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Dominic Sessa’s “Tony” biopic role after hardship

8/13/2026

24 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Sessa Stays in Character

Dominic Sessa stayed in character off-camera for the eight-week shoot of the biopic “Tony” about Anthony Bourdain.
He spoke hardly at all the first month and asked Paul Giamatti for advice.
Sessa called the method a voluntary hardship that could change his life.
After a leg break ended his hockey scholarship at Deerfield Academy, a 2021 open audition there gave him a film role, the lead in his major biopic.

Summary

Bourdain Suicide

The film references Anthony Bourdain’s suicide in his Kaysersberg hotel room.
It features Spiritus Pizza, the shop that hosted Anthony Bourdain, and stars Leo Woodall as Sal and Antonio Banderas as the Flagship’s proprietor.
The storyline shows Anthony Bourdain’s drug use, bar fights and partying, while Dominic Sessa worked bakery shifts from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. to fund drinking, also hailing from Ocean City, the hometown Bourdain spent a summer in.

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Sessa Stays in Character

Dominic Sessa stayed in character off-camera for the eight-week shoot of the biopic “Tony” about Anthony Bourdain.
He spoke hardly at all the first month and asked Paul Giamatti for advice.
Sessa called the method a voluntary hardship that could change his life.
After a leg break ended his hockey scholarship at Deerfield Academy, a 2021 open audition there gave him a film role, the lead in his major biopic.

1 / 2