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Lainie Kazan is an American actress and singer. She was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for St. Elsewhere and the 1993 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for My Favorite Year. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her role in My Favorite Year (1982). Kazan played Maria Portokalos in My Big Fat Greek Wedding and its sequel film My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.
Birth Name
Lainie Levine
Born
Friday, 15 May 1942
Actress Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| Commitment to Life | Self | 2023 |
| My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 | Maria Portokalos / Maria | 2023 |
| Young Jedi Adventures | Farmer Weebo | 2023 |
| King of Cool | Self | 2021 |
| Tango Shalom | Leah Zlotkin | 2021 |
| Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age | Self | 2021 |
| Live at Mister Kelly's | Self | 2021 |
| Olympia | Self / Herself | 2018 |
| The Kominsky Method | Norman's Grandmother | 2018 |
| The Amityville Murders | Nona / Angela 'Nonna' Brigante | 2018 |
Actress Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| Commitment to Life | Self | 2023 |
| My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 | Maria Portokalos / Maria | 2023 |
| Young Jedi Adventures | Farmer Weebo | 2023 |
| King of Cool | Self | 2021 |
| Tango Shalom | Leah Zlotkin | 2021 |
| Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age | Self | 2021 |
| Live at Mister Kelly's | Self | 2021 |
| Olympia | Self / Herself | 2018 |
| The Kominsky Method | Norman's Grandmother | 2018 |
| The Amityville Murders | Nona / Angela 'Nonna' Brigante | 2018 |
| Unorganized Crime | Angela Corso | 2018 |
| Garlic & Gunpowder | Rose Lusconi, Sonny's Mother / Rose Lusconi | 2017 |
| Meet the Biz | 2016 | |
| My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 | Maria / Maria Portokalos | 2016 |
| Fuller House | Irma | 2016 |
| Chicago Med | Maria Piscotta | 2015 |
| Tab Hunter Confidential | Herself / Self | 2015 |
| Pearly Gates | Millie | 2015 |
| Pixels | Mickey Lamonsoff | 2015 |
| The Cookie Mobster | Mama | 2014 |
| The Jimmy Star Show with Ron Russell | Self - Guest | 2014 |
| Young & Hungry | Susie | 2014 |
| I'm a Mitzvah | Mrs. Cohen | 2014 |
| Finding Joy | Gloria | 2013 |
| I Am Divine | Marguerita Ventura | 2013 |
| Divorce Invitation | Elaine Lipnicks / Elaine lipnick | 2012 |
| Home & Family | Self | 2012 |
| Sketchy | Ma | 2012 |
| Good Vibes | Nurse Nachama Fingerman | 2011 |
| Jessie | Wanda Winkle | 2011 |
| Expecting Mary | Lillian Littlefeather | 2010 |
| Ollie Klublershturf vs. the Nazis | Sharon Klublershturf | 2010 |
| Medium Rare | Helga Costas | 2010 |
| Modern Family | Eleanor | 2009 |
| RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked! | Self - Guest Judge | 2009 |
| RuPaul's Drag Race | Self - Guest Judge | 2009 |
| Oy Vey! My Son Is Gay!! | Shirley Hirsch | 2009 |
| Celebrity Ghost Stories | Herself | 2008 |
| You Don't Mess with the Zohan | Gail / Gail Klayman | 2008 |
| The Florence Henderson Show | Self | 2008 |
| Bratz | Bubbie | 2007 |
| In the Motherhood | Joyce | 2007 |
| Love Takes Lies | Miriam Goldman | 2007 |
| Ugly Betty | Dina Talercio | 2006 |
| 'Til Death | Donna | 2006 |
| The Engagement Ring | Alicia Rosa Anselmi | 2005 |
| Whiskey School | Hedy Seligman | 2005 |
| Red Riding Hood | Grandma | 2005 |
| Hell's Kitchen | Self - Restaurant Patron | 2005 |
| Living with Fran | Cookie | 2005 |
| Grey's Anatomy | C.J. | 2005 |
| Eye on Entertainment | Self | 2005 |
| Desperate Housewives | Maxine Rosen | 2004 |
| Boston Legal | Judge Paula Stern | 2004 |
| Hit Celebrity TV Commercials | Self - for Aqua Velva Aftershave | 2004 |
| Gigli | Mother | 2003 |
| Tempted | Julia | 2003 |
| My Big Fat Greek Life | Maria Portokalos | 2003 |
| A Good Night to Die | Diane | 2003 |
| Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There | Self | 2003 |
| Eight Crazy Nights | Old Woman / Old Woman (singing voice) | 2002 |
| My Big Fat Greek Wedding | Maria Portokalos | 2002 |
| Bruno | Sister Mary Perpetua | 2000 |
| The Crew | Pepper Lowenstein | 2000 |
| What's Cooking? | Ruth 'Ruthie' Seelig / Ruth Seelig | 2000 |
| Strong Medicine | Mrs. Biancavilla | 2000 |
| If You Only Knew | Bess | 2000 |
| Kimberly | Hanna | 1999 |
