B6 The Boston Globe MONDAY, JULY 22, 2019 Names Hitting it big Boston’s Alessandro Nivola takes center stage in ‘The Art of Self-Defense’ and the ‘Sopranos’ prequel movie

Alessandro Nivola’s about to break out comedy,” he said. “That alone was big, but the Boston-born actor’s no a thrill.” overnight success. Cast by Stearns just a few days be- Instead, his buzzy upcoming roles fore shooting was set to begin back in — as a screw-loose sensei in the dark 2017, Nivola found himself diving di- comedy “The Art of Self-Defense” rectly into the larger-than-life charac- (now in theaters) and a mobster in ter, who’s known simply as Sensei. David Chase’s anticipated “Sopranos” “I dropped my bag in my hotel prequel movie (out next year) — arrive room and literally 30 seconds later after more than two decades spent there was a knock at the door,” he re- toiling in Hollywood. called. “There was our stunt coordina- Across his career, the 47-year-old tor, Mindy [Kelly], who pushed her has played a paleontologist (“Jurassic way in and told me to kick my legs up STRSTREETEETE T Park III”), a pedophilic New York gov- in the air.” BLEECKERBLEECKER ernor (“You Were Never Really Here”), The challenges of the role were e.” Selff-DDeffens “The Art off real-life civil rights attorney John Do- mental as well as physical, especially as Senseii iin NivolaNivoola starssttars as Sensei in “The Art of Self-Defense.” ar (“Selma”), and just about every oth- in scenes Nivola shared with Jesse AlessandroAlessanddro er kind of colorful character you can Eisenberg, who stars as a neurotic ac- Nivola’s father was an Italian im- imagine in between. countant who joins Sensei’s dojo after and the life of that character,” he said. migrant; he died a year and a half ago, “I’ve always wanted to convince being attacked by a motorcycle gang. place six months after Nivola first Nivola doesn’t think he would have right after Nivola came off filming an- people I was someone else than my- “Sensei’s always monologuing and learned he’d been cast as Dickie Molti- landed the part were it not for his Ital- other big project: “Disobedience,” self,” said Nivola by phone. “The more speechifying, and there’s an insane santi, a charismatic made man who ian heritage. “My name has been the with Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAd- different one role was from the one I’d amount of dialogue to learn that has falls in love with his father’s younger biggest obstacle to my career that you ams. It’s “bittersweet” that Nivola’s fa- just finished, the more attractive it to be word-perfect,” explained Nivola. bride, an Italian immigrant, against could imagine,” he explained. “But fi- ther won’t get to see his “Sopranos” was to me.” “You want to be many things at once the backdrop of the 1960s Newark ri- nally, my biggest role came about — in character, said the actor. “Out of all So when “The Art of Self-Defense” as an actor, as much as possible. ots. Moltisanti, meanwhile, is tasked large part, I’m convinced — because of the roles I’ve done, that’s the one he’d writer-director Riley Stearns needed That’s what makes characters interest- with mentoring a young Tony Soprano my name. have the most to say about,” he said. someone to fill the role of a messianic ing.” (Michael Gandolfini, son of the late “It’s just ironic, for me, because I’ve But Nivola thinks he did his old man karate master capable of boring The actor spoke to the Globe a James). spent my whole life trying to explain proud by digging deep into his roots through someone’s skull with his in- week after wrapping another project: At the center of a massively antici- my name, spell it, correct people’s pro- to play the part. dex finger, Nivola never exactly ques- “The Many Saints of Newark,” a fea- pated movie for the first time in his nunciation, dispel confusion about “I really got to draw on a lot of my tioned whether he was up to the task. ture-length prequel to David Chase’s career, Nivola cleared his schedule in where I’m from and whether I’m father’s experiences and my own per- “I’ve played comically nefarious acclaimed HBO crime saga “The So- order to fully get inside Dickie’s head. American,” said the actor. “And finally, sonal history in ways I’ve never been characters in the past, but this was pranos.” Chase returned to co-write “It’s really been the better part of a this great role came along where ev- able to before,” he said. “I could finally maybe the first time I’ve had a leading the movie with Lawrence Konner. year that I’ve been monomaniacally eryone associated with the project embrace that part of my identity.” role in a movie that was an out-and- The film’s three-month shoot took obsessed with the world of that film knew how to say it. It was a big relief.” ISAAC FELDBERG

