He has two daughters: Antigone Kotanidou and actress Eva Kotanidou.
He studied for two years at the Veterinary School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in which he accidentally entered.
He was deeply politicized and took part in the anti-dictatorship struggle during the Greek military junta of 1967-1974 (Regime of the Colonels). He had joined the "Revolutionary Communist Movement of Greece" as well as the "European Youth Movement". For his participation, he was repeatedly imprisoned and tortured.
During the period 1980-85 he participated, with actor Thanos Kakoulidis, in the creation of the "Ithaca" publishing house that published books on theater, cinema and music.