Hollywood arrived quietly on the cobblestones of Hydra on Thursday, February 19, as Brad Pitt stepped onto the island for the start of filming his new movie, The Riders. Alongside him is Aris Kontos, the Greek lookalike who has been cast as his stand-in for the production — a role that places him at the heart of the action during the highly anticipated shoot.
The acclaimed actor is preparing for the first scenes of The Riders, with the entire island of Hydra mobilized to ensure the production runs seamlessly. The picturesque Saronic island has transformed into a discreet yet buzzing film set, ready to host the Hollywood star for the coming weeks.
Kontos arrived on Hydra the same day, revealing that he has been hired by an American production company to serve as Pitt’s stand-in. “I arrived in Hydra today. An American production hired me to do the stand-in. I’ll be involved in dangerous scenes as well as regular ones. Today we’re doing the fitting and tomorrow filming begins,” he said. According to him, the schedule includes two weeks of shooting on Hydra followed by another two in Athens.
The role of a stand-in involves stepping in for the lead actor during both action sequences and standard scenes, often for technical, lighting, or logistical purposes. Kontos noted that he has already reviewed parts of the script and will appear in a significant number of scenes.
Speaking to Greece’s ANT1 television network, he also described their shared arrival on the island. “I was on the catamaran with Brad Pitt. We didn’t speak because there was chaos around us. I’ve looked at the script and I have quite a few scenes. People often confuse me with Brad Pitt, but we don’t actually resemble each other that much — I don’t understand why,” he remarked with a hint of amusement.
For the next month, Hydra — and soon Athens — will serve as the backdrop for Pitt’s latest cinematic venture, blending Hollywood glamour with Greek island charm.
