20 years ago, the world was introduced to the classic family comedy, My Big Fat Greek Wedding . It was a story of a young Greek woman named Toula as she struggled to integrate her future husband into her wacky family.
The film was both a commercial, as well as a box office hit — netting Nia Vardalos her first and only Academy Award nomination for “Best Original Screenplay.” In order to instill a little nostalgia, let’s have a look at the cast then, compared to now .
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Then: Andrea Martin
Starting things off with a bang, Andrea Martin played the always hilarious, somewhat overbearing, and constantly over-sharing Aunt Voula. She was one of the film’s many unsung heroes and stole every scene she ever appeared in, all throughout the film.
Now: Andrea Martin
These days, the Emmy-winning actress is still going strong and most recently appeared in the Paramount + original series, Evil. Her performance as Sister Andrea was so bone-chilling, that Andrea went on to receive a Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards nomination.
Then: Ian Gomez
In the film, Ian Gomez played Mike — Ian Miller’s facetious best friend. What many fans of the film may not realize is that at the time when filming took place, Ian was married to Nia Vardalos.
Now: Ian Gomez
Sadly, after more than 23 years of marriage, Ian and Nia called it quits in July of 2018. At the time, Ian and Nia were still on good terms and he had expressed his desire to work with her in the future.
Then: Gia Carides
Cousin Nikki is the daughter of Voula and Taki. She worked in her parents’ travel agency and spends the bulk of the movie arguing with her brother, Angelo. Just like Voula, Nikki can also be incredibly vain and is prone to meddling.
Now: Gia Carides
Since starring in My Big Fat Greek Wedding as Cousin Nikk, Gia has become a mainstay on television. Though her roles are numerous, these days she’s probably best remembered for portraying Melissa in Big Little Lies .
Then: Louis Mandylor
Nick or “Niko” was Toula’s younger brother. He worked as a cook by day in the family restaurant but longed to be a famous painter. Right from the start, Niko took an immediate liking to Ian and the two become fast friends in the film.
Now: Louis Mandylor
Louis has kept himself extremely busy over the years, setting a work pace that would exhaust a racehorse. As of this moment, he has six completed projects waiting for releas e and another ten currently in post-production.
Then: Michael Constantine
Michael played Toula’s father, Gus — the founder of the Dancing Zorba. Sadly, the actor who portrayed him in the film, Michael Constantine, passed away on September 8th, 2021 . At the time of his death, he was 94 years old.
Then: Lainie Kazan
Lainie starred as Maria Portokalos in My Big Fat Greek Wedding — Toula’s mother. Although she considers herself a traditional Greek at heart, she’s also fiercely loyal to her daughter and helps to convince Toula’s father to change his mind about the future newlyweds.
Now: Lainie Kazan
Not only has Lainie continued to star in a variety of TV series, but she’s also decided to dip her toes into the wonderful world of education. For the last 8-plus years, Lainie has been working as an adjunct professor at UCLA.
Then: John Corbett
When we first meet Ian Miller, he’s working as an English Literature teacher. He’s hopeless in love, tired of meeting the same old women, and finds Toula to be absolutely captivating in every sense of the word.
Now: John Corbett
As you can tell from the photo, John is a certified silver fox nowadays. He landed a recurring role in Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll , opposite Dennis Leary, and has also appeared on the big screen in a number of small-budget features.
Then: Nia Vardalos
When we first meet Toula, she’s a 36-year-old virgin; lonely, hopeless, and oppressed by her parents. When she starts taking computer classes and begins paying a little more attention to her appearance, everything in her life begins to change.
Now: Nia Vardalos
Nia is looking better than ever nowadays and is currently in the process of filming My Big Fat Wedding 3 . As of right now, there is no slated release date — although if all goes according to plan, fans should anticipate a release in late 2023 .
