I never card out a movie. You know how people will outline or card? I don't do that. I tend to start with an idea and go.
— Nia Vardalos
On my daughter's first day of kindergarten, another mom said something that made me realize I had become my own Greek, suffocating mother. She said, 'Just think, in 13 years they'll leave us and go to college!' And I went, 'Gulp.'
I feel that the industry can be sliced into two categories - grateful actors and non-grateful actors.
I don't temper how I feel. I'm Greek. I've got emotions.
The white hot publicity that came from 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' was appreciated but not sought, so I was happy to walk away from it and then write.
I think it's almost easier to do a kissing scene with someone you don't know.
I grew up looking for myself onscreen and never could find myself. And I believe that I am supposed to be Toula to show people that it's O.K. to be different.
We were so unprepared that when my husband took off to get groceries, and we'd adopted a 3-year-old, he came back with baby formula, a steak and a teething ring. We had no idea what we were doing. But you learn. There's no way to fully prepare. Just eyes wide open - jump.
It wasn't easy to adopt an American child. Actually it's quite simple, but finding out how to do it was the hard part.
My daughter is a preschooler but I have only known her for a while. She is adopted.
Socially, the issue of men's weight is simply not a big deal.
I couldn't get an acting job to save my life when I moved to L.A.
It's not like suddenly, when you become a working actor all your friends are in the same situation. I have friends who are still handing out flyers for their one-woman show and trying to make ends meet.
You're not ethnic enough. You're not fat enough. You're not thin enough. You're not blond enough. You're not dark enough. You're not young enough. You're not old enough.
I do recommend it for all girls, and boys, out there: put on a pair of fishnet stockings and find your inner sexiness!
America was founded on immigrants. The immigrant experience is common to all of us.
It's impossible for success to go to your head with a Greek mom - no way.
I did go through a bit of a dark time during the years I was trying to be a mom. But I'm basically a very positive person.
I had worked for ten years in theater; I had worked at Second City in Chicago. Then I got to Hollywood, and I was like, naively, 'Where's my pilot?'
Because I am a character actor, I thought I would be the fourth or eighth banana on a sitcom, and that would be OK.
It was a sad process for me to become a mom, and a long process. I felt so embarrassed that I couldn't have a biological child.
I've had designers say to my face, 'Oh, I want to dress you now that you're skinny.' And that's really rude.
We live in an unsafe world.
And (cue music swell) motherhood turned out to be the most meaningful thing I've ever done with my life. Really.
I thought I was attractive when I shot 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding.' Studio executives and movie reviewers let me know I had a confidence in my looks that was not shared by them.
On the publicity tour of 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding,' I was asked over and over again, if, as the writer, I felt it was a fair depiction of real life to have someone of my er, below average looks, hook up with hottie John Corbett.
I don't card out my screenplays ever. I just have an idea I just sit down and write I don't edit.
I'd been raised by my parents who taught me not to think you're better than you are.
In many ways we are all sons and daughters of ancient Greece.
When I used to do musical theatre, my dad refused to come backstage. He never wanted to see the props up close or the sets up close. He didn't want to see the magic.
I think there is a moment in every parent's life where we realize that we have lost ourselves a little bit. It's a moment of looking in the mirror and going, 'I need to put on some lipstick.'
The media was always so focused on the money a movie makes. But I was in Times Square, and a bunch of Japanese tourists looked at me and started shouting, 'Toula!' I loved it. It's these tiny moments of connection that register with me the most and always have.
There are benefits to adopting a toddler. They can tell you what's wrong. And - everything we did with our daughter was a first. Her first tooth fairy. Santa.
I do get approached every day by people who say, 'Why don't you make more movies?' I don't really miss it when I get to go and watch my daughter in the Christmas pageant.
I have found that every family has a strange remedy for any situation - from 'Use Fantastic to get the scuff off your patent leather shoes!' to 'Soak an aspirin in a glass of water to get rid of a migraine.'
I believe that there are moments in everyone's lives where a door flings open, and if you're terrified of what's on the other side, you must walk through it.
There's a feeling sometimes in motherhood that you're alone in what you're going through, and none of us are alone. We're all going through the same thing.
On November 15th, 2008, in over 300 cities, 4,000 children were adopted in one day.
My New Year's Resolution List usually starts with the desire to lose between ten and three thousand pounds.
Let's face it: Russell Crowe is fat and no one ever talks about it.
I think our skin clears up and we're nicer when you are in love.
What I wish I had, is that I wish I was a little more Greek, in that I wish I could lose my North American driven attitude and that I could be a little bit more poetic and laissez faire.
You're never too fat for a new purse.
You only get one life so you might as well make it a happy one, and that's why I tend to just jump into things. I'm sort of a fearless idiot that way.
