Nonnas
chronicles the true tale of a man who revisits his life decisions following the death of his mother and opts to launch a restaurant staffed by Italian grandmas as head chefs. Similar to how Joe Scaravella faced numerous hurdles in bringing his project to fruition, such as labor disputes and natural disasters like wildfires, this movie also encountered several obstacles before finally reaching television viewers. Featuring actors Vince Vaughn, Joe Manganiello, Susan Sarandon, among others, it managed to overcome these difficulties and reach the small screen successfully.
Gigi Pritzker founded Madison Wells, an award-winning independent entertainment company, to help tell stories about badass women and people who push boundaries. They got
Nonnas
starting from scratch following an education on
Scaravella’s restaurant and story
After discovering writer Liz Maccie, things began to pick up momentum significantly, resulting in yet another delightful, side-splitting, and influential movie for the world to enjoy.
Nonnas
arrives on Netflix on May 9.
Efwebe
sat down with Gigi Pritzker of
Madison Wells
to discuss how they helped create
Nonnas
From scratch, she discusses the
incredible cast
The extensive array of obstacles they encountered, along with reasons why this film is particularly relevant today, are highlighted by Pritzker. He also commends Joe Scaravella for his dedication to his enterprise, sharing a few amusing anecdotes about him.
Nonna’s Has Reached Netflix, Despite Various Obstacles En Route
They Squished Us Into An Instant, Yet We Faced A Tough Exit
Nonnas
Is genuinely remarkable, yet the world might have easily overlooked it as hurdle after obstacle impeded the film’s production.
The screenplay was fantastic, but it’s incredibly challenging nowadays to find people who can grasp and recognize quality work outside of their preferred genres.
” Pritzker explains. ”
It’s simply a standalone feel-good family film, and I believe audiences often undervalue such movies.
She explains that although it was challenging to gain support from others throughout the process, they ultimately secured some incredible partnerships, such as those with Fifth Season and Netflix.
“Netflix dove right in, and they have been remarkable,” she exclaims.
It’s intriguing because Netflix is such a large corporation and can seem impersonal. However, I must admit that our experience with this film was far from faceless.
Pritzker remembers how everyone at Netflix connected with it.
Nonnas
In some manner or another, they mentioned that it brought back memories of their grandmother, or their family as a whole.
They put in as much effort as possible to ensure it was elevated in the manner required.
”
I have directed numerous movies, and each came with its own set of challenges. It would be difficult for me to point out even one where the process wasn’t tough, but this particular project stood out as an entirely different magnitude of difficulty.
However, the obstacles didn’t cease there, as Pritzker points out that production is typically tough, yet this time it proved to be even more challenging. ”
I have directed numerous movies, and every single one presented challenges during the production process. However, this particular project took difficulty to an entirely new degree.
” she details. ”
Given how the world was at the exact time we were filming, we faced numerous challenges. Strikes were happening, and there were fires leading to poor air quality. Our schedule didn’t allow room for mistakes since we had very limited time. We found ourselves compressed into a brief window with strict deadlines hanging over us.
”
Thankfully, everything worked out in the end, and they created an incredible movie. ”
It was worth every minute of all of [the challenges]. The team was just amazing.
”
Joe Manganiello and Vince Vaughn were constantly improvising.
“It Was Hysterical”
Joe Manganiello and Vince Vaughn are actually good buddies off-screen, which likely made their time on set quite enjoyable. According to Pritzker, they frequently improvised during shooting, particularly for some deeply emotive moments. Without revealing too much, there’s a scene where the characters get into an argument, followed shortly after by another where they reconcile.
”
The combat sequence was truly incredible as they improvised extensively. The duo engaged in a great deal of impromptu performance.
” she explains. ”
To be honest, my favorite part is definitely the makeup scene. It really shines when they’re both sitting on the couch, acting as though they are two kids whom their mother told to reconcile. There was a great deal of improvisation involved, which made it incredibly amusing.
”
Pritzker continues to heap praise on the rest of the cast, which is well-deserved. Regarding the Nonnas, she remarks, ”
The chemistry between them was incredibly amusing. Seriously, their interactions were highly entertaining. Each has distinct traits that complement each other, making every scene with both of them even more engaging whether viewed from behind-the-scenes or within the actual performance.
” She adds, ”
Kudos to Brenda [Vaccaro] as well since she isn’t exactly young anymore, yet she showed up regardless of weather conditions—whether rainy, sunny, chilly, or mild—and never once did she grumble. She truly was a huge trouper.
”
The film’s inspiration is Joe Scaravella, but he didn’t let that go to his head.
He Spent The Entire Time Making Reservations On His Mobile Phone
Joe Scaravella doesn’t just make a brief appearance in what turns out to be one of the most impactful scenes.
Nonnas
, however, the credits feature behind-the-scenes footage throughout.
Enoteca Maria,
demonstrating that it truly feels like a family when you’re part of it. In response to inquiries regarding how this was all established, Pritzker elaborates, ”
We have always understood that the importance of it being based on a true story was significant.
She explains that initial versions of the film didn’t mention at the start that it was based on a true story,
It became quite evident that it was crucial for individuals to grasp that these are actual human beings. They aren’t fabricated personas.
”
”
We aimed to truly capture the authentic essence of Joe by filming genuine moments at the actual restaurant. While working on the movie, Madison Wells captured some candid scenes backstage at the real location.
” she says, ”
At one stage during our editing process, we thought, “Why not incorporate that documentary clip and run it during the closing credits? This way, viewers will truly grasp the concept.”
She amusingly remembers having Joe on set, where he was constantly working—even during the production of a film based on his life.
At some point, we were stationed in Video Village, and he was holding this rolled-up object.
” Pritzker laughs. ”
He unfolds it, revealing his booking notebook. It turns out he spent the entire time making reservations via his mobile phone.
”
He stated, “In just five minutes of conversation while handling their reservations, I gain more insight into my customers than I would through any other means, and that is crucial for me.”
She queried Joe about whether he had registered with Resy, but he promptly shook his head and proceeded to explain his reasoning for opting out of it.
He stated, “In just five minutes of conversation while handling their reservations, I gain more insight into my customers than I ever could elsewhere, and that’s crucial for me.”
” She once asked him what would happen if she took the book while he was filming a scene, which he did not find funny at all. ”
My whole business dies
He mentioned. There are just thirty seats available.
He recognizes everybody in that restaurant.
“.
”
We tried calling earlier to make a reservation with one of the performers, but they said, “I doubt I can manage that. I have four regular guests scheduled for seven o’clock, and I can’t reschedule them.”
” Pritzker recalls. ”
It was sort of like Joe; you kinda had to do it.
“As she puts it,
Joe’s a super chill dude. He’s definitely a nice person.
That’s precisely why this delightful film succeeds so effectively.
Make sure to explore our other options as well.
Nonnas
interviews here:
- Vince Vaughn
- Joe Manganiello
- Lorraine Bracco and Brenda Vaccaro
- Director Stephen Chbosky & Screenwriter Liz Metcalfe
Nonnas
begins streaming on Netflix starting from May 9.