‘The Holdovers’ Dominic Sessa to Play Chef Anthony Bourdain in New Biopic

The young actor, who broke out big in the Oscar-winning drama ‘The Holdovers’, is now the choice to play the charismatic chef and broadcaster, who died in 2018.

(Left) Dominic Sessa stars as Angus Tully in director Alexander Payne’s 'The Holdovers,'a Focus Features release. Credit: Seacia Pavao / © 2023 FOCUS FEATURES LLC. (Right) Anthony Bourdain in 'Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown'. Photo: CNN.

Preview:

Dominic Sessa is to play chef Anthony Bourdain in ‘Tony’.
The biopic will be directed by ‘Blackberry’s Matt Johnson.
A24 is considering picking up the movie.

What do you do when you’ve enjoyed a breakout starring role in one of the more acclaimed comedy dramas of recent years, one that saw your co-stars nominated for Oscars and one win hers (Da’Vine Joy Randolph)? Do you see whether Marvel comes calling?

For ‘The Holdovers’ Dominic Sessa, he’s going in some interesting other directions, and the latest involves playing a respected (and tragic) real-life figure.

Sessa is now part of a biopic called ‘Tony’ that will chart part of the life of famed chef and broadcaster Anthony Bourdain.

What’s the story of ‘Tony’?

Anthony Bourdain in 'Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown'. Photo: CNN.

With a script by Lou Howe and Todd Bartels, ‘Tony’ will focus on some or all of Bourdain’ life.

He got his culinary start cooking in various restaurants across Manhattan in the 1980s and 90s including being the executive chef at Brasserie Les Halles in Manhattan.

Yet it was his essay collection about the ugly secrets of restaurants that put him on the map. Following there publication in the New Yorker, Bourdain became an instant star on the media food scene due to his point-blank, tell-it-how-it-is tone that was not the norm in cookery writing.

That landed him the job of hosting a number of shows on TV, but it was his Travel Channel series ‘Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations’ that made him star over its eight season run. Tragically, Bourdain passed away in 2018 after committing suicide and while researching a season of the show.

His younger days were the inspiration for the short-lived comedy series ‘Kitchen Confidential’ in 2005, which starred Bradley Cooper.

Kitchen Confidential

NR1 SeasonsSeptember 19th, 2005

Jack Bourdain had it all but messed it up going wild. Four years later, he ends up with a crappy job in Pizza Chain. Then, he gets an offer to get back in the game... Read the Plot

Who else is involved with ‘Tony’?

(L to R) Jay Baruchel and Glenn Howerton in 'BlackBerry'. Photo: Elevation Pictures.

The film comes from production company Star Thrower, which has seen some success in the biopic sphere via ‘King Richard’, which followed the father of tennis champs Venus and Serena Williams and saw Will Smith score an Oscar in 2022.

Matt Johnson, who most recently worked on another based-on-truth tale, tech comedy drama ‘Blackberry’, will be behind the camera for ‘Tony’.

What else will Dominic Sessa will be seen in?

(L to R) Dominic Sessa stars as Angus Tully and Paul Giamatti as Paul Hunham in director Alexander Payne’s 'The Holdovers,' a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of FOCUS FEATURES / © 2023 FOCUS FEATURES LLC.

Off the back of his ‘Holdovers’ success, Sessa has landed roles in sequel ‘Now You See Me 3’, a drama about a real-life battle against a car towing company called ‘Tow’ and Christmas-themed comedy ‘Oh. What. Fun.’

When will ‘Tony’ be on screens?

While A24 is considering picking up the package, it has no official home yet, so a release date is a ways off. But if it all comes together and shoots this year, it could be out later in 2025.