American actor Michael Constantine, prominently known among fans for playing the character Gus Portokalos in the 1994 blockbuster rom com My Big Fat Greek Wedding, passed away due to natural causes on August 31. He was 94. The news of the actor's demise has been confirmed by his representatives in a statement on Wednesday, with condolences pouring in from celebrities and personalities in the film industry, including Nia Vardalos, his on-screen daughter in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. 

Playing the role of Fotoula "Toula" Portokalos in the cult classic film, Nia Vardalos paid her tributes to Michael Constantine on Twitter and wrote, "Michael Constantine, the dad to our cast-family, a gift to the written word, and always a friend. Acting with him came with a rush of love and fun. I will treasure this man who brought Gus to life. He gave us so much laughter and deserves a rest now. We love you Michael." Apart from a group photo, Vardalos also shared another picture which has Constantine posing along with her real life dad. She captioned the pic, "Michael Constantine as “Gus” and my real dad Constantine “Gus” Vardalos, onset #MyBigFatGreekWedding2. May both dads Rest In Peace." 

A beloved name in Hollywood, Michael Constantine starred in several notable films like What Women Want, while also landing an Emmy nomination for his work on the comedy drama series Room 222. His last major on-screen appearance was in 2016's My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 in which he reprised the role of Gus Portokalos. The news of Constantine's passing has led to an outpouring of love from many in the entertainment industry, including actor Bradley Whitford who paid his respects saying, "Michael Constantine was a terrific actor and a wonderfully kind man. Well done, sir. Rest In Peace."