HomeInterviewsJohnny Cannizzaro on Portraying Little Steven in 'Deliver Me from Nowhere'

Johnny Cannizzaro on Portraying Little Steven in ‘Deliver Me from Nowhere’

Johnny Cannizzaro (far left, front row) as Little Steven Van Zandt in Bruce Springsteen: Deliver Us From Nowhere. Photo Credit: 20th Century Films/Disney

Imagine growing up at the Jersey Shore and you’ve been cast in a film about the life and legacy of Bruce Springsteen. Your role? Portraying Springsteen’s right hand man, and the lead guitarist of the E Street Band, Steven Van Zandt.

This is the exact scenario Johnny Cannizzaro, who grew up in Holmdel, NJ, found himself in roughly one year ago, when it was announced he was cast Bruce Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, which hits theaters this Friday. The film, released by Disney’s 20th Century Films, stars Jeremy Allen White (The Bear) as Springsteen during the recording of the Nebraska album — the follow-up to Born to Run.

Recently, we caught up with Cannizzaro about the sheer magnitude of growing up at the Jersey Shore and being involved in a film about one of the most famous and revered musicians from The Garden State. He also spoke about working with Little Steven Van Zandt and trying to capture his essence on his film. He discussed working with Jeremy Allen White, performing at The Stone Pony, meeting Springsteen, his future projects and we even chopped it up about his favorite hometown eats.

Photo Credit: Alex Fenyves

You were born in Brooklyn, but raised in Monmouth County. We’ve worked out of Monmouth County since our inception, so I gotta know where in Monmouth County you were raised.

I was raised in Holmdel, NJ.

How far was your family home from Bell Works which, if people don’t know, is where they film Severance?

Funny enough, I used to work at Bell Works before it was Bell Works, obviously a really long time ago. It’s right down the street from my old high school, Holmdel High School. It’s a five minute ride from where my family is.

New Jersey has really become a hotbed for television and film production. Netflix has a studio being built at Fort Monmouth and every week it seems there’s a new production happening in the area. How does it feel that the area where you grew up is now becoming this hub for film and television?

It’s so amazing. I’ve been following it really intensely because I wish that this was the case 15 years ago. My parents would have loved that (laughs). It’s so unexpected.

New Jersey, actually, Fort Lee, I don’t know if you know, but it was the original Hollywood. I’m a bit of a history buff when it comes to that kind of stuff, but so it’s really cool to see it coming full circle.

Speaking of full circle. Let’s talk about how wild it is that you’re a Jersey guy who’s acting in a movie about the Pope of New Jersey — who owns a home in the town you grow up in and you’re portraying his guitarist who grew up right down the road from where you lived (Middletown).

It’s definitely wild. When people ask, I always tell them about my audition. When I first got the audition notification that my manager sent me, I didn’t know anything about the project. I didn’t know the size of the role. It didn’t matter at all to me, because I saw the names Bruce Springsteen and Steve Van Zandt. They are royalty, especially having grown up so locally. It was just more meaningful to me. And I really wanted it without knowing anything about it.

When you’re from the area where something takes place, you just feel automatically more … I don’t know if attached would be the right word, but it just resonates with you more strongly. So, the fact that I ultimately did get to be a small part of this was just incredible. It means a lot to me.

I’m sure people have told you this, but as soon as you popped on to this call I said to myself, “Man, he looks like a young Little Steven.” Obviously, you’re not wearing a bandana and flowery shirts but it’s right there. Talk about trying to get into this role because Steven has such a distinctive voice and presence. He’s one of a kind. So talk about getting into that role. Did you spend any time with him?

There’s something about [him]… there’s just a Jersey vibe. You’ll understand it being from the area, but you know exactly what I’m talking about. He’s such an amazing source. He’s like an encyclopedia of music knowledge. He’s a musical historian.

As far as getting into playing him, for me, every little detail that I could find out and learn about him was super important [even] things that most people probably wouldn’t notice. Even the way he holds the guitar is very different and when he was younger it was different than it is today. There’s [also] little things, like his guitar strap was always very, very long when he was younger. I found that to be so interesting. So trying to play that way, because I don’t have the longest arms, makes it much more difficult to play the guitar. Maneuvering and trying to figure all that stuff out was really the challenge for me. And, for what might seem unimportant to most people are the things that interest me the most, because I just wanted the portrayal to be as authentic as it could be.

Well, besides the guitar strap, what would you think are those unimportant things that people might not catch that you found so fascinating?

