Lex Marinos: A life of art, love and choice
Beloved Australian actor Lex Marinos chose voluntary assisted dying (VAD) in September 2024, after a long battle with cancer, surrounded by family and the sounds of Bob Dylan.
In a moving interview for the Passing Thoughts podcast, first broadcast on Radio 2RPH, Anne Marinos spoke with Jane Mundy about Lex’s VAD journey and how he died peacefully, at home, at a moment of his choosing.
For more than five decades, Lex Marinos was one of Australia’s most recognisable and versatile performers — an actor, director, broadcaster, cultural advocate, and sports lover whose presence shaped the nation’s arts landscape. Best known to many for his role in the Logie Award–winning sitcom Kingswood Country, Marinos built a career defined by humour and a deep commitment to storytelling.
Lex accessed VAD at home in Sydney on 13 September 2024, aged 75, after a long battle with cancer. Surrounded by family and the music of Bob Dylan, he chose the moment of his passing through VAD legislation he had long supported. His family described the room as filled with love.
Speaking to Radio 2RPH from the home they shared for more than 40 years, Lex's wife, Anne Marinos, reflected on their life together and the final months of his journey.
Anne first met Lex in 1977 during rehearsals for a play. Both were young parents in complicated marriages, but the connection was immediate.
“He was exotic, intelligent, funny — and he made me laugh for 44 years,” Anne said. His tight patchwork jeans, and magnetic presence didn’t hurt either. Anne, herself a NIDA‑trained actor, admired his talent as much as his charm.
Born to Greek parents and raised in Wagga Wagga, Lex grew up navigating the tension between cultural heritage and a desire to belong. He learned early that humour could defuse discrimination. Hours spent alone listening to sport on the radio sparked his lifelong love of broadcasting and performance.
“He believed everyone should have the right to choose when they die.”
Lex was first diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in the early 2000s. After successful treatment, he enjoyed two more decades of good health. But in late 2023, the illness returned aggressively. A series of complications — adverse reactions to treatment, sinus and ear problems, spinal surgery, and eventually a hidden lung tumour — left him increasingly frail. By mid‑2024, the diagnosis was stage‑four cancer.
Throughout his life, Lex had been a vocal supporter of voluntary assisted dying.
“He believed everyone should have the right to choose when they die,” Anne said.
When the suffering became intolerable, he told his oncologist he wanted to access VAD. The family unanimously supported him.
The final weeks were filled with visitors and the chaos of a large, loving family. Even as his body weakened, he remained lucid, witty, and determined to maintain his professionalism. The day before he died, he recorded a video greeting for The Lex Factor, a Wagga Wagga exhibition celebrating his life and work.
In the early hours of his final morning, struggling to breathe, he told Anne, “I want to go now.” The family gathered, played music, lit candles, and shared memories. One by one, each person received a final message of love and wisdom. When the time came, he drank the medication without hesitation. As his family told him they loved him, he raised a thumb and whispered, “Got that.”
To listen to the full interview with Anne Marinos on the Passing Thoughts podcast, click