'She bit my finger and was very angry': My Big Fat Greek Wedding star Nia Vardolas recalls bringing adopted daughter home for the first time



She is best known for her role as lovable bride Toula Portokalos in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

But actress Nia Vardolas has also recently embarked on another project - becoming a spokesperson and advocate for adoption.

The 50-year-old star has just recently written a book titled 'Instant Mom', which chronicles her own experience of adopting a three-year-old daughter with her husband Ian Gomez in 2008.



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Opening up: My Big Fat Greek Wedding star Nia Vardolas opened up about adopting her daughter when she was three years old on the Today show on Tuesday morning



In an interview with the Today show on Tuesday morning, the Canadian-Greek star said she wanted to write the tome to help assure others who were considering the adoption process.

She said that often people have preconceptions that older adopted children will be affected from irreparable damage from the past.

Nia admitted that she had difficulties with her own little girl when she and Gomez brought her home for the first time.



New book: The 50-year-old star has just recently written a book titled 'Instant Mom', which chronicles her own experience of adopting a three-year-old daughter with her husband Ian Gomez in 2008

'She bit me': Nia admitted that she had difficulties with her own little girl when she and Gomez brought her home for the first time

'From the minute she came to live with us it was eyes down, downcast. She was withdrawn. She got very angry the next day. She bit my finger to the point where I was like "medic!"' Nia explained on the morning show.

'It was really, really hard. She wouldn't let us hold her or kiss her. And I am here today because within six months from the time we finalised her adoption, she was completely transitioned and loving and attentive and attached, and that is the fear that people have.'

Nia also set the scene of the first moment she met her daughter, recalling the chemistry meeting she and her husband had with the little girl.

First meeting: Nia also set the scene of the first moment she met her daughter, recalling the chemistry meeting she and her husband had with the little girl



'She turned and looked at me and my first thought was, "Oh I found you". So that's it, now I know,' she said.

Nia and her husband went down the adoption route after the brunette star endured a long battle with infertility.

The moment they decided to take the step was after Nia had already gone through a whopping 13 IVF and fertility treatments.



Battle: Nia and her husband went down the adoption route after the brunette star endured a long battle with infertility

Big role: Nia is best known for her role as lovable bride Toula Portokalos in My Big Fat Greek Wedding

But Nia said looking back she wouldn't trade the experience.

'I know myself. I am very persevering and I am tenacious to the point where I call myself a fearless idiot, but at that point where you do one after the other after the other because you are so in the pursuit in being a mother. I would (still) do it again,' she explained.

Author: Nia admitted that writing her book was brand new territory, but she wanted to do it in order to help guide others through the adoption process

'And ultimately everything that didn't work and every match that didn't work with an infant, led us to adopting our daughter who was almost three when we met.

'I would do it all again because I am supposed to be her mother.'

Nia revealed that she was going through her infertility issues at the height of her Big Fat Greek Wedding success.

She said that at the time she tried desperately to keep her troubles a secret.

'I was keeping it a secret... I felt that to admit that I felt like a failure inside was not what my public persona was of being so happy,' she explained.

'Now when you talk to women, you sit around having coffee and you talk to women, and so many women have gone through this.

'So this (book) is my way of saying "You are not alone". It happens and it happens to a lot of us and there is no shame in it.'

Nia admitted that writing a book was brand new territory, but she wanted to do it in order to help guide others through the adoption process.

'Writing a book is brand new territory. Even though I make fun of my family and my screenplays for fun and profit, this is new to talk about my personal life,' she explained.