Rita Wilson on Returning to ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ and Writing with Diane Warren

Oli Mazi (όλοι μαζί , or óloi mazí), means “all together” in Greek. It was just the sentiment actress, singer, songwriter, and producer Rita Wilson followed when tasked to write a song for the soundtrack of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3. Citing the consistent message of family and connection within the films, Wilson penned “OLI MAZI (We Are All Together),” with the help of Diane Warren.

“Greek people are known for their love of family,” said Wilson in a previous statement. “Oli Mazi means ‘all together.’ The song is about bringing people together whether it’s your birth family or chosen family, being there for each other, and celebrating that love and connection. No man is a (Greek) island—thank you, John Donne. We need each other.” 

Warren added, “At a time when we seem so far apart, I hope ‘OLI MAZI’ … can maybe bring us a little closer.”

[RELATED: Diane Warren on the Frustrations and Fruition of Songwriting]

For Wilson, who also co-wrote “Even More Mine” for My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 with Darrell Brown and Nathan Chapman, the third installment of the film also reunited her with fellow Greek artist Christos Mastoras, frontman of the Greek band Melisses. The two previously collaborated on the 2019 single “Let Me Be.” 

It doesn’t matter where we are / We’re always close, we’re never far / From each other / ‘Cause I’m with you everywhere / Good to know we’re always there … Love will always, always, always find a way sing Wilson and Mastoras, echoing the message of connectedness on the pulsating dance track. 

Helmed by an all-Greek production team, “OLI MAZI” was co-produced by Wilson and multi-instrumentalist Emanuel “Eman” Kiriakou. The 34-track soundtrack, which was composed by Stephanie Economous, also features dozens of songs performed by Greek artists.

For Wilson, “OLI MAZI” also marked her own reunion to the franchise since she produced the very first film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, in 2002 and its sequel, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, which also featured her in a supporting role. Written and directed and starring NiaVardalos, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 also stars John Corbett and *NSYNC‘s Joey Fatone, along with the extended cast of the Portokalos family reunited in Greece once again.

“OLI MAZI” is another clip for Wilson’s catalog as a performer and songwriter, following her 2021 solo debut AM/FM and her self-titled release in 2006, along with Bigger Picture (2018), Halfway to Home (2019) and her 2022 collection of covers, Now & Forever: Duets, featuring duets with Willie Nelson, Elvis Costello, Smokey Robinson, Tim McGraw, and Jackson Browne, among others.

Wilson recently spoke to American Songwriter about returning to My Big Fat Greek Wedding, how Kara DioGuardi encouraged her to write, how Diane Warren persuaded her to sing, and why it’s all about the story for her when it comes to songwriting.

American Songwriter: This third time with My Big Fat Greek Wedding and your second time writing a song for the franchise. How did “OLI MAZI” come together for this film?

Rita Wilson: When the opportunity came up again to do a song for this one, Nia Vardalos, who is our star, but also the writer and director of this film, and writer of the original play that I saw, she wanted something very Greek-feeling. She wanted it to have Greek flavor, a Greek vibe, but also wanted something that could resonate in America, even though the words may not be English. The words “Oli Mazi” means “we are all together,” so it’s pretty simple to understand. If people can “Despacito”… We’ve become more and more global, so why not? I say the more the merrier. Bring in more cultures.

AS: Coming from your album of duets, Now & Forever, here you have a more”OLI MAZI,” a more dancey track. Did you know what you wanted sonically, and that you wanted Christos Mastoras and Diane Warren on board?

RW: You have to write for whatever it is that’s in front of you. So in this case, it was very specific. It had to feel Greek, but it had to feel contemporary and pop-like. I immediately thought of my friend Christos Mastoras because he’s a really big star here in Greece. He also speaks fluent English. And then we also brought in Diane Warren, who is a friend. She was really one of the people who actually encouraged me to perform and to sing (I’ll tell you that story later). When I asked her if she would do this, she was reluctant, because she doesn’t really co-write. 

[RELATED: Rita Wilson on Songwriting, Duetting with Willie Nelson, Elvis Costello and More]

We went into her office and studio, and before I even got into the lobby, she had picked up the guitar. We sat down on a bench in the lobby of her reception area and started writing the song, which was great. We never even got into her studio. We just started writing it and that’s, that’s how it happened. 

Songwriting was always magical to me. It feels like this thing did not exist, and now it exists, and I think that’s miraculous. It just doesn’t ever cease to amaze me like, “Wow, here we are doing this. This song that’s never been out there before, and now we have something.” 

I’ve said this before, but I like to look at it this way. Songwriting to me, when I first started writing felt like this: You meet a complete stranger. You fall in love sonically. You strip naked, emotionally. You create beautiful musical intercourse, and you leave with a gorgeous song baby.

AS: That is a perfect description. That’s it. We’re done here. 

RW: (Laughing) Yes! Diane and I were making a baby together.

AS: When it came to the lyrics, who initiated them on “OLI MAZI”—you or Diane Warren?

