Dominic Sessa, 23, admits he was 'definitely sceptical' about taking on the role of Anthony Bourdain in A24's new film Tony, out in cinemas today. In an interview with Metro, the actor revealed he wasn't a fan of the late chef before starting the project.
'Before I even started the movie, I wasn't a big fan of his really. He didn't hold a big place in my life,' Sessa said. He discovered Bourdain through his mother watching him on TV while growing up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and later through YouTube videos for research.
'After he passed away, he really had a resurgence in my generation. I think a lot of people, my age in particular, started to become really interested in him. And a big reason why I was fascinated to learn about him and do this project was because people around me were affected by him,' he said.
A Formative Summer in Provincetown
Set during a formative summer in Provincetown, Massachusetts, in 1975, Tony explores the experiences, relationships, and ambitions that shaped Bourdain. Sessa, who nearly became a hockey player, was plucked from a casting call in 2021 by director Alexander Payne for The Holdovers, his first acting role, opposite Paul Giamatti.
Sessa was adamant he wouldn't impersonate Bourdain like-for-like – no hoop earring, no tattoos, and he's not a seasoned traveller. Instead, he and director Matt Johnson had 'a lot of creative agency and freedom.' He used photographs of Bourdain on the beach in Provincetown as a reference, noting Bourdain 'was also really thin.'
'I lost a lot of weight throughout shooting because I had also been living that lifestyle too; you're in the sun all day, you become frail. I was trying to mimic a mini microcosm of that trajectory in this movie,' Sessa explained.
Learning from Banderas and Ripert
Sessa leaned on a star-studded cast, including Leo Woodall and Antonio Banderas, who mentored him both on and off screen. 'He was never forceful with me like "you should do this, or try this". He has such a youthful energy about him. He never comes from a place of feeling like, "I'm a master at this, I know what I'm doing." He's constantly in a place of discovery,' Sessa said.
Bourdain's close friend and colleague, Eric Ripert, appears in the touching final scene. Ripert was the last person to see Bourdain alive before his death in June 2018. 'You're so nervous going into something like this and you have no idea what it's going to end up like, what it's going to be, and then Eric shows up and you have this moment where you can relax. A boost of confidence, which is something you need when you're doing these kinds of projects. It can feel so confusing along the way,' Sessa said. 'It was special. And it meant a lot to us.'
Estate's Blessing and Personal Impact
Bourdain's estate released a statement giving Tony their blessing, saying: 'It is not a standard biopic and doesn't attempt to summarise a life'. Sessa said this 'meant everything' to him.
'When I first read the script, it was not something I was interested in doing. I was coming out of place of "Yeah, he probably would hate something like this." And I don't know if he would like this movie or not. It's impossible to say or know. But to explore it…it really has changed my life,' he said.
