Summary

Collider’s Steve Weintraub chats with Vince Vaughn about his upcoming Netflix movie, Nonnas.

Vaughn discusses the impact of food on memory and what it is like to work with the likes of Susan Sarandon and Brenda Vaccaro.

Vaughn teases Season 2 of Bad Monkey, promising a “super fun and interesting” continuation of the series.

Vince Vaughn is one of Hollywood’s best and has a resume to match. Whenever the Saturn Award-nominated star of the hit Apple TV+ series Bad Monkey is cast in a project, it’s certain to attract attention. Add to this the likes of Susan Sarandon (Bull Durham), Lorraine Bracco (Goodfellas), Talia Shire (Rocky), and Brenda Vaccaro (Midnight Cowboy), and a recipe — quite literally — for sparking, star-studded success is born.
Set to release on May 9, 2025, on Netflix, this eye-popping line-up of Hollywood mainstays star in the culinary comedy Nonnas, a film based on the real-life story of Joe Scaravella. Vaughn stars in the film as Scaravella, an MTA employee struggling with the loss of his mother. Looking for a way to harness his grief for good, he is inspired by his mother’s recipe books to open his own Italian restaurant in her memory and chooses to hire the titular nonnas to keep the authentic taste of her cooking alive.
In anticipation of the upcoming movie, Collider’s Steve Weintraub sat with Vaughn to discuss all things Nonnas, including the impact food can have on memory and what it was like to work with such a legendary bunch of castmates. On top of this, Vaughn discusses the currently in production second season of the aforementioned Bad Monkey, as well as his favorite movie theater, and more.
Food is an Avenue to Fond Memories for Vince Vaughn

“I think it gives you more gratitude for when they come now, but they’re fleeting.”

COLLIDER: I’ve been asking everybody this: Do you have a favorite movie theater? Because I love the moviegoing experience.
VINCE VAUGHN: I do, too. That’s a great question. As a kid, there was a little movie theater in my town, and then there was also one in Vernon Hills, Illinois — Hawthorn Theaters. So much of my experience and education in cinema just came from going there almost every weekend. We would either sneak in or get a ticket, and then we’d stay the whole day and try to watch all the different movies.
Then, in Los Angeles, back when I was younger, the New Beverly Cinema was a theater we would always go to and watch double features and get to see movies in the cinema that were older movies. That was great. The Cinerama Dome, sometimes, would screen The Wild Bunch, and that was fun to get to see a classic movie like that on the big screen and get to share that experience with an audience.
What happened with [S. Craig] Zahler’s The Bookie & the Bruiser?
VAUGHN: We’re still going to do it. It’s just been scheduling. There’s some new cast on board, and I think we’re eyeing to do it next year. That’s still going to happen.
I need that one to happen. Please make that happen.
VAUGHN: Me too. I love Z.

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Jumping into this film, I have to ask the most important question. I watched this yesterday, and I was looking at all the amazing food. How much weight did you put on making this movie, because everything looked amazing?
VAUGHN: It did. I kind of went with the character that I was cooking and doing that. It was hard. There was such great food every day, and so much care being made into making it. It was just an abundance of it. When I watch the movie, I’m the same way. Stephen [Chbosky] did a great job of presenting the dishes and the food, and also the connection with family. So, it definitely makes me hungry when I watch it.
Do you have a favorite food to cook?
VAUGHN: Gosh, I’m kind of simple when it comes to cooking. I like to make a nice sandwich, usually, is what I make. I toast the bread and put the stuff on it that I like. I did do a cooking thing recently with my kids where we made pizza and pasta, and that was fun. But my favorite food to eat is pizza.
Why wouldn’t it be?
VAUGHN: Right? Exactly.

