Actress Nia Vardalos, known for playing Toula Portokalos in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," found a handwritten note addressed to her under that character's name in the hotel room where she stayed during a recent vacation in Greece.
Vardalos shared a photo of the note on Instagram on Sunday, August 23, 2026.
What the Note Said
According to the note, hotel staff said they were very happy to have "Toula" with them and wished her a wonderful stay. It asked her to enjoy traditional Greek delicacies left especially for her, and reminded her of a line associated with her famous character, that there are two kinds of people, Greeks and everyone else who wishes they were Greek. It was signed by the Room Dining team.
Vardalos Thanks Her Fans
In the caption of her post, Vardalos said the note had been waiting for her in her hotel room and that she was grateful to everyone who enjoys her films. She said she deeply appreciated every kind gesture that had come her way, from unexpected gifts left in her hotel rooms to strangers in supermarkets who called out to tell her that olive oil was on sale. She thanked her fans, signing off as Toula, with love.
The Character Behind the Note
Vardalos wrote and starred in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," the 2002 romantic comedy in which she played Toula Portokalos, a Greek-American woman navigating her large, close-knit family while falling for a non-Greek man. The film became a major box-office hit, earned Vardalos an Academy Award nomination for best original screenplay, and led to two sequels, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3," cementing Toula as one of her most recognisable roles. Vardalos, who was born in Winnipeg, Canada, to Greek immigrant parents, often speaks about her ties to Greece and returns there regularly.
Spotted Dining in Antiparos
Vardalos did not say where in Greece she was staying. Photographers had, however, recently pictured her having lunch with Spyros Katsaganis at a tavern on the island of Antiparos.
The photographs from Antiparos were credited to NDP.
