A young Anthony Bourdain takes a punch in new biopic trailer

Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY Tue, May 5, 2026 at 3:51 PM UTC

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Antonio Banderas and Dominic Sessa in A24's Anthony Bourdain biopic "Tony."

Dominic Sessa transforms into a young Anthony Bourdain in a new biopic from A24.

The trailer for "Tony," released Tuesday, May 5, sees the "Holdovers" actor play the late chef during his time as a 19-year-old troubled writer from Jersey.

"I'm about to get this huge writing fellowship," Sessa's Bourdain tells a high school friend and love interest, played by Emilia Jones, before he gets a call that the committee has "decided to go with another student."

Bourdain gets into fights, punches walls and gets thrown out of bars as his life as a writer takes a detour, when he gets a job at a Massachusetts restaurant, though the owner (Antonio Banderas) is skeptical. But Bourdain builds a bond with the chef and his coworkers, played by Stavros Halkias and Leo Woodall, as he gets more comfortable in the kitchen that would "shape the course of his life," according to the film's logline.

Watch the trailer here.

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The movie is directed by Matt Johnson, with Johnson, Matthew Miller, Todd Bartels and Lou Howe listed as cowriters.

The film presumably ties in Bourdain's life as an up-and-coming chef, as detailed in the bestselling memoir "Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly." The memoir revealed the ins and outs of the restaurant industry, as well as his battle with substance use and its prevalence in the culinary world. It also helped catapult him to a household name, spawning multiple food and travel shows, including the culture-driven Emmy-winning Travel Channel series "No Reservations," the predecessor to CNN's "Parts Unknown."

The beloved foodie and television host died June 8, 2018, at 61, after friend and chef Eric Ripert found him unresponsive in his hotel room in the northeastern French city of Strasbourg, where he had been filming "Parts Unknown," the network reported. The former chef died by suicide.

'Tony' Anthony Bourdain biopic release date

The film is set for release in August.

'Tony' Anthony Bourdain biopic cast -

Dominic Sessa

Leo Woodall

Emilia Jones

Antonio Banderas

Stavros Halkias

Dagmara Dominczyk

Rich Sommers

If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call 988 any time day or night, or chat online. Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Anthony Bourdain biopic 'Tony' trailer released starring Dominic Sessa

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