Image via Netflix

I could live on that food. This film is all about remembering your parents and family, and one of those things, and it’s done so well, is watching your parents cook when you were a child. What was that food that your mom or dad made when you were a child that you wish you could go back in time and have again?
VAUGHN: My mom would make lasagna because who doesn’t like cheese and sauce? So we would have that a lot. She was a great baker. She would make pies or cookies, so I kind of associate holidays and stuff with that as well. Then I remember for family get-togethers, they would cook. People would come in with different recipes and dishes at different events. It’s funny because in the movie, it does a good job of teleporting us from the perspective of a child, seeing those events, to taking you to now, in the future. You realize, kind of as a blur, that you don’t get to hang onto those moments. You try to appreciate them, but they go. You try to stay present. I think it gives you more gratitude for when they come now, but they’re fleeting.
Vince Vaughn Cherished the Chance to Chat With ‘Nonnas’ Star-Studded Cast

“These guys are all in some of my favorite movies and are some of my favorite actors.”

Image via Netflix

How long did it take you to bring up Goodfellas with Lorraine [Bracco]?
VAUGHN: Right away. I talked to Talia [Shire] about The Godfather and Rocky. [Susan] Sarandon got a lot of Thelma & Louise questions. Midnight Cowboy questions for Brenda [Vaccaro]. These guys are all in some of my favorite movies and are some of my favorite actors, so I definitely got behind the scenes into all of it.
I don’t know if I’d get any work done because you look at their resumes and they’re so insane and such amazing movies. You could spend the whole day just reminiscing.
VAUGHN: 100%. “How did you guys approach this scene?” It’s always so interesting when you hear what that process was.
I would imagine for you, it’s a completely different perspective as an actor who has worked on so many different projects. You have that inside knowledge that they’re going to talk to you in a different way than maybe they would talk to me.
VAUGHN: It’s funny because it’s one of those things where in a lot of these cases, not that they weren’t proud of working on it, but you just don’t know that it’s going to resonate or land in the way that it is. When they’re doing it, they’re kind of going on instincts and trying to help someone with their vision. You talk about these scenes in these movies, the ones that we just mentioned — your shirt included — and they’re just incredible sequences. I remember we homaged Goodfellas in Swingers with going through the kitchen.
Oh, I remember that scene.
Vince Vaughn Teases the “Super Fun and Interesting” ‘Bad Monkey’ Season 2

“We will start filming this year. I think they have the outline for the first four episodes.”

So I really enjoyed Bad Monkey, and you got a Season 2. I want to thank you for getting the production moved to California, because more stuff needs to be filmed in California. How the hell did you pull it off?
VAUGHN: Well, Florida is such an iconic part of that story that we’re still going to shoot the exteriors and a lot of that stuff in Florida, where it takes place, but a lot of the interiors and stuff we’re going to be able to do in California. Bill [Lawrence], who runs the show, lives there, we both have kids, and it’s true what you’re saying. I remember when we made the movie Made, we shot in LA and New York, and we put an American flag on the movie at the end, saying, “This was shot in the United States.” We were wanting to shoot in these places in our backyard, and you’re right, it’s a strange time where you live in California. There was a time we would go and make things there, and now, it happens less and less. So, it’s terrific to be able to shoot because, as you know, these movies and these TV shows are really only as good as all of the technicians that work on the movie and all these departments, and there’s some unbelievable crews in California and people that are tremendous at what they do. So, it’s nice to be able to shoot there.
Also, if you’re filming in California, you’re going to be able to get a lot of actors who also want to work from home, who might do roles because you’re telling them, “You can sleep in your own bed.”
VAUGHN: That’s true. That’s definitely true. It’s an art form that was unique to that area that is not being done as often. That’s hard to see. Of my age, and growing up there, it was in the water. It’s what we did. So, it’s definitely nice to be able to be there and to work.
What can you tease fans of the show about Season 2? Have you started filming? What do you want to tell people?
VAUGHN: We will start filming this year. I think they have the outline for the first four episodes. I don’t want to give away too much because we kind of left it in a great place to see where a lot of different things go, but I think that what Bill has as far as what’s going on is super, super fun and interesting, and a really great next step for the characters.
Nonnas ​​​​​​is now streaming on Netflix.

Nonnas

Release Date

May 9, 2025

Director

Stephen Chbosky

Writers

Liz Maccie

Producers

Gigi Pritzker, Scott Budnick, Todd Lubin, Vince Vaughn, Jay Peterson, Rachel Shane, Jack Turner