Lorraine Bracco has brought a real-life story to screens with Nonnas, the new Netflix film premiering Friday.
Speaking on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the actor revealed that the movie is based on the true events of a Staten Island man who turned grief into purpose by opening a restaurant run entirely by grandmothers.
The story follows Joe, who, after losing both his mother and grandmother, decided to honour them by creating a place filled with the love and food he grew up with. Lacking any restaurant experience, he placed an ad in an Italian newspaper calling for “nonnas” who wanted to cook. The result was an authentic dining experience that captured hearts and grew into a wider community known as “Nonnas of the World.”
Bracco explained, “He wanted all nonnas, all grandmas, to come and do their authentic cooking,” noting how applicants brought their dishes to be considered for a place in the kitchen. The restaurant soon gained a loyal following, a cookbook followed, and today it includes grandmothers from around the globe—Italian, Japanese, Polish, and more—sharing cultural recipes and stories.
Nonnas marks Bracco’s first comedy after a career defined by serious roles in Goodfellas and The Sopranos. “I was really nervous,” she admitted, recalling how Vince Vaughn and director Stephen Chbosky reassured her during filming.
The cast includes Vaughn, Joe Manganiello, Brenda Vaccaro, Talia Shire, and Susan Sarandon, offering a dynamic mix of emotion and humour.
Nonnas streams on Netflix from May 9
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