Movies How My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 pays tribute to the films' patriarch Michael Constantine Gus, played by the late actor who died in 2021, still has a large presence in the film. By Maureen Lee Lenker Maureen Lee Lenker Maureen Lee Lenker is a senior writer at Entertainment Weekly with over seven years of experience in the entertainment industry. An award-winning journalist, she's written for Turner Classic Movies, Ms. Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, and more. She's worked at EW for six years covering film, TV, theater, music, and books. The author of EW's quarterly romance review column, "Hot Stuff," Maureen holds Master's degrees from both the University of Southern California and the University of Oxford. Her debut novel, It Happened One Fight, is now available. Follow her for all things related to classic Hollywood, musicals, the romance genre, and Bruce Springsteen. EW's editorial guidelines Published on September 8, 2023 01:46PM EDT Michael Constantine — and his onscreen alter ego Gus Portokalos — may be gone, but his presence is still very much felt in My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3. The third film follows Toula (Nia Vardalos), Ian (John Corbett), and the Portokalos family as they travel to Gus' village in Greece in search of his best friends from childhood. Nick (Louis Mandylor) also brings along his father's ashes, as they seek to lay Gus to rest and celebrate his memory in his birthplace. Producer Rita Wilson tells EW how the third film evolved from a story of the family accompanying Gus to Greece to its present form. "Originally we were going to bring the family to Greece with Michael Constantine's character coming back to his childhood village," she says. "But he got older and then he got sick, and then he passed away." Michael Constantine in 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3'. Everett Collection Wilson goes on to explain how bringing Gus' ashes back to his village, coupled with Vardalos' idea of delivering Gus' journal to his childhood friends, created "the window into how we could get the family to Greece." She adds, "We were so thankful to have Michael Constantine's presence with us in the film, even though he's passed away." Vardalos previously posted on Instagram about how Constantine had given his blessing to the third film before his 2021 death. "He had told me he wouldn't be able to join us for the third film and his wish was that we go on," Vardalos stated. "I wrote the screenplay to reflect Michael's decision and will always treasure his last messages to me, hoping we were filming soon." Wilson feels all of the Greek Wedding movies will endure as part of Constantine's legacy. "He's so beloved, and fortunately, he lives on in the first and second movie," she notes. "But we wanted him to be with us, and we dedicate the [third] movie to him." My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 is now in theaters. Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more. Related content: What to Watch this week: The fam reunites in My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, and we're going back to Virgin River Opa! The My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 trailer is here and the family's off to Greece Nia Vardalos directing My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 in Greece: 'Much love and gratitude'