Dominic Sessa, the 23-year-old actor, admits he was initially skeptical about taking on the role of Anthony Bourdain in A24's new film Tony. In an interview with Metro, Sessa revealed that he wasn't a big fan of the late chef and author 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,' he said.
Sessa discovered Bourdain organically through his mother, who watched him on TV when Sessa was growing up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He also used YouTube videos to research the role. After Bourdain's death in 2018, Sessa noticed a resurgence of interest in him among his 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 explained.
The Film's Setting and Sessa's Preparation
Tony is set during a formative summer in Provincetown, Massachusetts, in 1975, exploring the experiences and relationships that shaped Bourdain. Sessa was adamant he wouldn't impersonate Bourdain with a corny impression, forgoing hoop earrings, tattoos, or a seasoned traveler persona. He and director Matt Johnson had creative freedom, using photographs of Bourdain from that time as reference. 'We had several photos of him at that age in Provincetown, there’s a lot of pictures of him on the beach. That was a good reference for me, in that setting. He was also really thin; you could tell in these photos,' Sessa said.
To embody Bourdain's physicality, Sessa lost significant weight during filming. '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,' he added.
Learning from a Star-Studded Cast
Sessa leaned on his co-stars, including Leo Woodall and Antonio Banderas, who played a mentor role both on and off screen. Banderas portrayed a head chef and restaurant owner in the film. Sessa praised Banderas for his youthful energy and openness. '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.
Their first meeting on set left a lasting impression. 'The way he came into this project was so relieving to me because I’d never met him before until we started filming. He’s a very famous actor, so I was like, “Is he going to be nice? Is he gonna talk to me?” And when he came in, he just had such an openness to asking me questions, asking Matt questions constantly, that was really huge for me,' Sessa recounted. He called it a big lesson in what makes successful actors with long careers, noting, 'That’s what the best actors do and what I’ve seen consistently with the really top notch pros that I’ve experienced.'
Eric Ripert's Involvement and Bourdain's Estate's Blessing
Sessa was put at ease when Bourdain's close friend and colleague, Eric Ripert, signed up for a cameo in the film, appearing 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. He described the experience as 'special' and 'meant a lot to us.'
The late presenter's estate also 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, especially since he initially had reservations. '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,' he admitted. 'But to explore it…it really has changed my life.'
Tony is out in cinemas today.
