A nice surprise for Eurovision fans when watching the trailer for the new film My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3! The trailer features a Eurovision song in its soundtrack: “OPA!” by Giorgos Alkaios and his Friends, the Greek entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 2010.
OPA!
Perhaps the most Greek sounding entry of the millenium, it might not even be a surprise that the film makers chose the uplifting “OPA!” for their soundtrack. Back in 2010, ERT hosted their national final Ellinikos Telikos and ended up with a three way tie for victory. Big name band Melisses won the jury vote, with Manos Pyrovolakis, Eleni Foureira and Don’t Ask coming second. Giorgos Alkaios and Friends finished third. The televoters had the same top three, but in reverse order, causing a three way tie. Televoters were deemed the most important and therefore, “OPA!” was sent to Eurovision.
In Oslo, Giorgos Alkaios and Friends continued the Greek streak of top ten results which had been in place since 2004. After coming second in the semi, the group finished in eighth place during the Grand Final.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3
The latest addition to the My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise was filmed last year. Filming took place in the summer of 2022 around the Greek capital of Athens, the city that also hosted Eurovision in 2006. Other scenes were filmed on the island of Kerkyra (Corfu). Many of the stars featuring in the first films will reprise their roles once more. Director Nia Vardalos will star as Toula Portokalos again. Lainie Kazan will return as her mother Maria Portokalos. Other actors in the film include Elena Kampouris, John Corbett and Andrea Martin.
Premise of this latest My Big Fat Greek film is a family reunion in Greece itself. It will premiere in American theatres in September 2023, with the film also coming to Europe later. The first film in the series was released back in 2002.
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Greek act in boots then and now