Dominic Sessa

In The Holdovers (2023), Dominic Sessa's face can lose its insolence before the shot has changed. As Angus Tully, he gives us a clever, wary boy without making an immediate claim on our sympathy. His film debut pairs him with Paul Giamatti under Alexander Payne, and their exchanges across an empty refectory are where we would send anyone curious about his appeal. Sessa lets Angus enjoy the insults without quite conceding that he enjoys the company. Payne's film sometimes explains its lessons too insistently, but Sessa knows when to leave a feeling alone.

In Now You See Me: Now You Don't (2025), he plays Bosco, a young magician who seems unused to being refused anything. Alongside Ariana Greenblatt's June and Justice Smith's Charlie, he finds an easy comic rhythm, particularly when the film lets the three recruits work without the established Horsemen. Greenblatt supplies the impatience and Smith the nerves; Sessa can afford to be blithe. Ruben Fleischer's film keeps explaining its illusions until little pleasure remains in being fooled. We would not recommend it on Sessa's account alone, though the recruits give its busyness some welcome ease.

Matt Johnson's Tony (2026) gives him more to do as a young Anthony Bourdain whose fast talk runs ahead of his competence. Sessa makes the swagger look practised and tiring, with a defensive scowl ready for anyone who might find him wanting. We laughed at his showing off, then felt sorry for him because the effort to impress was so plain. Antonio Banderas's Chef supplies resistance, and the sadness Banderas brings to the mentor keeps their scenes from feeling like instruction alone. The coming-of-age story repeats its lessons, but Sessa sustains our interest even when Tony has apparently failed to learn them.

Across these parts, we find him most persuasive when he has someone to listen to, rather than another opportunity to prove how sharp he is. Payne gives him that space, and Johnson puts his need to impress to good use. There is a risk in returning too often to the clever boy whose bad manners conceal uncertainty. We would like to see him play someone who has less to prove. Start with The Holdovers, where he is allowed to be unpleasant without immediately explaining himself.