Nia Vardalos Opens Up About Pressure to Lose 40 Pounds

Nia Vardalos says it doesn't matter that she's written and starred in a few blockbusters -- all people ask her about is her slimmed-down shape.

"It's just weight. Just 40 pounds of fat now gone from my body, but wow, it's pretty much all I get asked about. In the last year, I got to star in a movie, wrote and directed my next one, and adopted a three year old from American Foster Care. But guess what I'm askedhow did I lose the weight?" the My Life in Ruins actress, 46, writes on CNN's AC360 Blog.

Check out pics of scary skinny stars.

"I am embarrassed to be in the position of answering questions about my body again. On the publicity tour of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, I was asked over and over again, if, as the writer, I felt it was a fair depiction of real life to have someone of my er, below average looks, hook up with hottie John Corbett.

See photos of celebs who went from hunk to chunk.

"It's been years, and I have sat through many a movie like Sideways, where nobody blinks an eye when Paul Giamatti gets together with gorgeous Virginia Madsen. And, then Knocked Up...well, the visual of Seth Rogan on top of Katherine Heigl made me put the popcorn down and reach for my purse. Not because I was grossed out, but because I knew the film was about to stop and Ashton Kutcher would now jump out and go 'Aha, you've been Punk'd, that would never happen.' I waited. But no Ashton. The film went on. And many a reviewer, who probably look like sweet Seth (yes, even the women) gave it a thumbs up."

Vardalos admits there's a "double standard for women. Whatever, yawn, we all know it, perpetuate it.

See before and after photos of Us' weight winners.

"So, it's our fault. Let's accept it and move on. Socially, the issue of men's weight is simply not a big deal. Let's face it: Russell Crowe is fat and no one ever talks about it. Alec Baldwin just orders his suits a size bigger and we continue to swoon.

Vardalos says "the truth" about her weight loss is that she "had a blood sugar problem" and her doctor ordered her to drop weight.

"It was really hard, but I did it through exercise, and it took a year," she admits.

Find out how more stars get fit.

If not for her health issues, the actress would have kept her curves, she says.

"I thought I was attractive when I shot My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Studio executives and movie reviewers let me know I had a confidence in my looks that was not shared by them," she says. "In other words, they labeled me with words like: overweight, unattractive, unappealing.

"Hey, just say fat. I love the word fat. I used it in the title," she goes on. "It's actually not a naughty word. We give it a power it actually doesn't have. So, you're fat. Big deal."


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