Joe Manganiello explains why he had to hit the gym for film ‘Nonnas’
Joe Manganiello tells USA TODAY’s Ralphie Aversa why he had to hit the gym while filming his latest movie, “Nonnas,” which is streaming on Netflix.
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Moms rule.
No, really. With Mother’s Day upon us, it’s time to shout out matriarchs everywhere and celebrate the joy they’ve brought to us. (For much of my childhood, my mom was straight up my best friend and mostly encouraged my pop culture loves – though she wasn’t too sure about the pro wrestling or Stephen King books!)
The new Netflix dramedy “Nonnas” is a perfect watch for this weekend, with Vince Vaughn as a dude who starts a restaurant with Italian grandmothers as his chefs. If your mom digs TV, why not share with her one of the many, many medical shows on TV? And if your mom loves action flicks and/or Keanu Reeves by chance? Well, there’s a new “John Wick” documentary out – and also, your mom is crazy cool.
Now on to the good stuff:
See Joe Manganiello celebrate Italian food and grandmas in ‘Nonnas’
Netflix’s new “Nonnas” is a celebration of moms, grandmas and scrumptious food, with Vince Vaughn starring as a man who honors his beloved Italian mom after her death by opening a family-friendly eatery. Joe Manganiello, who plays the best friend of Vaughn’s character, said that huge meals were just a part of the filmmaking process. “For the whole movie, three or four times a week, I’m at home after these giant meals in my hotel room, just staring at the ceiling, just trying to breathe. Then, off to Crunch gym in Hoboken the next day to try to work it all off,” the actor tells my pal Ralphie Aversa in a wide-ranging interview.
“Nonnas” is just one of several new movies hitting streaming services this month. And, yep, you guessed it, I rounded up a guide full of ’em. (Pro tip: Get on “Black Bag” ASAP. ‘Tis a banger.)
Stream ‘The Pitt’ and the best medical TV shows ever
In case you weren’t aware, medical TV dramas are back in vogue. Max’s “The Pitt” has proven to be a popular, real-time binge (think “24” with a lot more stress and ventilators) but there’s also a bunch of other new shows like “Watson,” “Pulse,” “Doc” and my personal guilty favorite, “Doctor Odyssey.” Where else are you going to find shark attacks, medical love triangles AND Hot Tub Week?
TV critic Kelly Lawler wrote an essay about why we’re so obsessed yet again with doctor shows, writing that “they’ve showed up at the right time to heal ailing viewers.” She also put together a ranking of the best medical TV series ever – “Grey’s Anatomy” is somehow above “St. Elsewhere” and “The Knick” but folks do love that soapy bunch at Seattle Grace!
Revisit the making of Keanu Reeves’ ‘John Wick’ movies with ‘Wick Is Pain’
“John Wick” is one of the coolest franchise success stories in recent years, taking an original idea (ex-hitman gets forced out of retirement when some baddies kill his dog) and creating a deep and expansive neo-noir mythology. Not to mention it revived Keanu Reeves’ movie-star career, plus has given us some awesome and unforgettable action-movie sequences.
The new documentary “Wick Is Pain” chronicles the behind-the-scenes journey of the franchise, including how tumultuous the making of the 2014 original “Wick” was. I talked with Reeves and director Chad Stahelski about the intriguing revelations in the film, from stuntwork and the physical toll “Wick” has taken on its star to the key moment where a tearful John holds his murdered puppy. “To have that moment of grief was really fun for me to play,” Reeves says.
Even more goodness to check out!
- Lewis Pullman has a breakout role in Marvel’s “Thunderbolts*” (aka “The New Avengers”) and he’s hoping to share screen time with Robert Downey Jr. in “Avengers: Doomsday.”
- A couple of cops are leaving “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”: Octavio Pisano and Juliana Aidén Martinez are off duty following the season finale.
- More “Yellowstone,” y’all! Luke Grimes is heading up the new “Marshals” spinoff.
- Tina Fey spills on how original “The Four Seasons” star Alan Alda was recruited for a cameo in the Netflix remake.
- Amy Poehler is reuniting with her “Parks and Recreation” boss Mike Schur for a new show.
Got thoughts, questions, ideas, concerns, compliments or maybe even some recs for me? Email [email protected] and follow me on the socials: I’m @briantruitt on Bluesky, Instagram and Threads.
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