I would say just his relationship with the guitar. It’s almost like him and the guitar are on stage by themselves. When I met him, I was asking him about his relationship with music, and obviously he could talk forever about that. You could just feel the passion that this man has for music, and the history of music. Even the way he moves his head has a lot of specificity to it. It just looks like he’s having fun on stage, which I’m sure that he is, but he’s got certain little intricacies that I noticed that I wanted to try to incorporate. But, at the end of the day, you never know what they’re gonna wind up adding into the cut. That’s up to the editor, ultimately. But I still feel accomplished as far as that was concerned.

Bruce Springsteen: Deliver us From Nowhere
Photo Credit: 20th Century Films/Disney

Little Steven is also an actor that had a long run on The Sopranos, and he starred in one of Netflix’s first original shows, Lilyhammer. Did you take anything from him as an actor?

He’s the first one to say that he was never an actor. When the Sopranos role came to him — I don’t know if you’ve read any of his interviews about that — but he didn’t want to take a role from an actual actor, because he didn’t consider himself an actor. So what ended up happening is that David Chase said, ‘Okay, I won’t take a role away from an actor, I’ll write a role specifically for you.’ And so that’s how Silvio Dante on The Sopranos sort of evolved.

But to answer your question, he never really viewed himself as an actor, it seems, until he started doing it. So as far as what I was able to take away from him … talking to someone who never viewed themselves as an actor, but now obviously he does [after] all those years working on The Sopranos and [now has] the confidence of ‘Now I’m an actor.’ Yeah, there was a lot that I feel like I took away. I’m trying to think of specifics but just really it’s the commitment. He’s unbelievably committed to music and to acting, too, even though it’s more new to him. His ability to kind of adapt to whatever he’s doing at the time. He’s a real artist. He’s a true artist, and I think that’s what artists do. We adapt to our environment and take on whatever roles or situations that are presented in front of us, and he kills it every time. So there was definitely a lot to take away.

Someone who’s very committed and throws himself into a role is Jeremy Allen White. Talk about the dynamic of working with him since you portrayed such an important person in his life.

Well, the film, I should say, is not a traditional biopic. It’s more about a very specific slice of life and time. So it’s not about his relationship with the E Street Band. That said, obviously, Stevie and the guys are a major part of his life, so they are a presence in the film, but there’s not a focus on them. It was funny we were shooting at the Power Station, which is the iconic recording studio that they recorded Born in the USA. Being able to shoot in the actual place that it happened was an experience in itself.

But Jeremy Allen White walked in for the first time, and he beelined it right over to me, and he put his arm around me. I just thought that was so cool, because I’d never met him before. You never know with actors what they’re gonna do on set. But, just that simple gesture was very meaningful to me, because I want to do whatever I can to give him what he needs in order to feel the world of Bruce Springsteen. He had the weight of the world on his shoulders playing that role, especially at that period of time, because it was so intense, and it required so much. So, as an actor, you don’t want to interfere with another actor’s process. You want to be a giving actor, and allow them to use you to get where they need to be. He was phenomenal in this.

There’s a scene where you’re playing with the E Street Band at The Stone Pony. Talk about performing — even though its to a pre-recorded track — on the stage and being the E Street Band.

The rest of the E Street guys are pro musicians. I was the only technical actor, although they were all amazing and incredible, and they could be actors very easily. But, I was the only band member who was, I guess you could say, a trained actor. But, that said, for me, it’s very easy to kind of escape and just not have to pretend, quote-unquote. For me, it felt like I was one of the guys. They were also cool. As pro musicians they embraced me so quickly. And if anyone felt underprepared, it was me, because while I had a knowledge of guitar, and I trained to be even better, it’s just nice to feel embraced by actual musicians.

How does it feel being on that stage? You’re portraying one of Asbury’s greatest sons. It has to hit differently for you than a dude from California playing one of the guys in the band.

I appreciate you asking that, because it’s a really good question. When I was standing there, it was so surreal. It still feels surreal when I think about that I was even a part of this. But, having stood on that stage with Bruce in the room… because he was there. They were sitting, they call it Video Village, where all the producers and the director sit. And they were there just watching, and the cameras were on us, on the band, and on Jeremy singing. You would think that it would be intimidating, and I guess it was to a certain degree, but at the same time, I just wanted to rock out. As soon as they played those tracks, we played along to it. It was so hard just not to invest in it, and just try to kill it every time. I was sweating my ass off, that’s all I remember. I probably shed five pounds that day. It was just so much fun, and I could have kept going. But as a Jersey guy, there’s definitely a particular resonance to that moment for me.

