You know that feeling when you're watching a movie and the chemistry just feels... off? Like the actors are just reading lines from a teleprompter and waiting for their paycheck? Honestly, I expected that from a movie about grandmothers cooking pasta. I was wrong. The cast of Nonna's 2025 is basically a masterclass in how to take a "feel-good" premise and give it actual teeth.
The Heavy Hitters: Who’s Who in the Kitchen
Vince Vaughn plays Joe Scaravella. Now, if you're thinking of "Fast-Talking 2005 Wedding Crashers Vince," you're in for a surprise. He’s playing a real guy—a Brooklyn native who loses his mom and decides to blow his life savings on a Staten Island restaurant. It's a bit more "Brawl in Cell Block 99" in terms of intensity, but with a lot more marinara.
But let’s be real. You aren’t here for Vince. You’re here for the "Nonnas."
The production basically rounded up every iconic Italian-American actress they could find and threw them into a kitchen together. We’re talking about:
- Susan Sarandon as Gia (the former hairdresser).
- Lorraine Bracco (Dr. Melfi herself!) as Roberta.
- Talia Shire (Adrian from Rocky!) as Teresa.
- Brenda Vaccaro as Antonella.
It’s an embarrassment of riches. Stephen Chbosky, the director who did The Perks of Being a Wallflower, somehow managed to get these legends to agree to a movie where they mostly just bicker over how much salt goes in the gravy. According to some behind-the-scenes interviews, they actually spent their breaks eating together. That kind of camaraderie is hard to fake on screen.
The Supporting Players
Joe Manganiello plays Bruno, Joe’s best friend and contractor. It’s kinda funny seeing a guy who looks like he lives in a gym playing a Staten Island contractor, but he and Vaughn are buddies in real life, so the banter feels lived-in. Then you’ve got Linda Cardellini as Olivia—the high school crush who comes back into the picture. She’s consistently the best part of everything she’s in, and here she brings that "grounded but slightly exhausted" energy that makes the romance feel less like a Hallmark movie and more like real life.
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Drea de Matteo also shows up as Stella. Between her and Lorraine Bracco, it’s basically a Sopranos reunion without the hits and the waste management "consulting."
Why the Casting Matters for This Story
Usually, Hollywood casts young people and slaps some "old person" makeup on them. Here, they actually hired veteran actresses who have been in the industry for fifty years. Brenda Vaccaro is 85! Seeing these women take up space and be the "action" of the movie is refreshing.
The film is based on a real place called Enoteca Maria. If you go to Staten Island today, you can actually eat there. The real Joe Scaravella is still around, and he actually has a revolving door of grandmothers from all over the world cooking their family recipes. The cast of Nonna's 2025 had to capture that specific "soul" of the restaurant—which isn't about professional plating, but about the messiness of family.
A Mix of Comedy and Real Grief
Vince Vaughn has this weird ability to be funny while looking like he’s about to have a nervous breakdown. That works perfectly for a guy who just lost his mother and is trying to recreate her "Sunday gravy" but can't quite get it right. It’s a biographical comedy-drama, which is a fancy way of saying you’ll laugh until you realize you’re crying because you miss your own grandmother's cooking.
What Most People Get Wrong About Nonna’s
People think this is just another generic Netflix comedy. It's not. It's directed by Chbosky and written by Liz Maccie (who is married to Chbosky, talk about a family affair). Because of that, it has a lot more cinematic "weight" than your average streaming filler. The food scenes are shot like a high-end cooking show, and the dialogue isn't just one-liners—it's actual conversation.
If you’re planning to watch it, pay attention to the scenes where the four Nonnas are in Gia’s salon. It’s the first time they really bond, and you can see the actresses moving past their "types" and just being people. It's honestly great.
Next Steps for You:
If you want to get the full experience, go look up the real Enoteca Maria in Staten Island. They have a "Nonnas of the World" calendar that shows which grandmother is cooking on which night. Also, if you’re a fan of the cast, check out some of their earlier work before watching this—specifically Lorraine Bracco in Goodfellas or Talia Shire in The Godfather. It makes their presence in this "quiet" little movie feel even more impactful.