Antonio Banderas says he was ‘cleaning fish every single day’ on Anthony Bourdain biopic set
The Los Angeles section opens with a quick snapshot: Hollywood star Antonio Banderas enjoyed shooting the “Anthony Bourdain” biopic, even though the sets had a distinctly “fishy” aroma. When asked about his experience, Banderas laughed and explained, “We spent a month and a half filming in Cape Cod and Newport, constantly surrounded by the smell of fish. Every time I came back to the hotel, I had to shower because I absolutely reeked — I was cleaning fish every single day!” He revealed new insights into the film while speaking at the Torino Film Festival, where he described Matt Johnson’s “Tony” as a reimagining of Bourdain’s early life as a wandering, direction‑less young man.
Banderas added, “After finishing university, (Bourdain) originally wanted to become a writer,” but “almost immediately, he began struggling with depression and drug addiction, so the film explores the very difficult early years of his life.” In the movie, Banderas plays a Brazilian-born restaurateur who mentors the teenage Tony, portrayed by Dominic Sessa, whom “The Holdovers” poured talent into. He noted, “Through this relationship, Tony begins to truly learn how to cook,” and emphasized that “the film is not just about cuisine or culinary techniques; it’s about his life, his identity, and his way of being — shaped by this unique mentor.”
Unlike the real Bourdain, who started out as a dishwasher at a Provincetown restaurant owned by Ciro Cozzi, the film’s mentor is a composite figure. Banderas described the role as “a man from Brazil who works in the United States and has travelled the world.” He added, “My character studied at the finest institutions, graduating from the best gastronomy schools, yet he always remained an outsider,” and that the character “created his own restaurant outside the traditional world of elite chefs, developing his own dishes with ingredients accessible to ordinary communities — simple food for everyday people.”
While in Turin, Banderas highlighted the importance of mentors as he accepted a lifetime achievement award. He said, “I am a theater actor,” and that “cinema came by chance, thanks to Pedro Almodóvar — a ‘chance’ that led to 130 films, but still, it was chance. Theater was my first love, and for the past seven or eight years, I’ve returned to my home in Malaga and to my true home on the stage. My life has changed, and now I am finally doing what my life’s project was always meant to be.” He also mentioned actor Paul Newman, featured in the festival’s 24‑film retrospective, as another influential figure in his career. Banderas recalled, “I worked for a year in New York doing a musical,” and that during a performance he saw Paul Newman with those eyes staring at him, causing him to freeze. The actor went on, “We made a couple of films together, and I worked with his wife, Joanne Woodward, in ‘Philadelphia.’ He liked me, so we often went out to dinner in New York.” He fondly remembered, “He had this quirky habit: he would always ask for a very specific beer and tell the waiter, ‘In exactly 2 minutes and 45 seconds, please bring me another!’ I still think about that.”
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
