Nia Vardalos Dishonors ‘Barbie’ Critics with Unforgettable 'Big Fat Greek Wedding' Anecdote!

Barbie and Oppenheimer dominating the box office, but filmmaker Nia Vardalos is concerned about the unequal treatment in the reviews. Expressing her disappointment on Instagram, Vardalos, 60, noted the critics' attacks on Barbie while praising Oppenheimer. She emphasized that both films are exceptional, with the distinction that one was made by a female filmmaker. Vardalos also drew from her personal experience with My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which initially received harsh critiques, including personal attacks on her appearance. However, the movie's success ultimately showed the viewers' support through ticket sales and love, leading to an Academy Award nomination and other accolades for her acting and writing.

She expressed, "I often imagine the harshest critics enduring two decades of family meals where my lines are constantly quoted."

Vardalos, who has since made her Instagram account private, wrote and starred in the 2002 film My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The story follows Toula, a woman in her thirties, as she navigates working in her family's Greek restaurant while avoiding their relentless attempts to find her a partner. Determined to take control of her life, Toula returns to school, lands a new job at her aunt's travel agency, and falls in love with her teacher, Ian Miller. This leads to her family having to organize a grand Greek wedding for the couple.

Despite initial criticism from critics, the movie gained immense popularity among fans, resulting in the production of two sequels. The first sequel, titled "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2," was released in 2016. Excitingly, the third installment, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3," is scheduled for a theatrical release on September 8th of this year.

Fans have eagerly chosen sides in the rivalry between Greta Gerwig's film on Barbie and Christopher Nolan's historical epic on Oppenheimer, as both movies premiered on Friday, July 21. Some fans have even declared their preference by deciding which film they wanted to watch first during the opening weekend, or have even considered watching both in a "Barbenheimer" double feature.

"I find the rivalry between Barbie and Oppenheimer to be amusing," stated Issa Rae, the actress who portrays Barbie, during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. This humorous situation of competition has actually brought about a sense of unity instead of dividing us. Rae, age 38, further expressed, "It's important to watch Oppenheimer first and then indulge in Barbie to cleanse your palate. I don't want to ruin my weekend by being somber. Oppenheimer is about the atomic bomb and the loss of lives, so after watching Barbie, I would rather conclude my weekend with lively mimosas and cocktails. I prefer to avoid a gloomy mood."

Barbie, featuring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, grossed approximately $155 million at the domestic box office in its opening weekend, surpassing Oppenheimer's earnings of $80.5 million and nearly doubling it.