RW: Because the movie is very much about family and acceptance and embracing, and the love that exists within our families—your birth family, chosen family, or the family you’ve married into—I knew that those words or that sentiment should be communicated somehow. I definitely had “OLI MAZI” (We Are All Together),” because that was what Nia wanted. And then you get into a room with a genius like Diane Warren, and everything just flows together beautifully. It was funny because I would say things to Diane, like “How about this?” and she’d be like, “No, no,” quietly. And then I’m like “Okay, we’ll do better.” It was great writing with her because I like it when people are opinionated. They don’t just say, “Yeah, that’s fine. Let’s do that.” Diane is extremely gifted. We all know how amazingly talented she is, so I’m so thankful to her. Writing with her was also like a bit of a masterclass too, because you are in the presence of someone in their creative process, which we don’t often get to see. We wrote it, produced it, and put it out within five days.

AS: You also mentioned that Kara DioGuardi encouraged you to write and that Diane Warren and (vocal coach) Eric Vetro pushed you to start singing.

RW: Let me tell you both of those stories. If it weren’t for the angel called Kara DioGuardi, I wouldn’t be a songwriter. One day, I said, “God, I wish I could write a song like you,” and she said, “Why can’t you?” And I said, “Well, because I’m not a musician. I don’t play the instrument. I don’t read music.” She said, “Neither do I. Do you have something you want to say?” And when she said that, I said “Oh my God. I have so much.” She said, “I’m going to write your first songs with you, and I’m going to show you how this is done.” And she did that. She kept her word. 

With Diane, Glamour magazine used to do these short films called Glamour Reel Moments where readers would write in their stories, and they would go to filmmakers, who had never been behind the camera before. They would go to actors or writers or musicians, and ask if I would direct a film. So I said “yes” to this one piece of material. (I’m very excited to say that I directed Channing Tatum, so that’s not so bad.) But when we were editing the film, I was having dinner with Diane and a bunch of friends, and I  said that was looking for a song for the end of the movie, but there was no money left in the budget, and she said, “What’s the movie about?” I explained it to her, and she goes “How about this?” She puts headphones on me, and she plays this song called “Lessons Learned,” and it was a song that had been covered by Carrie Underwood and Kristin Chenoweth. I said it was a perfect song, but I couldn’t afford Carrie or Kristin, and she said, “I’m gonna give you the song. You just have to find somebody to sing it.” I had to turn it in by Wednesday, and it was already Friday night. Eric Vetro, who is one of my voice teachers, said, “You’re gonna sing it Rita.” And I’m like, “No, I can’t.” He’s like, “No, you’re gonna sing it.”

So I went into Diane’s studio, and I recorded the track, and she gave the song to me for free. She was the first person that really agreed with Eric and said, “Yeah, you’re gonna sing it Rita. It was really the first time I’d ever done anything like that, so thank you to Diane and Eric Vetro.

AS: It’s amazing people come into your life and push you in some direction because look at what you’re doing now.

RW: It’s so interesting that you say that, because I have typically been the person that encourages other people, and I guess I’m more comfortable in that position than the person who is on the other side of that. It feels very vulnerable to say “yes” to things and then you’ve committed to this now. You have to move forward and actually do it. I always wanted a mentor or something like that in my life, which I didn’t really have until much later through Nora Ephron, but it would have been great to have somebody like that as a kid. My parents totally supported me, but they weren’t in the business. I’m very thankful for everyone because things happen the way they’re supposed to when they’re supposed to.

AS: Now that you’re more than a decade into songwriting, what kind of writer are you now?

RW: I always love stories, so that’s always going to be there. I love a story, and a melody, of course, and I love a hook. One of the things I think is so great about Taylor Swift as a songwriter is that she has these great stories. She has these amazing melodies, but she always has a hook that you can go away singing. It seems to be working out for her. (Laughs)

I credit every songwriter that I’ve ever written with because I wouldn’t even be here talking to you if it weren’t for all of them. Every time I’ve written, I’ve learned something, and I’ve taken from that experience, and it impacts me and it embossed on my spirit and my art. And I take it into the next session. 

As a songwriter, there are two things that have to happen. You have to be super open to every situation that you are in. Then, I had to learn to find my own voice—metaphorically and literally—in terms of what the song that I participate in sounds like or feels like. What is it going to say? 

I try to make sure that it makes sense—but not everything needs to make sense. I could be wrong, but “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd, and I think there are only seven or eight lines total in that whole song. It doesn’t matter, because it’s still saying something. I try to be open to new ways of thinking or what co-writers bring into a situation. At the same time, I have a bit of a point of view.

In the beginning, it was really intimidating to write with all these incredible writers, and I would say to myself “How can I assert myself here,” but everyone was so open and so willing to work with me. I’ve been able to keep all of those relationships with everybody I’ve ever written with, and I continue to write with them over the last decade to 11 years. 

Photo: Harper Smith / Courtesy of BTPR