Vince Vaughn teamed up with a quartet of iconic veteran actresses for a new comedy that celebrates Italian-American heritage through the lens of food, family and tradition.
The 55-year-old actor is starring alongside Lorraine Bracco, 70; Talia Shire, 79; Susan Sarandon, 78; and Brenda Vaccaro, 85, in the Netflix movie “Nonnas,” titled after the Italian word for “grandmothers.” Based on a real-life story, the film follows MTA worker Jody “Joe” Scaravella (Vaughn), who decides to change his life after the death of his beloved mother Maria and open an Italian restaurant, Enoteca Maria, to honor her and his late grandmother.
Rather than hiring professional chefs, Joe enlists four Italian grandmothers, including Roberta (Bracco), Teresa (Shire), Gia (Sarandon) and Antonella (Vaccaro), to be the restaurant’s cooks using their own traditional methods and recipes. During the movie, Joe begins to heal from the grief of losing his mother after forming close bonds with the nonnas and finding a new sense of purpose.
“I really enjoyed the connection of food and family [and] the idea that love and culture was passed down through food and get-togethers, and that those gifts stay with us always,” Vaughn told Entertainment Weekly in April.
While speaking with Screen Rant, Vaughn explained how he resonated with the movie’s themes and his character’s journey throughout the film.
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“I like movies that are exploring things in life, moments, experiences,” the “Wedding Crashers” star said. “I think one of the powerful things about the movie is you have the perspective of being a kid for all of us, and what that is in those family events. And then it kind of flashes forward, and you realize the impact of being in a very different stage of life.”
“I was raised with my granny in the house with me, and so I really loved that this was a real place and a true story,” Vaughn continued. “I’d never heard of the restaurant, but Joe created a place where he brought Italian grandmothers to be the cooks to make the recipes that were their family, recipes that they used to feed their family and to celebrate life. I thought that was such an interesting idea and such a great send-up to these ladies and this culture.”
“Then you’re dealing with the loss of a parent, but recognizing where they’re alive — in spirit and food — and what they taught you, and searching for that bond, that connection,” he added. “And what does that next chapter look like for someone? What do you do with these feelings? And how do you create community and family?
“I think what a lot of people want is love and connection and good experiences and relationships and bonds that are meaningful. That’s what we all cherish and strive to have in our lives.”
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“Nonnas” was directed by Stephen Chbosky and written by his wife, screenwriter Liz Maccie. During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Chbosky praised the four powerhouse actresses who play the nonnas, describing them as “an embarrassment of riches.”
Chbosky, who previously directed “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” and “Dear Evan Hansen,” said that casting Bracco, Shire, Sarandon and Vaccaro as the nonnas “was a process of saying, ‘Please, God?’ and then they said yes.”
Two of the actresses are well-known for their roles in famous projects that focused on the Italian-American community.
Bracco received an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe nod for her performance as Karen Hill, the wife of real-life mobster Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), in Martin Scorsese’s 1990 gangster movie “Goodfellas.” She later starred as Tony Soprano’s psychiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi, on the hit HBO series “The Sopranos,” earning four Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe nods.
Shire rose to fame for her role as Connie Corleone in the “Godfather” movie trilogy, which was directed by her brother, Francis Ford Coppola. She received a best supporting actress Oscar nomination for her performance in 1974’s “The Godfather: Part II.” Shire also earned a best actress Academy Award nod for playing Rocky Balboa’s love interest Adrian Pennino in 1976’s “Rocky,” and reprised her role in four “Rocky” sequels.
Sarandon has starred in a slew of heralded films, including “Thelma & Louise,” “Bull Durham” and “Dead Man Walking,” the latter of which earned her an Academy Award for best actress.
Vaccaro is a three-time Tony Award nominee who received a Golden Globe nod for her role in 1969’s “Midnight Cowboy” and an Oscar nod for her performance in 1975’s “Once Is Not Enough.”
During an interview with Extra, Vaughn said that working with the foursome was “incredible.”
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“I’m a massive fan and just been moved by all of them and so many incredible performances,” he said. “I certainly took advantage of the time to ask a lot of questions about a lot of their work that I love.”
Vaughn continued, “It was fun to get just to sit back and watch them, like the character in the movie, where you create the space for these women to cook and to prepare their craft, which is food. In the same way for me, it was fun to sit back and get to watch these dynamics when they were having scenes to exchange and just watch them interact with each other. It was incredible.”
“Nonnas” also stars Joe Manganiello, Linda Cardellini and Drea de Matteo. While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Manganiello raved over working with the women in the cast, whom he called a “murderer’s row of great Italian American actresses.”
Looking back on his time filming “Nonnas,” the actor recalled “talking to Susan about ‘Bull Durham,’ to Lorraine about ‘Goodfellas’ and ‘The Sopranos,’ Talia telling stories about ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Rocky,’ and Brenda telling ‘Midnight Cowboy’ stories. It was the best.”
While speaking with Extra, Vaughn reflected on watching “Nonnas” with his own mother, Sharon, telling the outlet that his children Locklyn and Vernon call her “Nonna.”
“I got to share the movie with her,” he recalled. “She really loved it. It was nice. That’s one nice thing I think about the movie. It’s a real honoring of these moms and these grandmothers, whatever their background, and the love that they brought to these families.”
“I mean, my parents were both born in the Great Depression,” Vaughn continued. “So I was never that removed from that kind of struggle. So some of the stuff that’s talked about today, I just can’t relate to it because I had so much family that were just, for generations, just living, but happy. Lots of struggle, but always happy. I never heard them complain.”
“No one would sit around and complain,” he added. “So you really did appreciate and have fun and enjoy moments when you got to be with the family and have some laughs. That was so much of a part of it. So I think it’s a send-up, it’s an honoring of these women that have fed and loved and nurtured and supported families.”
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“Nonnas” was released on Netflix on Friday.
