VideoTalk: Sebastian Mansicalco & Dad Salvo on ‘About My Father’

CHICAGO – The adage of write what you know certainly applies to the first film in which hot stand-up comic Sebastian Maniscalco takes the lead role. “About My Father” is a fictionalized version of the relationship between Sebastian and his real life father Salvo, which Maniscalco also co-wrote. They both sat down with HollywoodChicago.com for a video interview.

“About My Father” is based on routines in Sebastian Maniscalco’s act. The fictional story uses his real name, as he is about to propose to his girlfriend Ellie (Leslie Bibb), but his widowed father Salvo (Robert De Niro in the film) still dominates his life. Ellie asks Sebastian to spend the 4th of July with her wealthy blue blood family, with includes her Senator mother Tigger (Kim Cattrall), father Bill (David Rasche) and brothers Lucky (Anders Holm) and Doug (Brett Dier). Sebastian tries to get out of it, with the excuse that he has to spend the 4th with Salvo, but Ellie insists that he bring Dad along. So it’s the Sicilian father and son against the country club one percenters.

Sebastian Maniscalco and Dad Salvo on the Red Carpet for ‘About My Father’
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Sebastian Maniscalco has been a stand up comic for 25 years, but it has been in the last ten years that his brand of personal and observational humor struck a chord, and he is now arguably the hottest stand-up in the game. He was born in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois, and after graduating from Northern Illinois University, moved to Los Angeles to begin his career in 1998. He started to gain some heat in 2005, and his first comedy special was “Sebastian Live” in 2009. Since then, he had five more specials, and made his major film debut in “Green Book” in 2018. His father Salvo ran a hair salon, and taught Robert De Niro how to portray him for the film.

In a Video Interview, Sebastian Maniscalco and father Salvo regarding “About My Father” and the journey of a stand up comic …

Trailer for “About My Father” …

[19]	By PATRICK McDONALD [20] Editor and Film Critic/Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com [19]