Nia Vardalos

Best known for writing, producing, and starring in the widely acclaimed film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," Nia Vardalos is an Academy Award-nominated writer, actor, director, and producer, as well as an adoption advocate.

While making small appearances in sitcoms such as "The Drew Carey Show" and "Two Guys and a Girl," Vardalos began writing a screenplay about her wedding to husband and fellow actor Ian Gomez. Unable to get the screenplay produced, she turned the material into a stage performance. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" soon began commanding sold-out performances and drew the attention of Hollywood heavyweight couple Rita Wilson - herself a member of the Greek community - and her husband Tom Hanks.

Wilson and Hanks decided to produce Vardalos' screenplay with Vardalos as the star. Premiering in 2002, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" was an immediate critical and box-office sensation, becoming one of the highest grossing independent films of all time and the highest grossing romantic comedy of all time. The film garnered Vardalos an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay; a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical; a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture; a Broadcast Film Critics Association nomination for Best Writer; and an Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance. The film's success catapulted Vardalos to national fame, and spawned 2003's "My Big Fat Greek Life," a television series based on the movie.

Since then, she has written, produced, and starred in a number of acclaimed comedies, including "Connie and Carla" with Toni Collette and David Duchovny, "My Life in Ruins" with Richard Dreyfuss, and her directorial debut, "I Hate Valentine's Day." Additionally, Vardalos co-wrote the box-office hit "Larry Crowne," starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, and is currently working on the "anti-romantic comedy" "Leftovers" for Paramount Pictures. She continues to make guest star appearances on television series such as "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Grey’s Anatomy," "Cougar Town," and "The Good Guys."

Nia Vardalos is the author of "Instant Mom" - published in April 2013 - a witty, honest, and poignant road-to-parenting story about the circumstances that led to the adoption of her daughter, the daily chaos of parenting, and the inspiration for her becoming a major advocate for adoption. Vardalos' passionate work in adoption advocacy and her role as a spokesperson for National Adoption Day have also been noteworthy.

Most recently, Vardalos has written and acted in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2," the sequel to the original movie. The film released on March 25, 2016.