Lainie Kazan
Biography
Lainie Kazan is an American actress and singer who was born in Brooklyn and trained at HB Studio and Hofstra University, where she appeared in musicals staged by a classmate, Francis Ford Coppola. She made her Broadway debut in The Happiest Girl in the World in 1961, understudied Barbra Streisand as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, and later earned a Tony nomination for recreating her film role in the musical My Favorite Year. On screen she is best known for playing Maria Portokalos, mother to Toula, in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding films, starting with My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), and she drew a Golden Globe nomination for My Favorite Year (1982). Her television credits include Aunt Frieda on The Nanny, a guest role on St. Elsewhere that brought an Emmy nomination, Maxine Rosen on Desperate Housewives, and Ava St. Clair on The King of Queens.
84years old
Turns 85 on May 15in 191 days
- Born Brooklyn
- Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20
- Also credited as Lainie Levine
Movie Career
- Films
- 30
- Career span
- 55 years1968 to 2023
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Early training
Kazan attended HB Studio for theater and earned her degree from Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, in 1960. At Hofstra she acted in musicals written and directed by a classmate, Francis Ford Coppola.
Lainie Kazan movies on Netflix
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3as Maria Portokalos
Tango Shalomas Leah Zlotkin
The Amityville Murdersas Angela 'Nonna' Brigante
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2as Maria
Pixelsas Mickey Lamonsoff
Tab Hunter Confidentialas Himself
Finding Joyas Gloria
Expecting Maryas Lillian Littlefeather
Oy Vey! My Son Is Gay!as Shirley Hirsch
You Don't Mess with the Zohanas Gail
Bratzas Bubbie
A Good Night to Dieas Diane
Giglias Mother
My Big Fat Greek Weddingas Maria Portokalos
Brunoas Sister Mary Perpetua
The Crewas Pepper Lowenstein
The Big Hitas Jeanne Shulman
Love Is All There Isas Sadie
The Associateas Cindy Mason
29th Streetas Mrs. Pesce
Beachesas Leona Bloom
Out of the Darkas Nancy
Harry and the Hendersonsas Irene Moffitt
The Delta Forceas Sylvia Goldman
Lust in the Dustas Marguerita Ventura
The Journey of Natty Gannas Connie
My Favorite Yearas Belle Carroca
One from the Heartas Maggie
A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Storyas Sophie Tucker
Lady in Cementas Maria Baretto
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Eight actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.







Films together
Louis Mandylor3 films together, 2002 to 2023
Louis Mandylor's page My Big Fat Greek Wedding 32023IMDb rating 5.2Kazan as Maria PortokalosMandylor as Nick Portokalos
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 22016IMDb rating 6.0Kazan as MariaMandylor as Nick
My Big Fat Greek Wedding2002IMDb rating 6.6Kazan as Maria PortokalosMandylor as Nick Portokalos
Andrea Martin3 films together, 2002 to 2023
Andrea Martin's page My Big Fat Greek Wedding 32023IMDb rating 5.2Kazan as Maria PortokalosMartin as Aunt Voula
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 22016IMDb rating 6.0Kazan as MariaMartin as Aunt Voula
My Big Fat Greek Wedding2002IMDb rating 6.6Kazan as Maria PortokalosMartin as Aunt Voula
John Corbett3 films together, 2002 to 2023
John Corbett's page My Big Fat Greek Wedding 32023IMDb rating 5.2Kazan as Maria PortokalosCorbett as Ian Miller
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 22016IMDb rating 6.0Kazan as MariaCorbett as Ian
My Big Fat Greek Wedding2002IMDb rating 6.6Kazan as Maria PortokalosCorbett as Ian Miller
Joseph Bologna3 films together, 1982 to 2021
Joseph Bologna's page Tango Shalom2021IMDb rating 5.7Kazan as Leah ZlotkinBologna as Father Anthony
Love Is All There Is1996IMDb rating 5.1Kazan as SadieBologna as Mike
My Favorite Year1982IMDb rating 7.3Kazan as Belle CarrocaBologna as King Kaiser
Tab Hunter3 films together, 1985 to 2015
Tab Hunter's page Tab Hunter Confidential2015IMDb rating 7.5Kazan as HimselfHunter as Himself
Out of the Dark1988IMDb rating 5.4Kazan as NancyHunter as Driver
Lust in the Dust1985IMDb rating 5.9Kazan as Marguerita VenturaHunter as Abel Wood
Nia Vardalos3 films together, 2002 to 2023
Nia Vardalos's page My Big Fat Greek Wedding 32023IMDb rating 5.2Kazan as Maria PortokalosVardalos as Toula Portokalos-Miller
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 22016IMDb rating 6.0Kazan as MariaVardalos as Toula
My Big Fat Greek Wedding2002IMDb rating 6.6Kazan as Maria PortokalosVardalos as Toula Portokalos
Also three films together2 more actors
- Gia CaridesMy Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (2023), My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) and My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
- Joey FatoneMy Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (2023), My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) and My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Lainie Kazan's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$1.2 billion
18 of the 30 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 30 films: 18 worldwide figure; 4 us gross only; 2 never in cinemas; 6 figure not found.
- 18Worldwide figure
- 4US gross only
- 2Never in cinemas
- 6Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 91% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$369M31.2% of the total
- 2$245M20.8% of the total
- 3$204M17.3% of the total
- 4$91M7.7% of the total
- 5$57M4.8% of the total
- 6$50M4.2% of the total
- 7$35M3.0% of the total
- 8$27M2.3% of the total
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.









