put it, less than fitting. Speaking with FruitySlots.com in 2023, he shared his letdown: "There were circumstances that prevented me from having a bigger send-off... I just left in a cab, didn't I? I said goodbye to Lynne in the cafe and then had a packet of crisps and drove to Leicester."
Contrasting with tabloid speculation suggesting he was shown the door due to off-screen disagreements and discontent with the storylines, Greco has firmly rebutted such claims. "I resigned because I didn't want celebrity status anymore," he explained to Daily Express, while noting his enduring affection for the show.
When EastEnders marked its 40th anniversary in February 2025 by bringing back some old faces like Ross Kemp's Grant Mitchell, Greco did not receive an invite. He expressed a sense of resignation laced with a hint of regret regarding this choice, as he mentioned to The Independent, "I left over 20 years ago and there hasn't been a day they've contacted my agent to ask me to come back," adding, "That's fine. I don't have any ties to any of the characters. There's no link to bring me back."
Following his time on EastEnders, Greco has maintained a successful acting career, with appearances in shows such as Doctors, Casualty, The Dumping Ground, and notably featuring in the 2023 Netflix docudrama Queen Cleopatra, where he portrayed Pothinus. In 2022, he dove into the chilling role of real-life serial killer Raymond Fernandez in Scary Tales of New York, an experience he later recounted on Instagram as "one of my favourite characters to have ever portrayed."
Continuing his love for theatre, Greco has captivated audiences with roles in stage productions like Chicago (as Billy Flynn), Twelve Angry Men (playing Juror 7), and in pantomimes such as Aladdin and Jack and the Beanstalk. His villainous turn as Fleshcreep in Jack and the Beanstalk at Ipswich Regent Theatre during Christmas 2024 was keenly advertised on his social media, expressing his enthusiasm about performing: "Having two young children myself, I'm looking forward to them watching their Daddy entertaining the audiences."
Behind the scenes, Greco has embraced significant personal changes, sharing these moments with his Instagram fans. In July 2021, at 51 years old, he welcomed his first child, Gianluca, with his partner Helen Harris.
Born prematurely with a serious condition known as Gastroschisis, baby Gianluca needed urgent surgery and received extensive care at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Greco candidly shared the mix of profound joy and emotional challenges he experienced. On social media, he disclosed details about his child's early struggles: "Baby has already had his first operation to replace his bowel where it should belong," he shared with palpable emotion.
"This is by far the best day of my life. I love you Gianluca more than I can ever imagine."
June 2024 marked a joyous milestone as Greco was overjoyed at becoming a dad for the second time with the arrival of Gianni. He expressed his elation online: "I am truly grateful to be gifted another beautiful, baby boy," his touching statement read.
"The joys of being a father have made me the man I have become."
Discussing his experiences as a father later in life, Greco reflected on how parenthood reshaped his views in his 50s. Speaking to Suffolk Sound, he opened up: "The greatest job I've ever had is being a father to my children," adding, "Keeping myself healthy and fit for them is my duty and my obligation."
English (United States) ·