Actor and stuntman Anthony Molinari chatted about starring in “The Last Deal” and “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”
‘The Last Deal’
The synopsis is: a black market marijuana dealer tries to make one final score before getting squeezed out of the business when cannabis becomes legal. Molinari stars as Vince in “The Last Deal.” “I love the indie, old-school family-oriented storytelling and filmmaking, that’s what I enjoyed the most about it,” he said.
“I really loved the virtue of empathy that he showed throughout the film when it could have gone in a different direction and the vulnerability of Vince being relatable to how he could handle that in real life. Vince is a guy that you know he is doing bad things but you are rooting for him anyway,” Molinari acknowledged.
“This movie was such a team effort where everyone was wearing multiple hats. That is filmmaking at its finest… when a group of like-minded people come together, tell a story, and move other people in the process,” he added.
In “The Last Deal,” Molinari stars opposite Sala Baker (“The Lord of the Rings”), Conner Floyd (“The Young and The Restless”), and Gigi Gustin, among other actors. It was written and directed by Jonathan Salemi. “Jonathan is the best. He is the maestro and the man. He was our fearless leader and I am proud of the project that we created together. I am excited to get back on set with him and about our future projects that are coming up,” he said.
“Sala Baker stole the show. His versa and persona were brilliant. I loved working with him and fighting with him. It was such a treat to work with somebody as talented as Sala Baker,” he added.
“Working with Conner Floyd was so cool,” he admitted. “Conner is such a good cat and be brought something unique to the film. His character [Marcus] was a role I connected with, and he was able to bring something different to the table, something that I never saw possible and that was really special. His authenticity was so great, and he was so comfortable in the role. I didn’t see it unfolding that way. Conner came onto the set and he took change.”
‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’
Molinari noted that he loved being a part of “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” which was the winner of seven 2023 Academy Awards. “What a wild ride that was,” he exclaimed. “It started off with the audition where I thought it was an animated film at first and then, when I did the audition and got the call, it was so surreal, and it couldn’t have gone better.”
“Nobody has won that many Oscars since ‘Slumdog Millionaire,’ and it couldn’t have happened to a greater group of men, The Daniels, their energy on set was accepting, loving and connected, and there is nothing really more you can ask for as a performer.”
For his acting work in “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” Molinari shared that he won a 2023 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award for “Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.”
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Molinari said, “To me, I only know one thing… I know me, and I do me. Whether it’s film, digital, streaming, VOD, I just do me. I don’t think that really changes.”
“What is really nice about this digital age is the amount of content that we can put out there. I love the fact that the gates are wide open. If you have a story and you are an artist, come on out and tell the story, there are so many platforms and it is really special to see al lot of this unfold,” he explained.
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Molinari responded, “Transformation and New Beginnings.”
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Molinari said, “Leaving a legacy behind that I am proud of. Connecting with people on a deep level, and following my passion.”
“Don’t ever give up, life is going to throw obstacles in your way and if you just take it one breath and one step at a time, then there is a light at the end of the road,” he concluded.
To learn more about actor and stunt performer Anthony Molinari, check out his IMDb page, and follow him on Instagram.
