With just four days remaining until his wedding and a mere eight days before commencing production on his upcoming film, Canadian filmmaker Matt Johnson appeared surprisingly calm last week.
He arrived at Toronto’s Revue Cinema dressed casually in a T-shirt and sweatpants to discuss Tony, a highly anticipated biopic that delves into the formative years of the celebrated chef and television figure Anthony Bourdain.
Although Bourdain was a cherished public figure, revered following his untimely passing in 2018, Johnson seemed untroubled about narrating his journey.
-
Celebrity chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain dead at 61
-
Despite controversy, Anthony Bourdain championed Canadian cuisine
“I had virtually no connection to the public persona or the image of this individual,” Johnson remarked.
In fact, he noted that he had not originally planned to create a film about Bourdain, the line cook who ascended to become an executive chef, bestselling author, and travel documentary host of the series Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, which aired for 12 seasons.
That perspective shifted, Johnson explained, after meeting actor Dominic Sessa, who portrays the lead character in the film.
“[Sessa] shared a similar viewpoint on various topics … especially regarding role models and the facade of adulthood and deception … just fundamental, straightforward issues,” Johnson reflected. “It struck me that this was a fantastic chance for us to explore these themes together.”
In his new film Tony, Canadian filmmaker Matt Johnson had to grapple with the portrayal of the wildly loved and admired chef and author Anthony Bourdain. Here is how he dealt with the pressure of capturing such an idolized figure.
CORRECTION: The movie Tony is distributed by A24, not “A24/Elevation” as credited in this video.
Film mines stories from Kitchen Confidential
Sessa, 23, was chosen for the leading role, prompting Johnson to begin scripting, drawing upon narratives from Bourdain’s early life as detailed in his book Kitchen Confidential. This material was distilled into a storyline centered on one summer in Provincetown, Massachusetts, marking Bourdain’s first summer as a chef.
Initially, both the director and lead actor were not particularly familiar with Bourdain’s work. In Sessa’s case, Johnson expressed a desire to maintain that unfamiliarity.
“I instructed Dom not to prepare, because Bourdain himself arrived in Provincetown without any expectation of becoming a globally recognized chef. He was, in many ways, intimidated and apprehensive. I aimed to keep Dom as connected to that experience as possible.”
-
‘Be kind, be nice, be sweet’: Montreal restaurateur on the best advice Anthony Bourdain ever gave him
-
Anthony Bourdain liked Toronto’s food more than its looks, and this city’s chefs loved him
By concentrating on the younger Tony, Johnson was able to mitigate the pressure of depicting the more established Anthony Bourdain, someone many fans believe they know intimately.
“There are admirers of his who regard him almost as a saintly figure,” said the director. “That immediately signals the need for caution, as it indicates that certain individuals’ expectations of this earthly man will far exceed what a genuine person can be on screen.”
Thus, Kitchen Confidential provided narrative elements for a tale about the summer Bourdain honed his culinary skills, encompassing the challenges young men face during that period.
“Complex aspects of his upbringing, his bond with his mother, his connections with peers, and his self-perception as he transitioned into adulthood,” Johnson elaborated.
How do you choose what time of an icon’s life to capture on screen in a biopic? Canadian filmmaker Matt Johnson explains how he settled on a summer in Provincetown, Mass., to tell the story of chef and author Anthony Bourdain.
CORRECTION: The movie Tony is distributed by A24, not “A24/Elevation” as credited in this video.
This approach shifted the emphasis away from Bourdain’s broader life and legacy, making his story more relevant to those who admire him.
“Dom and I truly felt like we were in a kind of collaboration with Anthony Bourdain, the three of us,” Johnson remarked.
Tony is set to be released in theaters throughout Canada on Friday, August 14.
Sessa, left, playing a young Bourdain, is shown in a scene from Tony learning under the mentorship of a chef in Provincetown played by Antonio Banderas. (Seacia Pavao/A24)