We hear so many stories about people meeting Bruce and he’s the nicest guy in the world. Was this the same on set?

When you’re shooting a film like this it’s a crew of hundreds of people that break for lunch. One day we were shooting, and the lunch was over at the Berkeley Carteret Hotel. So everyone was there, and getting in line. All the crew guys and the cast get there to get their lunch. And I will never forget, because Bruce just walked up. He was right behind me, actually. He grabbed a paper plate, he got in line, he waited at the table, he shoveled [food] on to his own plate, he went in the corner, and he just ate. If anyone should be going back to their own trailer, or to do their own thing, you would think it would be Bruce Springsteen. But, he was just such a part of it, it felt like such a family, it really did, and he was so invested. He wanted to make sure that he was giving everything he could to both Jeremys [Jeremy Allen White and Jeremy Strong], and Jon Landau [who Strong portrays] was there as well. It was really incredible to watch just how supportive he was of the whole process.

Given this movie’s out this week what is something that you think is going to surprise audiences when they see it?

I touched on that a little bit. I think what probably would surprise most people, they might be anticipating more of his music catalog.

Like Bohemian Rhapsody, for example.

Right, exactly. That’s why I said it’s not a biopic in the traditional sense. This was the point of time where Bruce was really trying to figure out who he was as an artist. We all go through these dark periods as creative people, and that’s what was so fascinating about the story because it’s a part of Bruce’s life that most people don’t know about. Stevie even said at the New York premiere a couple of weeks ago when Bruce was going through this, obviously he was there, but him and the rest of the guys, they had no idea. They had no idea he was going through this dark moment until much later. I found that to be fascinating because they were there. It’s just a really introspective look at a very dark time in his life, and he’s created so much amazing music for so many people, and it just gives you more of an appreciation for artists and for creative people and the ups and downs that they go through. That’s what I hope people take away from the film, at least.

Well, speaking of artists and creative people, I couldn’t not do this interview without asking what you have next up on your docket. I see you have Stegosaurus, this new movie coming out, and you’re working on a project with Ben Vereen. So, let people know what you’re working on.

Stegosaurus is an independent horror film that I’ve been in the process of. We’re just about finished with it, but it’s really cool. I don’t know if you’re a horror guy or not.

My wife’s more of the horror guy than me.

It’s so much fun, and I get to play a really interesting character that I’ve never gotten to play before. Well, I’ll just say it, he’s a serial killer. [It’s] always a lot of fun to do something you’re not as comfortable with. It’s very out there, it’s very over-the-top, but it’s good, and I hope people enjoy it.

And you’re writing a show.

I’m a writer as well as an actor. Ben Vereen has become a close friend of mine over the years, and I wrote this television pilot called The Minus Touch. It’s about a Broadway composer who’s in the process of losing his vision and the more blind he becomes, the clearer his vision for life becomes. It’s been fun, and it’s just been in development for several years, so we’re trying to move the needle on that.

Alright, before I let you go, I gotta do a couple lightning round questions for you about New Jersey.

Best spot, best spot for bagels when you’re home.

Probably Sheep’s Head Baygels on Route 35 in Holmdel.

We’re, okay, is it pork roll or taylor ham?

Oh, that’s a tough one. I’m not a fan of it either [but] I would say pork roll.

Correct answer. What is your, what was the best show you saw at the Stone Pony?

Like you said earlier, just being on that stage, knowing all of the amazing acts who have performed there over the years, and the fact that it’s still standing is amazing. Because, look at all the other local venues over the years that are no longer existent.

What’s your go-to restaurant when you go home? Where are you going for for some hometown comfort food?

Patricia’s of Holmdel. It’s right across the highway from, Sheep’s Head Baygels. My family always says, oh, let’s go to Patricia’s when I’m home.

Johnny Cannizzaro stars in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere which opens on Friday October 24 in theaters nationwide. For more on Johnny Cannizzaro, check out his official website.

Bill Bodkin
Bill Bodkinhttps://thepopbreak.com
Bill Bodkin is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Pop Break, and most importantly a husband, and father. Ol' Graybeard writes way too much about wrestling, jam bands, Asbury Park, Disney+ shows, and can often be seen under his seasonal DJ alias, DJ Father Christmas. He is the co-host of Pop Break's flagship podcast The Socially Distanced Podcast (w/Amanda Rivas) which drops weekly as well as TV Break and Bill vs. The MCU.
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