Dominic Sessa May Portray Anthony Bourdain in A24’s Upcoming Biopic

Dominic Sessa is about to have No Reservations.

What do you get when you combine the breakout star of The Holdovers, BlackBerry director and co-writer Matt Johnson, and the innovative studio A24? The answer, according to multiple reports, is Tony—a biopic about the life of celebrity chef and travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain.

Sessa and Johnson are in discussions to star and direct the project, respectively, according to reports from Deadline and Variety. While The Hollywood Reporter states that both are already attached, sources informed IndieWire that no deals were finalized as of Monday night.

Trevor White and Tim White, known for producing Ingrid Goes West and King Richard, are slated to produce under their company Star Thrower Entertainment alongside Johnson and Matthew Miller. Emily Rose will serve as executive producer for a script written by Lou Howe and Todd Bartels.

A24 is in negotiations to acquire the entire project, sources confirmed to Deadline. The company has not provided any comment on the matter.

Bourdain rose to fame by revealing the gritty, intense restaurant world first in a viral article for The New Yorker and later in his 2000 memoir Kitchen Confidential. His raw, compelling voice and rebellious persona led to a successful career as a journalist, documentarian, and worldly gastronome, starring in numerous award-winning TV shows.

He tragically passed away by suicide in 2018 while filming the 12th season of the CNN program Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.

As of now, it’s unclear which part of Bourdain’s life the movie Tony will focus on. Notably, Sessa is 21.

Sessa gained instant fame in a way similar to Bourdain, but his success came from his debut role in last year’s The Holdovers. His portrayal of a troubled, witty boarding school student earned him a Film Independent Spirit Award and a BAFTA nomination. He is also set to appear in Lionsgate’s Now You See Me 3, due to hit theaters next year.

Source: The Daily Beast