Nia Vardalos Video Interview On ‘My Life In Ruins,’ ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’
by She broke through in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and now Nia Vardalos is finding her mojo in her latest flick, My Life In Ruins.
Q: My Life In Ruins is about a woman who gets her mojo back. Did that story resonate with feelings you were having in your own life?
A: The script was written by a Simpson’s writer named Mike Reese. I asked his permission and added a bit of stuff of what I was personally going through. I lost my mojo- I stepped quietly away from being on camera and wrote for a couple of years. When I found this script, I wanted to layer these things in. Now I feel refreshed. I highly recommend losing your mojo once in a while!
Q: What was your most memorable scene in My Life in Ruins with Richard Dreyfuss?
A: It was the moment that I turned to Richard Dreyfuss and went, in Jaws, ‘How big was the shark?’ I just embarrass myself, number one fan. This movie was so much fun. We all stayed in the same hotels, we’d see each other in the breakfast room. The cast is Rachel Dratch from Saturday Night Live, one of my closest friends from our Second City Chicago days, Harlen Williams and Jareb Dauplaise who’s on Zack and Cody’s Suite Life. It was just such a weird, wild, mix of people and we all really got along and abused each other like you wouldn’t believe. My favorite scene is when Alexi Georgoulis, my Greek costar who is being dubbed by the press ‘Alex Gorgeous and understandably so, he’s a huge star in Greece and this is his first film in America. My favorite moment is when he is standing on that cliff side telling me to stop looking up and to look within my own heart. I think it’s one of the most romantic scenes I’ve ever been lucky enough to be a part of. Also, he’s so manly that I know it won’t be a turn-off to the guys. It’s a really romantic movie.
Q: I know that in the past that you’ve had problems with fertility. What would you recommend couples do?
A: Do what you’ve got to do, but know that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. And there is, here in America we don’t have orphanages, we have foster care. There are 129,000 legally free children who are just looking for a family. American foster care doesn’t discriminate against sexual orientation, age, income level- anyone can adopt in this country. And it’s a little-known fact.
Q: How that you’re a new mom, what are you finding is the biggest challenge?
A: She’s completely changed my life. My clothes are always sticky. Always. I’ve either got crayon or pancake sauce on me. It’s the best.
I’m so happy for Nia and her comeback!