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Lainie Kazan
Academy Awards afterparty CUN Lainey Kazan.jpg
Kazan in February 2007
Born
Lainie Levine

(1940-05-15) May 15, 1940 (age 85)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Education Erasmus Hall High School
Alma mater Hofstra University
Occupation
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active 1958–present
Known for My Favorite Year
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3
Spouse(s)
Peter H. B. Daniels
(m. 1971; his death 1989)
Children 1

Lainie Kazan (born Lainie Levine on May 15, 1940) is an American actress and singer. She is famous for playing Maria Portokalos in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding movies. She also played Aunt Freida on the TV show The Nanny.

Kazan has been recognized for her talent with several award nominations. She was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her role in the TV series St. Elsewhere. She was also nominated for a Tony Award in 1993 for the musical My Favorite Year and a Golden Globe Award for the movie version.

Early Life and Education

Kazan was born in Brooklyn, New York. Her family has Jewish roots from Russia and Turkey. Some of her grandparents once lived in Jerusalem before moving to England and then to Brooklyn.

Kazan went to Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, where she was a classmate of the famous singer Barbra Streisand. She graduated in 1956. After high school, she studied theater at HB Studio. She then went to Hofstra University and graduated in 1960. At Hofstra, she acted in school musicals directed by future famous director Francis Ford Coppola.

Career Highlights

Broadway and Singing

Lainie Kazan started her career on Broadway. Her first show was the musical The Happiest Girl in the World in 1961. A few years later, she was the understudy for Barbra Streisand in the hit musical Funny Girl. An understudy is an actor who learns a role so they can perform if the main actor is unable to. When Streisand was sick, Kazan got to perform as the star for one day.

Her performances made her very popular. She became a successful singer and performed in clubs across the country. She was a frequent guest on Dean Martin's variety show, appearing 26 times. Her look in a magazine photoshoot even inspired the appearance of the superheroine Big Barda from DC Comics.

Movies and Television

Kazan is well-known for playing the funny and caring mother, Maria Portokalos, in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding movies. She also appeared in the short-lived TV series based on the movie, called My Big Fat Greek Life.

She has acted in many other movies and TV shows. She played the mother of Adam Sandler's character in I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, although her scene is only on the DVD. She also appeared in the movie Pixels.

On television, she had a memorable recurring role as Aunt Frieda on The Nanny. She also had guest roles on shows like Touched by an Angel, Will & Grace, The King of Queens, Desperate Housewives, and Modern Family.

Personal Life

Kazan was married to Peter H.B. Daniels, a musical director she met while working on Funny Girl. They were married from 1971 until he passed away in 1989. They have one daughter, Jennifer.

In the 1970s, Kazan was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which is a type of blood clot. She has since worked to educate the public about this health condition.

Starting in 2012, Kazan began teaching acting classes at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She has also been involved with many charities and organizations, including the Young Musicians’ Foundation and AIDS Project LA.

Notable Roles

Here are some of Lainie Kazan's most famous roles in movies and on television.

Film

  • My Favorite Year (1982) as Belle Carroca
  • Beaches (1988) as Leona Bloom
  • The Associate (1996) as Cindy Mason
  • My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) as Maria Portokalos
  • Eight Crazy Nights (2002) as the singing voice of Oda
  • You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008) as Gail
  • Pixels (2015) as Mickey Lamonsoff
  • My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) as Maria Portokalos
  • My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (2023) as Maria Portokalos

Television

  • St. Elsewhere (1987–1988) as Frieda Fiscus
  • The Nanny (1995–1998) as Aunt Freida
  • My Big Fat Greek Life (2003) as Maria Portokalos
  • The King of Queens (2007) as Ava St. Clair
  • Desperate Housewives (2010) as Maxine Rosen
  • Modern Family (2012) as Eleanor
  • Jessie (2013) as Wanda Winkle
  • Fuller House (2018) as Irma

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Lainie Kazan para niños

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