Vince Vaughn popped in to this iconic Italian restaurant in Broward to talk ‘Nonnas’
Vince Vaughn was recently back in South Florida, sort of.
The funnyman, who logged some serious time down here shooting “Bad Monkey” in 2022, showed up via Facetime last Tuesday night at Anthony’s Runway 84 in Fort Lauderdale.
The “Swingers” star popped in to say hello to the patrons and introduce his new Netflix comedy “Nonnas,” currently streaming.
The movie is based on the true story of Staten Island’s Enoteca Maria, where all the meals are made with love by grandmothers, or “nonnas,” in Italian. The cast includes Hollywood greats Talia Shire, Brenda Vaccaro, Lorraine Bracco and Susan Sarandon.
Vaughn plays real life restaurateur Joe Scarevella, who was inspired to open Enoteca Maria as an homage to his recently deceased mother.
Runway, open since 1982, worked well as the venue for the mini premiere. Miami-based executive producer Alexis Garcia arranged the event at the eatery, which happens to also be a certain Miami Dolphins legend’s faves.
“There are plenty of thematic reasons that made Runway the best spot for the local preview Netflix so graciously allowed me to do,” said Garcia. “But the real driver for me is that it is Dan Marino’s favorite Italian restaurant, and so what could be a more appropriate combination than that?”
The landmark’s co-owner Anthony Bruno said the film was so relatable to his real life that he was moved to tears.
“There is so much overlap between the story in Nonnas and my own,” he said. “I remember the early days with little to no business and turning to my father, who was a restaurant pro, and asking him why we didn’t just make the food my mother made. Happily, we made the change and it’s been a dream ever since. Every plate of food that goes out reminds me of her and keeps her alive.”
The project was also personal for Vaughn, who has some Italian DNA on his mother’s side.
“I was raised with my granny in the house with me, and so I really loved that this was a real place and a true story,” the Minneapolis native told Screenrant. “I thought that was such an interesting idea and such a great send-up to these ladies and this culture.”
As for the 55-year-old actor’s other project, season two of “Bad Monkey,” he unfortunately won’t be shooting in South Florida, thanks to a $20 million tax credit from the California Film Commission.
But because the Apple TV+ hit (based on the Carl Hiaasen novel) is set in the Keys, locals will recognize an occasional slice of the Sunshine State.
“Florida is such an iconic part of that story,” Vaughn told Collider, “that we’re still going to shoot the exteriors and a lot of that stuff in Florida, where it takes place.”
This story was originally published May 14, 2025 at 11:36 AM.
