My Big Fat Greek Wedding star Nia Vardalos has shared a powerful lesson about rejection in honour of the film’s 20th birthday.
The hit rom-com and quickly developed a cult following.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding is based on the life story of Nia herself and how she grew up in a large, but tight-knit, Greek family.
It may not have had an all-star cast, but the project went on to become one of the highest-grossing romantic comedies of all time, grossing $368million (£282m) worldwide.
However, fans of the film may be shocked to learn it almost didn’t get made at all.
‘#MyBigFatGreekWedding is 20 today,’ Nia began in a thread of tweets.
‘When agents/managers said my script wasn’t good and actors shouldn’t write, I recall wondering why they were angry. They fired me. So, I changed the material into a solo stage show. @RitaWilson saw the play and said, “This should be a movie”.’
Nia said she then handed her the screenplay and a creator and producer got the film made with her as the lead.
Detailing the film’s success, she continued: ‘We premiered in 106 theatres, expanded to more, ran for over a year. People full of love loved it, and again some were snide, hateful.
‘I was nominated for everything, went on to write and act in films that make people happy, employed hundreds of people, wrote and performed a New York Times Critics Pick play which has been licensed hundreds of times, wrote a bestselling book whose proceeds get children adopted.’
And the most important lesson she learnt from all of this? To never give up.
‘Some people who don’t create anything including jobs to make situations better, will tell you that what you do is wrong. You can’t make anyone embrace change, marginalised voices or new ideas. So love yourself. And write your story.’
Fans heaped praise on Nia for her honest and inspiring tweets, thanking her for the reminder to ‘just do you.’
‘I needed this more than ever,’ tweeted one.
‘Love the story @NiaVardalos shares here. Just because your idea is rejected doesn’t mean it isn’t creative – or that it won’t work,’ shared another.
It’s hard to imagine MBFGW without Nia and her story now, and her determination clearly paid off, since she received an Oscar nomination for best screenplay and a Golden Globe nomination for best actress for the film, for the movie.
She went on to release a sequel, and delighted fans by confirming last year that she has written a third film in the series, titled My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.