| To Serve and Protect | Francesca | 1999 |
| The Unknown Cyclist | Rachel | 1998 |
| Will & Grace | Aunt Honey | 1998 |
| The King of Queens | Ava St. Clair | 1998 |
| Permanent Midnight | Jerry's Mother at Funeral | 1998 |
| The Big Hit | Jeanne Shulman | 1998 |
| E! Mysteries & Scandals | Self | 1998 |
| Allie & Me | Camille Alexander | 1997 |
| The Wonderful World of Disney | Mrs. Day | 1997 |
| Veronica's Closet | Dottie | 1997 |
| The Associate | Cindy Mason | 1996 |
| Life's Work | Connie Minardi | 1996 |
| The Rosie O'Donnell Show | Self - Guest | 1996 |
| Courthouse | Lila Winkleman | 1995 |
| Touched by an Angel | Aunt Meg / Doris Bernstein | 1994 |
| The Nanny | Aunt Freida / Freida | 1993 |
| Animaniacs | Molly | 1993 |
| Late Night with Conan O'Brien | Herself - Guest | 1993 |
| The 47th Annual Tony Awards | Self - Nominee | 1993 |
| The Cemetery Club | Selma | 1993 |
| I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore | Sarah Fishbine | 1992 |
| 29th Street | Mrs. Pesce | 1991 |
| The Chuck Woolery Show | Self | 1991 |
| Eternity | Mother / Berneice | 1990 |
| Beverly Hills, 90210 | Rose Zuckerman | 1990 |
| Earthday Birthday | (voice) | 1990 |
| Hägar the Horrible | Helga | 1989 |
| Tales from the Crypt | Mrs. Grafungar | 1989 |
| The Pat Sajak Show | Self - Guest | 1989 |
| Beaches | Leona Bloom | 1988 |
| The Van Dyke Show | Bunnie | 1988 |
| Out of the Dark | Hooker / Nancy | 1988 |
| The 2nd Annual American Comedy Awards | Self - Audience Member | 1988 |
| Karen's Song | Claire Steiner | 1987 |
| Harry and the Hendersons | Irene Moffitt | 1987 |
| HBO Storybook Musicals | (voice) | 1987 |
| The New Hollywood Squares | Self - Panelist | 1986 |
| Tough Cookies | Rita | 1986 |
| The Delta Force | Sylvia Goldman | 1986 |
| Amazing Stories | Sister Teresa | 1985 |
| The Journey of Natty Gann | Connie | 1985 |
| Lust in the Dust | Marguerita Ventura | 1985 |
| Obsessive Love | Margaret Chase | 1984 |
| Murder, She Wrote | Anna Grimaldi | 1984 |
| Super Password | Self - Celebrity Contestant | 1984 |
| The Jerk, Too | Card Player | 1984 |
| Sunset Limousine | Jessie Durning | 1983 |
| St. Elsewhere | Frieda Fiscus / Mrs. Fiscus | 1982 |
| My Favorite Year | Belle Carroca / Belle Steinberg Carroca | 1982 |
| Faerie Tale Theatre | Sophia, the Blue Fairy | 1982 |
| Hotel | Beatrice Dolan | 1982 |
| An Evening at the Improv | Self - Host | 1982 |
| One from the Heart | Maggie | 1981 |
| Too Close for Comfort | Mrs. Garibaldi | 1980 |
| A Cry for Love | Tina Weathersby | 1980 |
| The Paper Chase | Rose Samuels | 1978 |
| A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story | Sophie Tucker | 1977 |
| ABC Weekend Specials | Madam Zola | 1977 |
| The Paul Ryan Show | Self - Guest | 1977 |
| The Bobby Vinton Show | Self | 1975 |
| When Things Were Rotten | Tania | 1975 |
| Baretta | Lottie | 1975 |
| Dinah! | Self - Guest | 1974 |
| The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters | Self | 1972 |
| Columbo | Valerie Kirk | 1971 |
| Romance of a Horsethief | Estusha | 1971 |
| The David Frost Show | Self - Guest | 1969 |
| This Is Tom Jones | Self | 1969 |
| Lady in Cement | Maria Baretto | 1968 |
| Dayton's Devils | Leda Martell | 1968 |
| Operation: Entertainment | Self | 1968 |
| The Carol Burnett Show | Self | 1967 |
| Spotlight | Self | 1967 |
| The Joey Bishop Show | Self | 1967 |
| The Dean Martin Summer Show | Self | 1966 |
| The Dean Martin Show | Self | 1965 |
| The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) | Self - Panelist | 1965 |
| Gypsy | Self / Self - singer | 1965 |
| Hullabaloo | Self | 1965 |
| The Hollywood Palace | Self - Singer | 1964 |
| The Danny Kaye Show | Self | 1963 |
| The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Herself - Guest | 1962 |
| The Merv Griffin Show | Herself | 1962 |
| The Mike Douglas Show | Herself | 1961 |
| Ben Casey | Della | 1961 |
| Car 54, Where Are You? | Girl at bar | 1961 |
| The Bell Telephone Hour | Self - Singer | 1959 |
| The Ed Sullivan Show | Self - Singer | 1948 |
Producer Filmography
| Title | Year |
|---|
| Tango Shalom | 2021 |
| Year | Type | Category | Won |
|---|
| 1988 | Emmy | Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series | Nominated |
| 1983 | Golden Globe | Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture | Nominated |
