Nia Vardalos Recalls Debbie Reynolds Introducing Herself as 'Princess Leia's Mom' on the “Connie and Carla” Set (Exclusive)

Meredith Wilshere, Aliza SesslerSun, May 24, 2026 at 3:58 PM UTC

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ia Vardalos attends 'Celebrity Autobiography' Broadway opening night on May 18
Credit: John Lamparski/Getty -

Nia Vardalos recalls Debbie Reynolds' humor and candor while working together on the 2004 film Connie and Carla

Reynolds, mother of Carrie Fisher, introduced herself on set as “Princess Leia's mom”

Vardalos tells PEOPLE that Reynolds was "down to earth"

Debbie Reynolds always knew how to make an entrance.

At the opening of Celebrity Autobiography on May 18, PEOPLE caught up with Nia Vardalos, who found the excerpts about Reynolds' life in the Broadway show particularly amusing.

“I cannot believe the candor of Debbie Reynolds. It is awesome," Vardalos, 63, says of the show, in which celebrities act out other celebrities' unintentionally hilarious autobiographies live on stage.

Vardalos then reflected on working with the late actress in 2004's Connie and Carla, which also featured Toni Collette and David Duchovny.

"I know her. She was in my movie, Connie and Carla. She came to set and said, ‘Yes, hello, it's me, Princess Leia's mom.' ”

The cast of 'Connie and Carla'
Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock

Reynolds is the mother of the late Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise, beginning with the 1977 film.

The creator of the My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise describes Reynolds as “the most down-to-earth, hilarious, lovely woman.”

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“The stuff she wrote, I was like, good. There's no shame in it,” Vardalos shares.

Reynolds rose to stardom in the '50s with starring roles in films like Singin' in the Rain (1952), Bundle of Joy (1956) and Tammy and the Bachelor (1957). Then, in 1956, she and her then-husband, Eddie Fisher, welcomed their first baby together, daughter Carrie.

Following her mother's footsteps, Carrie landed her first movie gig as a teenager in 1975's Shampoo, before becoming a household name just years later for her performance in Star Wars. The actress welcomed her only child, daughter Billie Lourd, in 1992.

Tragically, Carrie died on Dec. 27, 2016, at the age of 60. Just one day later, her mother died from a stroke at age 84.

Lourd once shared in 2025 that she believes she got her acting and comedy skills from the women in her family.

“I'd say definitely the comedy is in the genetics. They were better at it than me. I can do a fair bit of tap dancing, not as good as ... young Debbie Reynolds, but that's also in the genes, although my mom kind of sucked at tap dancing,” Lourd, 33, said.

"I'm a very distinct personality, definitely different from both of them,” she added. “Well, it's something you learn through generations. I think I've learned to balance my life and my work in a different way than they were able to do, and that was also a product of the times."

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