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Antonia Eugenia "Nia" Vardalos (Greek: Αντωνία Ευγενία "Νία" Βαρντάλος) is a Canadian actress, screenwriter, director, singer, and producer. Her most notable work is the 2002 Academy Award–nominated film My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

She voices Angie Diaz in Star vs. the Forces of Evil.

Early and personal life[]

Vardalos was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on September 24, 1962. She is the daughter of Greek-Canadian parents Doreen, a bookkeeper and homemaker, and Constantine "Gus" Vardalos, a land developer. She attended Shaftesbury High School and Ryerson University. Vardalos married actor Ian Gomez on September 5, 1993 (her husband converted to Greek Orthodox prior to marrying her). In 2008, they adopted a daughter named Ilaria, and she wrote a post with advice about the adoption process at The Huffington Post. She became a U.S. citizen in 1999.

Career[]

Vardalos had many small roles in television shows such as The Drew Carey Show and Two Guys and a Girl; in addition, she provided voices for the 1996 radio adaptation of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

Vardalos gained fame with My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which was based on a one-woman show which Vardalos had previously written for the theater and starred in onstage. The film earned Vardalos an Academy Award Nomination for Best Writing, a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and a Screen Actors Guild Award Nomination.

Vardalos made her directorial debut in 2009 with the independent feature I Hate Valentine's Day. This was followed by My Life in Ruins. In 2011, she collaborated with Tom Hanks to write the romantic comedy film Larry Crowne; Vardalos also voiced the character Map Genie in the film.

Most recently, Vardalos co-wrote and starred in 2016's My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.

External links[]

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