> At a Glance
> – Dominic Sessa says he owes “everything” to his 2023 breakout in The Holdovers
> – He now stars as magician Bosco Leroy in the new sequel Now You See Me: Now You Don’t
> – He’ll next portray Anthony Bourdain in the biopic Tony
> – Why it matters: Sessa’s rapid rise shows how one breakout role can reshape a young actor’s future almost overnight
Two years after The Holdovers changed his life, Dominic Sessa stepped onto the red carpet at November 10’s New York City premiere of Now You See Me: Now You Don’t-his second big-screen role and first studio franchise gig-reflecting on the extraordinary chain of events that got him here.
From Boarding-School Angst to Big-League Magic
The Holdovers-Alexander Payne’s snowy New England dramedy-cast Sessa opposite Paul Giamatti and Da’Vine Joy Randolph, earned him an Independent Spirit Award for best breakthrough performance, and set the stage for everything that followed.
> “I can’t not owe everything to that film,” Sessa told News Of Los Angeles at the premiere.
He landed the audition in his high-school acting class and now, at 23, headlines a global heist franchise.
Learning from the Horsemen
Joining the Now You See Me ensemble-original Horsemen Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher plus newcomers Justice Smith and Ariana Greenblatt-Sessa worried about fitting in.
- Quick chemistry trumped nerves; the veterans welcomed the newcomers immediately
- Harrelson and Fisher delivered the biggest laughs, especially when paired together
- No one had to “play nice” or fake personalities, making set life easy
Up Next
Beyond promoting Now You See Me, Sessa has three more projects in the pipeline:
| Title | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Tony | Anthony Bourdain | Post-production |
| Oh. What. Fun. | TBA | Holiday release |
| Tow | TBA | 2026 release |
Key Takeaways
- Sessa’s first audition ever was for The Holdovers-he won an Independent Spirit Award for the part
- The boarding-school drama earned costars Giamatti and Randolph Oscars
- Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is currently in theaters; The Holdovers streams on digital
From high-school hopeful to franchise magician, Sessa’s trajectory proves one role really can rewrite a young actor’s life.
