The first instalment in the rom-com franchise was released in 2002 and became a runaway success. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, My Big Fat Greek Wedding propelled Vardalos’ comedy career to new heights and became one of the highest-grossing romantic comedies of all time.
Last year, Vardalos revealed more Portokalos family antics were on the horizon with the announcement of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3. Vardalos had penned the script and was looking for financing throughout 2021, and now it looks like the movie has moved forward considerably.
In her latest update on the third instalment, Vardalos recently took to social media to announce that My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 has begun filming in Athens, Greece. In the video, Vardalos reveals she is the director of the film and offers a quick look at the set from the window of her hotel room. Captioned “Thank you Playtone, Gold Circle, HBO, and Focus,”
Vardalos said that the upcoming film will honour and be dedicated to her co-star Michael Constantine, who died of natural causes in August.
“[Michael] had told me he wouldn’t be able to join us for the third film and his wish was that we go on. I wrote the screenplay to reflect Michael’s decision and will always treasure his last messages to me, hoping we were filming soon,” the actress wrote. “We miss you Michael, thank you for bringing my words to life with such passion and accuracy, you will always be with us.”
My Big Fat Greek Wedding premiered in 2002 and followed Toula (Vardalos), a 30-year-old Greek woman living in Chicago who marries a non-Greek man (John Corbett) amid her family’s objections. A sequel was released in 2016.
