Series: Highlighting WiRED's Volunteers

Michael Constantine

by Laura Smolucha

Actor Michael Constantine has starred in eminent roles throughout his career and proved himself to be a jack of all trades, but has never forgotten about others in the world. From his rise to fame on Broadway and television to his epic role in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” he has truly done it all. More recently, he appeared in WiRED International’s video to help spread awareness for the aid of developing and war-affected regions.

Constantine is best known today for his role as Gus Portokalos, the Windex-spraying Greek patriarch in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” in 2002. His character offered comedic relief at times while also shedding light on the immense pride and love within his large Greek family.

Although his younger audience may know him from “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” many seasoned fans can recall his role of Principal Kaufman in “Room 222” in 1969. Prior to “Room 222,” he was performing in “Inherit the Wind,” in 1955, and “Compulsion,” in 1957. While fortifying his 50-year acting career, it seems that Constantine has always remembered the hardships that are faced throughout the world.

In 2009, Constantine lent his talent to creating the introductory video for WiRED in hopes of drawing awareness to the organization and its projects. He explained why he was so eager to help the cause: “The question should probably be why wouldn't anyone want to help promote WiRED? Here is an organization that spreads medical knowledge to places in the world that don't have it. Who could be against that?”

When asked why he would back an organization that specifically targets health care and awareness in developing regions, Constantine replied, “You only have to look at the AIDS situation in Africa to see why WiRED is needed. The problem is still there.” This July, WiRED volunteers traveled to Kenya to recharge the Community Health Information Centers (see story on WiRED’s Website). In addition, the program installed a new e-library for further research and knowledge about AIDS prevention and other healthy lifestyle practices.

In the video, Constantine says: “The goal of WIRED International is to make this essential information available worldwide. This is the kind of information that can save countless lives.” Although WIRED’s focus is the prevention and diagnosis of AIDS, Constantine affirmed that, “When a cure is found, we will need WIRED to spread the technology for the cure.”

Constantine also touched on an important concern for anyone who is involved in nonprofit work: funding and volunteer support. When considering donating either time, money, or in his case, his reputation, it is important to understand how much of the donated funds are used for the cause itself. Constantine had mentioned that in the past, he had worked with a charity and later found out that about 90% of the money was used for “administration of the charity.”

WiRED, by contrast, spends nothing on salaries for administrators and very little on administrative activities. This became a key factor in Constantine’s support of the organization. He explains how he found out WiRED uses more than 90% of donations for the cause itself. “Many so called charities end up being questionable. My research consisted of talking to people I trust, like Dr. Suellen Crano (a WiRED board member) and her husband, Bill (an internationally recognized social psychologist). No busy person has time to be researching charities.” He also feels that other celebrities don’t follow his lead and appear in similar videos because of “the mistrust I spoke of before and the lack of time and a world view.”

Constantine often spoke of a conscientious side that seems to translate its way onto his screen work. He suggests that the best way for the younger generation to help the world cause is to “take a spiritual view of the world. Not a religious one, but a spiritual one. There is so much in the society today that tells them, like Michael Douglas in ‘Wall Street’ that ‘greed is good.’ That one’s goal must be financial. Well, we all have to make a living, but if that’s all we focus on we will be very poor.”

Through it all, Constantine has remained a resilient actor, an advocate for human compassion, and more recently a writer and producer of films. At 83, he is producing several films that are both written and created by him. He has an incredible ethic that has helped him rise to fame, and he has never forgotten about the global citizenship that many celebrities neglect. Through his activism and WiRED’s recent program growth, there’s hope for the world’s medical maladies. As Gus Portokalos might advise, just put a little Windex on it.

^ Back to the Top