Nia Vardalos

“I think it's almost easier to do a kissing scene with someone you don't know.”

“You're not ethnic enough. You're not fat enough. You're not thin enough. You're not blond enough. You're not dark enough. You're not young enough. You're not old enough.”

“It was a sad process for me to become a mom, and a long process. I felt so embarrassed that I couldn't have a biological child.”

“The man may be the head of the household. But the woman is the neck, and she can turn the head whichever way she pleases.”

“I was worried if you adopted a foster child, someone from the birth family could still come and take her back. I was afraid that any child in foster care might have suffered such trauma or neglect that she would be impossible to reach. I'm not proud of these fears. But I understand now when others ask me the same questions.”

“In many ways we are all sons and daughters of ancient Greece.”

“The white hot publicity that came from 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' was appreciated but not sought, so I was happy to walk away from it and then write.”

“I write through improvisation. I never card out a movie. You know how people will outline or card? I don't do that. I tend to start with an idea and go.”

“The media was always so focused on the money a movie makes. But I was in Times Square, and a bunch of Japanese tourists looked at me and started shouting, 'Toula!' I loved it. It's these tiny moments of connection that register with me the most and always have.”

“I grew up looking for myself onscreen and never could find myself. And I believe that I am supposed to be Toula to show people that it's O.K. to be different.”

“I believe that there are moments in everyone's lives where a door flings open, and if you're terrified of what's on the other side, you must walk through it.”

“I don't temper how I feel. I'm Greek. I've got emotions.”

“You only get one life so you might as well make it a happy one, and that's why I tend to just jump into things. I'm sort of a fearless idiot that way.”

“I think there is a moment in every parent's life where we realize that we have lost ourselves a little bit. It's a moment of looking in the mirror and going, 'I need to put on some lipstick.'”

“It wasn't easy to adopt an American child. Actually it's quite simple, but finding out how to do it was the hard part.”

“I consider myself a fearless idiot.”

“Lately, I've been in meetings regarding a new script idea I have. A studio executive asked me to change the female lead to a male, because... 'Women don't go to movies.' Really?”

“My daughter is a preschooler but I have only known her for a while. She is adopted.”

“I'm not one of those people that can suddenly start running and hire a Pilates trainer; it's just not my thing.”

“The candid and honest and pure heartedness of children has strengthened my views that we are all equal and should be afforded the basic human rights that we all deserve.”