Lainie Kazan makes rare Los Angeles outing at 85

Lainie Kazan, the Brooklyn-born actress and singer best known for portraying Maria Portokalos in the 2002 hit My Big Fat Greek Wedding, was photographed in Los Angeles last week for a rare public outing. At 85, she was seen arriving with assistance and using a wheelchair, according to exclusive Daily Mail photos.

Her long-running career spans stage, film, and television. Kazan began performing at supper clubs and on the Broadway scene in the mid-1960s, sharing the stage with stars such as Dean Martin and serving as Barbra Streisand's understudy in the 1964 musical Funny Girl. She built a steady screen résumé and earned an Emmy nomination for a guest stint on St. Elsewhere, while also appearing in numerous television series, including a memorable run on The Nanny as Aunt Frieda.

On film, Kazan earned a Golden Globe for My Favorite Year (1982) and, above all, became a beloved screen matriarch in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The character of Maria Portokalos introduced Kazan to a broader generation of fans and led to sequels in 2016 and 2023, with the latter addressing dementia as part of the storyline.

The actress also starred in the Broadway musical adaptation of the movie, which earned her a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in 1993. Earlier in her career, Kazan posed for Playboy in 1970, a move that drew headlines and underscored her status as both a performer and a cultural figure.

Public life for Kazan has been relatively low-key in recent years, with the LA outing standing out as a rare moment in which fans could glimpse the veteran star outside a professional project. In 2017, she was arrested for shoplifting at Gelson's grocery store in Los Angeles but was cited and released.