Nia Vardalos
courtesy of Universal Pictures
"Nia Vardalos: Its Easier the Second Time"

ATLANTA: Nia Vardalos is back. After the huge success of her first film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," and the huge failure of her TV series of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," the writer/producer/star has a new movie in theaters this week and it is titled "Connie and Carla."

I had a chance to sit down and talk with Vardalos recently when she was in Atlanta to promote her new film. In person she looks just like she does on screen, only smaller and more fragile. Her personality is larger than life and her enthusiasm is boundless.

There have been numerous stories of how hard Vardalos fought to get her first movie made. It was only through the intervention of Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson that it ever saw the light of day. With "Connie and Carla" I wondered if the difficulty remained. 

"Oh no," she responded. "It was definitely easier the second time. All those doors that had slammed for 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' were opened on this one. And Rita is back as my producer."

In the film Vardalos and Toni Collette play good friends who are on the run, and who sing together at a drag club. Their personalities click and so do their singing voices. I asked her how she knew that would happen.

"I didn't," she said. "I knew Toni was super talented and that she could sing, but I didn't know we would become best friends. I mean the first time I met her I just hugged her. It felt that right. And when we sang together it was just so comfortable."

When I mentioned the movie was like "Some Like It Hot" smashed up against "Victor/Victoria" she quickly added, "And 'The Birdcage' and Shakespeare's plays, and a lot of other stuff. We just wanted to make a movie that was funny and was fun, and that showed someone reaching their dreams."

I hastened to mention how much I enjoyed Ian Gomez in the film. He plays Stanley the owner of the club where Connie and Carla work. He is also Nia's husband. "He has two movies coming out this year, but he always says no at first when I ask him to be in a movie. But he is always great in any part he does."

So life goes on for Nia Vardalos. She has a happy marriage, a new movie, and a bright future. Could things be any better? "You know I just take it one day at a time and try to enjoy it all," she said. "I am still me and all this that is happening is just unbelievable. I have a great life."

Nia Vardalos appears to be a real person, not a Hollywood product. She made a lot of people laugh with "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and she is going to do it again with "Connie and Carla." Now bring on movie number three!

 

 

 

 

 

©2004 Jackie K. Cooper

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