THE ITALIANS (2025): Interview with Director Michelle Danner

Interview with The Italians Director Michelle Danner

The Italians is a wild and funny dramatic comedy about an Italian family with a lot of quirks and a lot of heart. Its story focuses on a couple, Lily and Nico (Abigail Breslin and Matthew Daddario), and what happens when Nico brings Lily home to meet his Italian parents, Angelina and Vincenzo (Michelle Danner and Rob Estes). This film is a lot of fun and FilmBook had the opportunity to speak to Michelle Danner who also directed the movie.

FilmBook: I saw a lot of (My Big Fat) Greek Wedding vibes in this movie. Through the casting of Lainie Kazan as well. Did you have any influence from that movie?

Michelle Danner: Actually, yes. I think there are influences and especially because it’s a movie that, you know, hopefully families are going to watch together. So, I think that, hopefully, the movie will appeal to that demographic.

FilmBook: Yes and the tribute to your mom. Can you tell us how your character in the movie is like your mom?

Michelle Danner: Yes, she’s actually a combination of my mother, my sister and my grandmother. You know, with my mother, she was an Italian matriarch from Milano. And, I tried to never bring anybody over for dinner. You never knew, exactly, when that pasta was going to fly across the table. You were guaranteed that it was actually going to happen. I channeled, you know, her and my other family members. I understood all too well what it was like to grow up in an Italian family. And, when I read the story, I really felt it was, in a way, an homage to her because she was tough, but she also had the capacity to forgive and I think that’s a good message.

FilmBook: I agree. That performance was so on-point. The next question I have for you is: What was your favorite scene in the movie?

Michelle Danner: Oh. I have a lot of favorite scenes. But, because, can I tell you that this was a very nice movie to shoot. I had a nice cast. The cast was phenomenal. As a matter of fact, there was a time when I did a rehearsal with them and I looked at them with so much gratitude and I thought I could never do this exercise without you guys. So, it’s really hard for me to say. I really did love the scene with Lainie Kazan. You know, the scene where I go and I make up with her. It was an emotional scene. As a matter of fact, my son who helped me with the movie (who’s a filmmaker as well), after we were shooting, he came. He had no words and he just put his hand on his heart and that just meant everything. And, that was such a great memory of shooting that scene.

FilmBook: I have to ask. You’re reunited with Abigail Breslin again after Miranda’s Victim. How did you get her to do this project as well?

Michelle Danner: She’s great. In fact, I’m going to see her tomorrow. She’s just great. She’s a great actress. She brings truth to everything she does and her and I get along really well.

FilmBook: This movie has a theatrical feel to it, almost like a play. Did you get that feeling while you were making it that it was like a filmed play?

Michelle Danner: It started out like a play, but we made it cinematic. That’s always a bad word in this town, but we made it cinematic.

FilmBook: Olivia Luccardi. I love her. Can you tell me a little about how you got her to be in the movie?

Michelle Danner: Yes. So my son, a graduate from USC, he brings me to see every horror movie. Every horror movie or horror TV show you can imagine. On my own, I don’t think I would ever see it. So, I ended up watching this TV show called “Channel Zero.” She was the lead and I think it was season 3. She was the lead in that. And, immediately I said, and I didn’t know I was going to work with her, but I said watching her act, I said “She’s a phenomenal actress.” And then, my son proposed her when we were casting and I was like, “Yeah, let’s go for it,” and she said, ‘Yes’.

The Italians will be out on April 11th!

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