Independent professional wrestler Vinny Pacifico is expanding his resume by stepping into the film industry, with a role in the upcoming movie "I Dream of Pizza." Pacifico, who has been building a name for himself in wrestling promotions like Coastal Championship Wrestling and Hollywood Wrestling, spoke with OutKick Dropkick about his new venture.
"I Dream of Pizza," directed by Matt Provenzano, tells the story of a pizza-making prodigy from Italy who moves to New York City to open his own shop, only to find it has been taken over by an Italian crime family. The film's cast also includes Antoinette Crowe-Legacy, Michael Leavy, and Giorgio Cantarini.
Pacifico described the film's concept as a blend of "Goodfellas" and "Ratatouille." "When they came to me about it, it was described as like a ‘Goodfellas’ and ‘Ratatouille,’ and I said, ‘Wait a minute. Are you kidding me? Who would say no to this?’" Pacifico said. "I love ‘Ratatouille.’ I'm a huge fan of that. … I love ‘Ratatouille,’ like that's a great freaking movie. So, once I heard that, I was all in... This is something that I'm really excited about. I'm Italian myself and it's finally my first ever Italian film."
The wrestler shared that the film is about a young person whose dream of opening an Italian restaurant is disrupted by mobsters, calling it a "positive fun story, a lot of twists and turns to it." Filming is set to take place in New York and potentially Italy.
Pacifico stated that the discipline and physical demands of professional wrestling have prepared him for the challenges of acting and maintaining a dual career. He expressed a desire to continue both wrestling and acting for as long as possible, emphasizing the importance of physical health and recovery. "Until I can't do it anymore... I want to do both forever. I don't want to stop either of them and I never will stop either of them," he said.
He also suggested other independent wrestlers who he believes have the talent and personality for film careers, including Richard Holliday, Ben Bishop, Gangrel, Effy, and Rhett Titus.
"I Dream of Pizza" is currently in pre-production. Pacifico's other recent film credits include "Mr. Reset and the Society of Turnbuckle & Bone" and "Between the Living and the Dead."