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Barbie\u00a0<\/i>and\u00a0Oppenheimer\u00a0<\/i>have taken over the box office<\/a> \u2014 but filmmaker Nia Vardalos<\/strong><\/a> isn\u2019t liking what she\u2019s seeing in terms of the comparisons.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m reading critics\u2019 attacks of\u00a0Barbie\u00a0<\/i><\/a>versus the fawning over\u00a0Oppenheimer<\/i><\/a>. Both films are great [and] one was made by a woman,\u201d Vardalos, 60, wrote via her Instagram<\/a> on Saturday, July 22. \u201cThe original\u00a0My Big Fat Greek Wedding<\/i><\/a>\u00a0got scathing reviews, even attacking my looks. Then [the viewers] spoke up with your wallets and love, I got nominated for an Academy Award, plus more acting, writing awards.\u201d<\/p>\n She continued: \u201cAnd I sometimes think about the meanest critics having to sit through 20 years of meals with their family quoting my lines\u00a0\ud83d\ude08<\/span>.\u201d<\/p>\n Vardalos \u2014 who has since made her Instagram account private \u2014 wrote and starred in 2002\u2019s\u00a0My Big Fat Greek Wedding<\/i>\u00a0about 30-something Toula as she worked in her family\u2019s Greek restaurant while dodging their overbearing matchmaking attempts. After vowing to take charge of her life, Toula goes back to school, gets a new job at her aunt\u2019s travel agency and falls in love with teacher Ian Miller (John Corbett<\/strong><\/a>). Her family is then tasked with throwing them a massive Greek wedding.<\/p>\n While the critics initially panned the movie, fan enthusiasm grew rampant \u2014 and led to two sequels<\/a>.\u00a0My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2\u00a0<\/i>premiered in 2016 and\u00a0My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3<\/a>\u00a0<\/i>is slated for a theatrical release later this year<\/a> on September 8.<\/p>\n Barbie\u00a0<\/i>\u2014 Greta Gerwig<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s film about the beloved doll brand<\/a> \u2014 and\u00a0Oppenheimer<\/i>\u00a0\u2014 Christopher Nolan<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s historical epic about the creation of the atomic bomb \u2014 stoked a rivalry since they both hit theaters on Friday, July 21. Fans have even taken sides in the matter by proclaiming which movie they wanted to see on opening weekend<\/a> or first in a \u201cBarbenheimer\u201d double feature.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the\u00a0Barbie\u00a0<\/i>[and]\u00a0Oppenheimer<\/i>\u00a0rivalry is hilarious,\u201d\u00a0Barbie\u00a0<\/i>actress Issa Rae<\/strong> <\/a>told\u00a0The Hollywood Reporter<\/a>\u00a0<\/i>earlier this month at the red carpet premiere. \u201cI love that there\u2019s solidarity though [and instead of] people trying to pit us against one other, it\u2019s turned into a double-feature situation.\u201d<\/p>\n Rae, 38, added: \u201cObviously, you should see\u00a0Oppenheimer<\/i>\u00a0first then cleanse your palate with\u00a0Barbie<\/i>.<\/a> Why would I want to depress my [weekend]? It\u2019s about the atomic bomb, people are going to die, like, I want to [end my weekend with] mimosas and cocktails after\u00a0Barbie<\/i><\/a>! I don\u2019t want to sulk.\u201d<\/p>\n Barbie\u00a0<\/i>\u2014 which also stars Margot Robbie<\/strong> <\/a>and Ryan Gosling<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0<\/i>ultimately raked in an estimated $155 million<\/a> at the domestic box office during its opening weekend. The sum is nearly double<\/a> what\u00a0Oppenheimer\u00a0<\/em>brought in, which was also above projections at $80.5 million.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n Nia Vardalos as Toula Portokalos and John Corbett as Ian Miller in \u2018My Big Fat Greek Wedding.\u2019<\/span> Sophie Giraud\/Ifc\/Kobal\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n