TheHangovers.Harold and Kumar, maybe?
And to think, it all started because Nia Vardalos wanted a job.
I was hoping to play a cousin.
And that informs me every day on what Im supposed to be doing.
I only say, What do I want to play next?
She works incrediblyin her words, obscenelyhard, and the worst part is she seems to really love it.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3
My Big Fat Greek Wedding3 arrives in theaters September 8.
Im annoyingly disciplined when I am writing because I need unfettered time.
And that is the time before the phone rings, because even New York doesnt know that youre up.
MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, John Corbett, Nia Vardalos, 2002
The first thing I do is, I dont check anythingno social media, anything.
And no, he didnt send you a DM, by the way.
So thats what I do.
Tina Fey and Nia Vardalos during theSNLopening monologue on the 2002 episode she hosted
Ill write at least a scene or two.
I venture to write every single day because its a muscle.
So I get up early, I write, and that usually comes with coffee.
I eat very early in the morning and let the dogs out.
Then I do an exercise class, badly, because Im no good at a sit-up.
But I believe you cant force creativity.
All you might do is force yourself to sit down and look at an empty screen.
But if its not coming that day, go and buy a pair of shoes.
Go and meet a friend.
Go and do anything else.
Re: coffee, how do you take it?
With cream and sugar.
Its gotta taste like dessert.
How do you deal with rejection?
None of us are actually backlit and living life with a halo over our heads.
What would you like to salvage from it?
But every single day as an artist is basically saying, I have chosen a life of torture.
This industry is a gift.
I get to do this for a living.
So I refuse to say that its hard.
This is my chosen profession.
But this is really who I am.
What is the best piece of money or career advice that youve gotten?
Whether the film gets made or not, youve used your money for good and to celebrate yourself.
The rest of it, put it in the bank!
Do you have a more low-stakes treat after a productive day?
I never do that.
I always think, Yeah!
it’s possible for you to literally taste the butter; its so good.
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What is your most comfortable work outfit or piece of attire?
I actually have a theory that I need to get dressed every day to go to work.
Do you have any other work essentials?
A favorite pen or pencil?
I have two things.
Im a Moleskine girl.
I loveMoleskine notebooks, Ive used a Moleskine day planner for two decades.
[And] I have[erasable] pens, I love them.
And then for the rewrite process I use Post-it notes.
Dont clean it up till youre done.
What is the moment that you realized that you were a success?
The poo smile on a baby.
A tiny moment where youre like, Oh, I did this!
I think with the first movie it started on tour.
He said to me, Remember, theres no day off from being famous.
Once your face is known, youre known.
And I remember the tiniest smile inside me saying, You just said famous!
My best friend called me that morning, crying.
I was so exhausted from the press tour that never endedId slept in.
And she said, Whats wrong?
You got nominated for an Academy Award, you asshole!
Thanks to word of mouth,My Big Fat Greek Weddingmade more and more week after week.
What on earth was that like?
It was a heady experience, thats for sure.
Really, really surprising.
And I remember the financier saying, Guys!
We could make 5 mill on this movie.
I was like, Dont say that!
Lets just be happy with this weekend!
And people would approach me on the street and say, I have an aunt.
She doesnt have a lump on the back of her neck but she has an extra nipple!
I heard every story.
That they let me star in it.
That they let me write the entire screenplayno rewriter ever came in on itand they let me play Toula.
I felt grateful for that.
Then, when they made the money back, I felt relieved.
So the rest of it was gravy.
They were happy with the financial success.
I was happy that I didnt let them down.
Besides the lump, is there a line that people quote back to you the most?
Put some Windex on it.
I have heard even from my gynecologist.
Thats one we quote in my family.
[Note: My family is not Greek.]
And, Okay, Ill make lamb.
So much of it I just pulled from my family.
My dad actually put Windex on everything.
And not married or anything.
Thirty being the expiration date is truly cultural.
In Muslim families, in Indian families, in Greek and Italian families, you have to get married!
And that was a pressure that sometimes can lead people to make a very bad decision.
In the third movie I make it so that we respect choice.
I want to celebrate us all.
You work, I work, [and also] that woman who is a stay-at-home mom is valuable.
Im a firm believer in choice.
I adopted my child.
Its your right to have a child; its your right to have your choice.
Toula never rejects her heritage, but she says, I want a different way.
I want something different is not necessarily the rejection of traditions.
You do what is right for you and Ill do what is right for me.
This third movie was shot in Greece.
Did you find working abroad to be significantly different?
Or, Cant you make Toronto look like Greece?
So that was a yearlong fight.
And then the most amazing thing happened.
You will think youre seeing Chicago, but its Greece.
We made Athens airport look like OHare.
An alleyway in Athens is the Zorbas alleyway.
Can you tell me about the last great book you read?
Why We Sleepby Matthew Walker.
I read it of course when it came out; it is really interesting.
A typewriter appears in each story and so its just wonderful.
Is there a book youd like to adapt?
Anything by Margaret Atwood.
I would love to tryThe Buried Giantby [Kazuo] IshiguroI love him so much.
We talked about writing and art.
And that was exactly what happened to me.
I saw that Emma Thompson had written a movie and I set out to write a movie.
Do you ever think about yourself being the Emma Thompson for some young person watching?
The flame was there inside you.
Not a lot of comedies get the franchise sequel treatment.
You dont seeYouve Got Mail 3.
Its two decades of a family onscreen that I got to write.
And Im extremely overwhelmed by it all.
My manager keeps saying to me, You have a franchise.
Its like, wow, I just wanted to have a job!
Now Im gonna cry.
Elizabeth Logan is a pop culture and comedy writer living in Los Angeles.
