Robert De Niro and ‘Ezra’ Writer Tony Spiridakis Drew From Real-Life Experience Raising Children on the Spectrum for Their Film
variety.comLexi Carson “Ezra” celebrated its premiere in New York, N.Y., on Thursday with stars Robert De Niro, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, and Tony Goldwyn all in attendance.
The film is a Bleeker Street Media release that follows Max Bernal (Cannavale), who is a stand-up comedy writer (with scenes filmed at Comedy Cellar) who lives with his dad (De Niro).
The comedian faces challenges when it comes to co-parenting their autistic son (William A. Fitzgerald) with his ex-wife (Byrne). “Ezra” was inspired by the film writer Tony Spiridakis’s personal life, as he has a child who is on the spectrum. “I realized I didn’t know anything about autism, I thought I gotta write this down.
Because of the lack of understanding that I had, I kept thinking, every day was a surprise,” Spiridakis told Variety at the film’s premiere. “I made so many mistakes as a father, I wanted to show warts and all — the mistakes of being a father of an autistic child because I held on tight, I loved my son, and my son showed me with his wonderful spirit a way out of it, and that was a beautiful thing.
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