Bess Meisler is an American actress popularly known for her appearances in movies like My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), Daddy Day Care (2003), and Room 6 (2006). The talented actress may have moved on from her acting days because she hasn’t worked on a significant production since My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2. Aged 102, Bess is most likely enjoying retirement from active screen roles.
Bess Meisler Last Featured in My Big Fat Wedding 2 in 2016
Bess Meisler has been out of the public spotlight for about a decade. The American actress has not yet announced that she has officially retired, despite widespread speculation. She rose to stardom in the hit film My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) as Yiayia, and she returned to the role as Mana-Yiayia in the follow-up, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016).
With her appearances and special roles in several films and TV series, like Eagleheart, where she portrayed Evelyn, she has been able to make a lasting impact. The fact that Bess Meisler can play a variety of roles—from comedic to dramatic—highlights her talent for versatility.
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Other Interesting Details About Bess Meisler You Should Know
1. She is one of the few actors above 100 years
Bess Meisler is one of the known celebrity centenarians. She was born on 19 July 1922 in the USA. This implies that she is 102 years old at the moment. Her population is the apex of a long lifespan, biological resistance, adaptability to environmental stresses, way of life, and risk factors, thus this is something to reckon with. Other performers who have reached the age of 100 and beyond include Ray Anthony, Janis Paige, and Annabel Maule.
2. She made her debut in the 80s
Bess Meisler made her screen debut in the 80s and her early works were mostly in theatre. She later switched to TV in 1987 with her portrayal of Mrs. Petelli in Hunger (1987-1990). She continued on TV until 2002 when she made her film breakthrough with My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002). In the movie, Bess portrayed the bewildered, aged, and witty grandmother of Nia Vardalos’s lead character.
She was later given minor roles in HBO comedy The Comeback, starring Lisa Kudrow, and the iconic television series Malcolm in the Middle because of her remarkable humor.
Bess Meisler’s varied career and roles in a variety of genre-spanning television shows speak to her skill and flexibility. She has portrayed distinctive characters in drama series, family shows, and sitcoms while always projecting a clear, assured, and self-assured presence on screen. Below is a list of all her works
T.V
- Hunter – 1987-1990
- Flying Bling – 1992
- Beverly Hills 90210 – 1994 – 1995
- Becker – 2003
- Malcolm in the Middle – 2005
- The Comeback – 2005
- Jake in Progress – 2006
- A Kiss at Midnight – 2008
- Eagleheart – 2001
Movies
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding – 2002
- Daddy Day Care – 2003
- Room 6 – 2006
- The Memory Thief – 2007
- A Kiss at Midnight – 2008
- The Perfect Family – 2011
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 – 2016
3. She is among the 4 Characters missing from My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3
As earlier stated, Bess Meisler had her last screen role in 2016. As such, she was not part of the cast of the third installment of My Big Fat Greek Family. The third installment in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise is the first entry not to star Michael Constantine (who died in 2021), Bess Meisler, Ian Gomez, and Alex Wolff. The film was released in the United States on September 8, 2023, by Focus Features and it received generally negative reviews from critics. It has grossed $39 million worldwide.
Meanwhile, when the first installment of My Big Fat Greek Wedding was released in 2002 with a $5 million budget, it ultimately grossed over $368.7 million worldwide, becoming one of the top romantic films of the 21st century. It was the fifth highest-grossing film of 2002 in the United States and Canada, with USD$241,438,208, and the highest-grossing romantic comedy domestically in history. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 76% of 130 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.7/10.
Similarly, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) was released with a budget of $18 million and ended up grossing $90.6 million. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 28% based on 172 reviews, with an average rating of 4.6/10.
4. She has kept her personal life out of the spotlight
Bess has successfully kept every detail about her personal life out of the spotlight. At the moment, nothing is known about her early childhood, education, and love life. It is also not known if she has ever been married. Much of the information about her in the public space revolves around her entertainment career.
