Dominic Sessa, known for his role in “The Holdovers,” is set to star as the iconic celebrity chef and travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain in the biopic titled “Tony.” The film will be produced by Star Thrower Entertainment, the company behind “The Post,” “King Richard,” and “Eternity.” A24 is in discussions to produce the film, with Matt Johnson, director and co-writer of “BlackBerry,” rumored to direct.
The screenplay for “Tony” is penned by Lou Howe and Todd Bartels. Alongside Johnson and Matthew Miller, Trevor White and Tim White will produce the film under the Star Thrower banner, with Emily Rose serving as executive producer.
Sessa, recently named one of Variety’s 10 Actors to Watch for 2023, is also set to appear in “Now You See Me 3” with newcomers Ariana Greenblatt and Justice Smith. Additionally, he will feature in Michael Showalter’s Christmas comedy “Oh. What. Fun.” and the film “Tow” starring Rose Byrne.
Details on which part of Bourdain’s life the biopic will explore remain unclear. Bourdain, the celebrated host of “No Reservations” and “Parts Unknown,” passed away by suicide in 2018. “Tony” will follow the 2021 documentary “Roadrunner,” which, despite its critical acclaim, faced controversy over the use of AI to recreate Bourdain’s voice for some quotes.
Sessa is represented by CAA, Untitled, and Steve Warren at Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, while Johnson and Miller are represented by CAA and Chris Spicer at Akin Gump.