Ben Mezrich is ‘Ugly Delicious’ making ‘Billions’ chef cooking up for Showtime new Netflix series Ben Mezrich’s making “Billions” these days — literally. Netflix is ordering up a new series from The Boston-born, Harvard-educated author David Chang, acclaimed chef behind the Mo- has joined the writers’ room of Showtime’s hit mofuku restaurant empire. Chang – who drama series; he’ll serve as a consulting producer brought his fried chicken joint Fuku to Bos- on its upcoming fifth season. ton’s Seaport District last fall — previously HILARY SCOTT Starting this week, Mezrich (inset) will travel starred in “Ugly Delicious” for the streaming between Boston and New York to consult on the platform. series, a drama set in the cutthroat world of New ‘Brightness of Light’ premieres at Tanglewood Chang’s new series, “Breakfast, Lunch & York finance that stars Paul Giamatti and Dami- Dinner,” will feature the James Beard Award- an Lewis. Mezrich will be working directly with It was an eventful Saturday evening at Tanglewood, as world-renowned soprano Renee winning chef and a celebrity guest exploring showrunner — and Tufts graduate — Brian Kop- Fleming and baritone Rod Gilfry joined forces with conductor Andris Nelsons, leading the a new city in each episode, taking in as much pelman; he’ll also spend time on set once shoot- Boston Symphony Orchestra, in the world premiere of “The Brightness of Light,” composer of its cuisine and culture as possible over the ing starts. Kevin Puts’s musical setting of letters between artist Georgia O’Keeffe and her husband, course of three square meals. Between bites, “I’m psyched to be working with the smartest photographer Alfred Stieglitz. The composition was co-commissioned by the BSO. Pictured they’ll discuss life, cultural issues and their people in TV,” said Mezrich in a statement to the (from left) are Fleming, Gilfry, Nelsons, Puts, and theatrical projection designer Wendall K. own relationships with food. Globe. “I’ve been a huge fan of [co-creators] Bri- Harrington, whose projections of handwritten letters, photos by Stieglitz, and paintings by “There’s something about traveling with an Koppelman and David Levien since ‘Round- O’Keeffe appeared throughout the performance. ISAAC FELDBERG someone that opens you up,” said Chang in ers,’ I love ‘Billions,’ and I’m taking the Acela an official statement. “Being away from all straight to Hollywood.” the craziness of daily life, you spend long A prolific writer best days together in an unfamiliar place with known for his book “The nothing to do but wander the street, share Accidental Billionaires” ‘NOS4A2’ renewed for season 2 at AMC meals, and talk. That’s what ‘BLD’ is all about (famously adapted into - learning more about ourselves, our friends, “The Social Network” by AMC is sinking its teeth into more order to feed off their souls. and the people we encounter out in the screenwriter Aaron Sor- “NOS4A2.” Hill, who grew up in Bangor, Maine, is world. Plus, of course, the ridiculously deli- kin, who’s of no relation to Adapted from Joe Hill’s 2013 novel, the known for setting stories around New Eng- cious meals we share.” “Billions” co-creator Andrew horror series has delivered strong ratings for land; he has this — along with a time-tested As with “Ugly Delicious” (the second sea- Ross Sorkin), Mezrich’s made the network since its June 2 premiere; news love of horror — in common with his fa- son of which he recently completed shoot- his name crafting nonfiction bestsellers about of its renewal, for a 10-episode second sea- mous father, author Stephen King. ing), Chang will team with documentarian young people racing to make technological son, broke out of San Diego on Saturday, “I am so excited for the opportunity to Morgan Neville on the new series, with both breakthroughs, sometimes cutting legal and ethi- during the show’s Comic-Con panel. bring the rest of Joe Hill’s amazing novel to serving as executive-producers. It’s expected cal corners in the process. His latest, “Bitcoin Bil- “NOS4A2,” which shot its first season in television. Joe’s imagination is unparal- to arrive on Netflix this fall. “Breakfast, lionaires,” was published in May and catches up Rhode Island, centers on Vic McQueen (Ash- leled,” said Billerica-bred showrunner Jami Lunch & Dinner” isn’t the chef’s only upcom- with Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss after their leigh Cummings) a teen from Haverhill who O’Brien in a statement. “I love the characters ing TV venture; Chang also recently sold an- damaging legal battle with Facebook founder discovers she can traverse time and space in and the world, and our colleagues at AMC other food-centric docu-series, entitled “Fam- Mark Zuckerberg, following their bid to make a search of lost objects. This ability arouses the have been wonderful partners. I’m grateful ily Style,” to Hulu, for him to star in opposite fortune in cryptocurrency. interest of Charlie Manx (Zachary Quinto), to be playing in the ‘NOS4A2’ sandbox.” Chrissy Teigen. ISAAC FELDBERG an immortal being who abducts children in ISAAC FELDBERG ISAAC FELDBERG

McDonough donates $10m to Worcester Art Museum

By Isaac Feldberg stitution she’s championed through- Myles McDonough — founder of pres- its survival. More recently, amid the GLOBE CORRESPONDENT out her life. “The Worcester Art Mu- sure-sensitive adhesives manufactur- much-heralded Worcester Renais- The Worcester Art Museum an- seum is a tremendous resource for er FLEXcon — made their mark as sance, the Worcester Art Museum has nounced Sunday that it has received a culture and education for people devoted patrons of the city’s educa- re-emerged as a cultural center; $10 million donation from the C. throughout New England, and an in- tional and cultural organizations. Waschek referred to the McDonoughs Jean & Myles McDonough Charitable stitution greatly deserving all of our At the time, Worcester was built as “pioneers in our renaissance” Foundation — the largest gift of its support,” said Neil McDonough, Jean on manufacturing wealth; as the who’ve helped the museum move for- kind in the museum’s history. McDonough’s son, in a statement. economy shifted, support for the arts ward with its mission. The donation, intended to “My mother hopes [her gift] will dwindled, and the momentum of lo- “Jean is a philanthropist extraordi- strengthen WAM’s existing opera- both support today’s operational cal museums threatened to stall. naire,” said Waschek. “She cares tions and endowments while foster- needs of the museum as well as help Jean’s continued dedication to the deeply about the Worcester Art Muse- ing its future ambitions, comes less endow its future,” he continued by Worcester Art Museum throughout um and what we can do for the city, than four years after the Foundation’s phone. “And even more importantly, those decades — first as a member but she also cares deeply for Worces- $4 million endowment of the muse- it may incite others to support WAM and docent, then as a member of its ter.” um’s directorship, consequently or other cultural institutions in our Board of Trustees — is considered by named for the McDonoughs. And for community.” Matthias Waschek, the museum’s C. Isaac Feldberg can be reached at Jean McDonough, it marks the most After moving to Worcester in Jean and Myles McDonough Director, [email protected]. Follow NORM EGGERT PHOTOGRAPHY sizable show of support yet for an in- 1960, Jean and her late husband to have played a key role in ensuring him on Twitter at @isaacfeldberg. Jean McDonough