A Sneak Peek at A24’s Anthony Bourdain Biopic ‘Tony’ Featuring Dominic Sessa as a Rising Star Chef
A24 Releases First Trailer for Anthony Bourdain Biopic ‘Tony’
A24 has introduced the first trailer for its biographical film Tony, which focuses on the life of renowned chef Anthony Bourdain. The film stars Dominic Sessa, known for his breakout role in The Holdovers, and is set to be released in theaters this August.
Directed by Matt Johnson, who previously helmed Blackberry and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, Tony depicts a 19-year-old Bourdain as he travels to Provincetown, Massachusetts. There, he enters the tumultuous environment of a restaurant kitchen, an experience that profoundly shapes his future.
The trailer opens with a flashback to Bourdain’s college days, where he shares, “Okay, so I’m just going to walk you through the basic vision. It’s a coming-of-age story.”
In a bar scene, Bourdain reconnects with a former high school classmate, played by Emilia Jones. She asks him, “Didn’t you punch a hole in the principal’s door?” To which he responds, assuring her that “a lot’s changed since high school. I’m a writer now. The truth is, I’m about to get this huge writing fellowship.” However, he soon learns he did not receive the fellowship, leading to a series of unfortunate events, including punching a wall and being ejected from the bar, ultimately finding himself passed out on the street.
This turning point leads him to Provincetown, where he begins working under a chef portrayed by Antonio Banderas. Banderas’s character sets high expectations, stating, “We open Wednesday to Sunday. Start 11:00 a.m. That means you are here at 10:45. 11:00 is late. Anyone late is fired.”
As the story unfolds, Bourdain experiences conflicts with his kitchen colleagues and is confronted by Jones’s character, who asks, “Are you a good guy or a bad guy?” Banderas’s character also guides Sessa’s Bourdain in culinary skills, including how to open an oyster. Bourdain recalls fond memories: “I ate these in France when I was a kid. I said they taste like the future.”
Although Bourdain’s journey in Provincetown begins chaotically, he gradually earns his place in the kitchen, taking on more responsibilities. “What we’re going to start with is a special,” he declares. “Every Friday, something fancy, not pretentious. Something sexy, makes you want to f*ck. Something only you can do.”
The trailer concludes with Bourdain embracing his new path, asserting, “If anybody asks, I’m not a writer. I work in a kitchen.”
Tony is co-written by Johnson, Matthew Miller, Todd Bartels, and Lou Howe. The film features a supporting cast that includes Dagmara Dominczyk, Rich Sommers, Stavros Halkias, and Leo Woodall. The project is produced by Tim White, Trevor White, Miller, and Johnson.
