Dominic Sessa Is the Perfect Choice to Play Anthony Bourdain
Though he was once a Holdover, Dominic Sessa now has No Reservations. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself.) According to Deadline, the breakthrough actor from the Oscar-winning dramedy is circling the role of late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain in a new biopic titled Tony. By choosing the 21-year-old Sessa, it's possible that the film will portray Bourdain's earlier life—when he was fresh out the Culinary Institute of America and diving head first into New York City's Parts Unknown. (Okay, I'll stop!)
Matt Johnson (BlackBerry) will reportedly direct the film, with Deadline reporting that A24 is likely to produce. The film has no release date or confirmation that Sessa is its star. If Sessa is indeed Johnson's choice to play Bourdain, it's very cool that the production is thinking of a new, younger talent who is already auteur-approved. Sessa was the breakout star of Alexander Payne's The Holdovers, starring in his first film role alongside Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph.
The last person to portray Bourdain on film was Bradley Cooper for the 2005 television adaptation of Bourdain's memoir, Kitchen Confidential. The series didn't last beyond its first season—in fact, it was canceled midway through. But the book launched Bourdain's media career into the stratosphere. Kitchen Confidential was a blisteringly personal work that detailed Bourdain's history of drug use revealed his experiences working in dysfunctional, high-end kitchens.
The role seems like the perfect next step for Sessa, as he takes his angsty, sailor-mouthed teen persona from The Holdovers into the underbelly of the real world. Say goodbye to feel-good New England Christmas, Mr. Sessa! It's time to "Yes Chef!" your way to daily panic attacks like The Bear's motley crew. Hopefully, it won't take Sessa too long to learn not to order fish on a Monday.
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