Lyla Dejesus
My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a 2002 romantic comedy film directed by Joel Zwick and written by Nia Vardalos. The film was released in theatres on April 19, 2002, in the United States. It is the story of a young Greek-American woman who falls in love with a non-Greek man and struggles to get her family to accept him while she comes to terms with her heritage and cultural identity. The film received positive reviews from critics and was a box office success, grossing $368.7 million worldwide. It spawned a franchise, with a sequel in 2016 and the third instalment, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, released in theatres on September 8, 2023.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Theatrical release date | 19 April 2002 |
| Runtime | 1 hr 35 mins |
| Genre | Romantic comedy |
| Director | Joel Zwick |
| Writer | Nia Vardalos |
| Stars | Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Lainie Kazan, Michael Constantine, Gia Carides, Louis Mandylor, Andrea Martin, and Joey Fatone |
| Rating | PG |
| Box office | $368.7 million worldwide |
| Sequel | My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) |
| Third film | My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (2023) |
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What You'll Learn
My Big Fat Greek Wedding's theatrical release
My Big Fat Greek Wedding, a 2002 romantic comedy film, was released in theatres in the United States on April 19, 2002. The film, directed by Joel Zwick, is based on the story of a young Greek-American woman who falls in love with a non-Greek man and struggles to get her family to accept him while navigating her cultural identity. The film premiered at the American Film Market on February 22, 2002, and became a box office success, grossing $368.7 million worldwide against its $5 million budget. It received positive reviews from critics and was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 75th Academy Awards.
The film's success spawned a franchise, with a 2003 sitcom called My Big Fat Greek Life and a 2016 sequel, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2. The original film, starring Nia Vardalos, was adapted from her one-woman 45-minute monologue workshop, which was based on her own experience marrying a non-Greek man. The workshop was first developed in the HBO Workshop and later performed at the Hudson Backstage Theatre in Los Angeles in 1997. The film version was set in Chicago and shot in both Toronto and Chicago, featuring prominent locations such as Toronto Metropolitan University and the Greektown neighbourhood.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, the sequel, was released in 2016, and a third film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, was released in theatres on September 8, 2023. The third instalment, written and directed by Nia Vardalos, takes the Portokalos family on a heartwarming and hilarious trip to Greece for a family reunion. The film received generally negative reviews from critics but still managed to gross $39.1 million worldwide.
The My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise has captivated audiences with its heartwarming and humorous stories, becoming a worldwide phenomenon. The films' success has led to their expansion into other media formats, including a sitcom and potential future instalments, ensuring that the beloved characters and their stories continue to entertain audiences for years to come.
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The film's success
My Big Fat Greek Wedding premiered at the American Film Market on February 22, 2002, and was released in theatres in the United States on April 19, 2002. The film was a box office success, grossing $368.7 million worldwide against its $5 million budget, becoming the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2002.
Another factor in the film's success was its positive reception by critics. It received positive reviews and was nominated for several awards, including Best Original Screenplay at the 75th Academy Awards and Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actress in a Motion Picture at the Golden Globe Awards. The film's blend of comedy, romance, and cultural themes resonated with audiences and critics alike.
The film's light-hearted and delightful tone, along with its quirky humour and charming portrayal of family and cultural clashes, made it a crowd-pleaser. The story centred around a young Greek-American woman, Toula, who falls in love with a non-Greek man, Ian, and struggles to get her family to accept him while navigating her cultural identity. This relatable and heart-warming narrative likely contributed to its success.
Additionally, the film's setting in Chicago's Greektown added a layer of authenticity and provided a unique backdrop for the story. The film also successfully exaggerated Greek Orthodox wedding traditions for comedic purposes, creating a delightful and eccentric portrayal of Greek culture and family dynamics.
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Its plot
The plot of *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* centres around a young Greek-American woman, Toula Portokalos, who falls in love with a non-Greek teacher, Ian Miller, and struggles to get her traditional Greek family to accept him. Toula, a 30-year-old Greek spinster, lives with her large, overbearing family in Chicago and works in her family's restaurant, "Dancing Zorba's". Her father, Gus, wants her to marry a nice Greek boy and have children soon. One day, Ian walks into the restaurant, and Toula immediately develops a crush on him. She decides to take a computer class at the local college to help her family run the restaurant, but her father becomes emotional, believing she intends to leave him.
The film explores Toula's journey of self-discovery as she navigates her heritage and cultural identity while trying to gain independence from her family. It also showcases the dynamics of her Greek family and their strong traditions, with comedic elements woven throughout.
The success of the film inspired a franchise, including a brief 2003 TV series, *My Big Fat Greek Life*, and a 2016 sequel, *My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2*. The second film was followed by a third instalment, *My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3*, released in 2023, which continues the story of the Portokalos family. In the third film, the family grapples with the grief of losing their patriarch, Gus Portokalos, and explores the characters' personal struggles and relationships.
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The cast
Lainie Kazan played the role of Toula's mother, Maria, while Michael Constantine played Gus, Toula's father. Joey Fatone played Cousin Angelo, Voula's son, and Andrea Martin played Aunt Voula. Gia Carides was also part of the cast, and Louis Mandylor played Nick Portokalos.
The film was based on Vardalos's own experience of marrying a non-Greek man, actor Ian Gomez, and her life in the Greek community of Winnipeg, Canada. It started as a one-woman 45-minute monologue workshop, written by and starring Vardalos, which was performed in various cities and theatres before being developed into a film.
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The franchise
The original *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* film was released in theatres in 2002, and its success spawned a franchise. The film was based on a one-woman 45-minute monologue workshop written by and starring Nia Vardalos, which was performed in Los Angeles in 1997. The workshop was based on Vardalos's own experience of marrying a non-Greek man, actor Ian Gomez.
The 2002 film was written by Vardalos and directed by Joel Zwick. It starred Vardalos, John Corbett, Lainie Kazan, Michael Constantine, Gia Carides, Louis Mandylor, Andrea Martin, and Joey Fatone. The plot follows a young Greek-American woman who falls in love with a non-Greek man and struggles to get her family to accept him while she comes to terms with her heritage and cultural identity. The film was a critical and commercial success, grossing $368.7 million worldwide against its $5 million budget.
The success of the film inspired a short-lived 2003 sitcom, *My Big Fat Greek Life*, and a 2016 sequel, *My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2*. A third film, *My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3*, was released in theatres on September 8, 2023, and is currently still showing in some theatres. The film has a runtime of 1 hour and 31 minutes and sees the Portokalos family travel to a family reunion in Greece.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 was released by Focus Features and received generally negative reviews from critics. It has grossed $39.1 million worldwide as of October 31, 2023.
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Frequently asked questions
My Big Fat Greek Wedding was in theatres for an unspecified amount of time after its theatrical release on April 19, 2002.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding is 1 hour and 35 minutes long.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 was released on September 8, 2023.
